People
BY DANIEL DUBUISSON AND KAITLYN SHEHEE
Southern chefs, bloggers, and fellow foodies you need to know
1 KENNY GILBERT
Jacksonville, Florida
Chef Kenny Gilbert is a certified beast in the kitchen. Kenny has always had a natural curiosity for the kitchen. By age 11, he was cooking the entire Thanksgiving dinner solo, and while in high school, he enrolled in a local vocational culinary program. These beginning steps have led to a fruitful career in the culinary industry that has catapulted Kenny into a world of opportunities, including his own restaurants, cookbooks, and an appearance on Top Chef.
2 STACEY PIRTLE
Jackson, Tennessee
With Stacey Pirtle, it’s all about bringing connection and friendship back to the table with you. She does this by building a community with her blog, Southern Discourse, which features Southern family dishes, hospitality, and weekly meal planning—and, of course, encouragement when her community needs it most. Stacey’s blog is a meaningful conversation about all the ways that food binds us, bringing us together and making us who we are.
3 NIKKO CAGALANAN
Charleston, South Carolina
Hailing from the Philippines, Chef Nikko Cagalanan brings a wealth of cultural influences to his dishes. At Kultura, he intertwines Filipino cuisine with local Lowcountry charm, resulting in an unparalleled dining experience. He made the move to Charleston, South Carolina, in 2018 to establish a culinary career, and he founded Mansueta’s Filipino Food, a pop-up in his grandmother’s name, in early 2019. In 2022, Nikko was crowned a Chopped champion. This year, he’s honored as a James Beard Award finalist for 2024 Emerging Chef.
4 MR. MAKE IT HAPPEN
Chesapeake, Virginia
Chef Matthew Price, also known as “Mr. Make It Happen,” did not grow up with dreams to be a chef and showed zero interest in what was going on in the kitchen, despite efforts to teach him in his youth. It wasn’t until later that his passion for cooking revealed itself, and with each meal he created, his love for the culinary world grew tenfold. His career has taken off with different business ventures resulting in successes, such as his YouTube channel, his own line of all-purpose seasonings, and more.
5 PETE AMADHANIRUNDR
Athens, Georgia
Pete Amadhanirundr is the culinary mind behind and cofounder of Puma Yu’s, nestled in the vibrant culinary scene of Athens, Georgia. With a passion for blending flavors from his Thai heritage with Southern influences, he creates an unforgettable dining experience, earning a James Beard Award nomination for 2024 Best Chef: Southeast. Trained in the kitchen with his family, his innovative dishes range from delicate Thai curries to bold, Southern-inspired creations, each telling a story of culinary fusion and creativity.
