Chef Diego Galicia has been regularly recognized and praised by critics as a leader in the culinary community in San Antonio. Chef Galicia was named in Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs” in 2017 and James Beard Foundation semifinalist for “Best Chef Southwest” in 2018, semifinalist for Outstanding restaurant in 2022 and finalist in 2024. Mixtli has received the CultureMap Tastemaker Award for best restaurant for the three consecutive years and was named the 2018, 2019, & 2024 #1 Best Restaurant by the San Antonio Express-News.

Born in Toluca, Mexico, in 1984, Galicia moved to San Antonio in 2002 and graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio (CIA). Galicia worked in his native Mexico at Azul Condesa, under Chef Ricardo Muñoz. Galicia diversified his culinary experience by working at three Michelin-starred restaurants Atelier Crenn in San Francisco and the now shuttered Moto in Chicago.

Mixtli, located in Southtown, San Antonio, is the natural evolution to serve his next higher purpose—to re-embrace his heritage and to create. Like clouds, the menu travels from place to place offering a tour in Mexican gastronomy and rotates quarterly. If the state has a border with the ocean, the Mixtli team starts the trek on the coast and works inland, bringing dishes specifically from that region or state. After each season, the cloud travels to other lands, and the team begins again with a new menu.

After spending 10 years cooking in kitchens across the country, Matt found his home in Dallas at FT33, his first solo venture that he opened at the age of 31 in October 2012. He quickly guided the restaurant to local acclaim, including earning a glowing five-star review from Dallas Morning News, and recognition of Restaurant of the Year by D magazine in December 2013. Matt and FT33 made waves on the national scale, including a spot on the 2013 Top 50 New Restaurant lists from Bon Appétit, Esquires top dishes of 2013, a 2014 Food & Wine Best New Chef nod, and James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist nods for Best Chef Southwest 2014, 2015 and 2016.

In 2018 Matt opened Homewood with a more elemental approach to farm fresh food he again earned a glowing 4 star review from the Dallas Morning News as well as Restaurant of the Year in D magazine.

In 2021 Matt was again nominated for another James Beard award for best Chef Texas.

Chef Gavin Kaysen is the award-winning chef and owner of Soigné Hospitality Group in Minneapolis known for his nationally renowned restaurants and cafes in the Twin Cities as well as his leadership in the culinary profession. He is passionate about mentorship and creating a more professional work environment for hospitalitarians.

In 2022, Kaysen released his first cookbook titled “At Home” filled with approachable recipes to inspire novices and professionals alike. It was a finalist in the IACP Cookbook Awards.

Chef Kaysen is the recipient of two James Beard Awards, “Rising Star Chef of the Year 2008”, and “Best Chef: Midwest 2018.” In 2022, he served as the executive culinary producer for the reboot of “Iron Chef” on Netflix and as a judge on Food Network’s “Bobby’s Triple Threat.”

In 2023, Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal named Chef Kaysen one of the city’s “Most Admired CEOs” and Star Tribune recognized him as one of the “50 People Changing the Way Minnesotans Eat.” In 2024, his intimate tasting menu restaurant Demi was the only independent restaurant welcomed into the global Relais & Châteaux family.

Chef and next-generation restaurateur, Aaron Bludorn’s mission is to create meaningful experiences through food and hospitality. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Aaron was drawn to the kitchen at an early age during his first job working as a dishwasher and prep cook in a small diner on Bainbridge Island. Energized by the comradery demonstrated in restaurants, Aaron pursued a career in hospitality and began his journey at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park. His learnings at CIA led to a prosperous career working under the country’s most celebrated chefs including Michelin-starred Chef Douglas Keene and Daniel Boulud. While working as Executive Chef in Manhattan’s Café Boulud, Aaron met his now-wife, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and was cast in Netflix’s blockbuster culinary competition show, The Final Table. That same year, he was honored by Star Chefs when he earned New York City’s Rising Star Community Chef Award.

In 2019, the Bludorns moved to Houston and in 2020, they opened the eponymous restaurant, Bludorn. In the fall of 2022, Chef Aaron opened his second restaurant, seafood inspired, Navy Blue, in the heart of Rice Village. In March of 2024, Chef Aaron opened his third restaurant, Bar Bludorn, in Hedwig Village. Aaron has a devotion to his new city, where he supports many charities through special dinners and menu items