11 am

Matéo Rey Mackbee

Head chef and owner, Krewe Restaurant

Co-owner, Flour & Flower Bakery, The Land by Model Citizen

Matéo has a depth of experience in the culinary world, including training with multiple award-winning chefs across many cuisines in Minnesota. While raised in Minnesota, his childhood summers always included several hot steamy weeks in his mother’s hometown of New Orleans visiting relatives and experiencing Creole and New Orleans style food while learning to love its local foods, culture, music, and sense of community.

Read more:

New York Times, July 7, 2020

StarTribune, July 8, 2021

MidwestLiving, October 4, 2022

"Being able to create an environment with my partner in business & life that reflects not only the beauty of what this industry can provide but also the holes- inclusivity, connection & respect—is what our mission is all about."

—Erin Lucas

12 pm

Erin Rae Lucas

Head baker and owner, Flour & Flower Bakery

Co-owner, Krewe Restaurant, The Land by Model Citizen

Erin grew up with a love of pie from her paternal grandmother: "Ever since cooking with her and my mother at a young age I knew the food industry was where I would spend the rest of my life." Growing up in Orono, MN, she learned about a lack of food knowledge in a more well-to-do community & that’s what sparked a need for an intentional connection. 

1 pm

Shari Mukherjee 

a.k.a. Spiced Up Mom Blog writer, Cooking/baking teacher, MasterChef Season 10 Top 6 Contestant

Shari rose to the Top 6 of MasterChef Season 10, and has recently been sharing her skills in a variety of collaborations in Rochester. Follow her @spicedupmom

2 pm

Beth Dooley

Beth Dooley's Kitchen

Beth Dooley has covered the local food scene in the Northern Heartland for thirty years: she writes for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, the Taste section of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, and Heavy Table and appears regularly on KARE 11 (NBC) television and MPR Appetites with Tom Crann. She is author of Minnesota's Bounty: The Farmers Market Cookbook, The Northern Heartland Kitchen  and coauthor with Lucia Watson of Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland, among other books. Learn more on her website, bethdooleyskitchen.com

3 pm

Annie Balow

ThaiPop

Chef Annie Balow (a native of Thailand) offers delicious creative modern Thai cuisine as well as classic Thai dishes at her restaurant ThaiPop. She enjoys reaching back in time for ancient Thai classics and merging them with modern elements.

At her restaurant, Chef Annie loves supporting local growers and businesses through her purchase of local produce and products. Fresh locally grown ingredients are important to her not only because they taste great, but also because it helps in supporting our community and  entrepreneurs like herself. Read more about Annie from Rochester Rising.