Kate Bolt

from Living Lark

Kate Bolt is recipe writer who loves to eat. A few years ago, she got tired of ignoring her creative side and wrote down 100 of her original recipes and eventually turned those into her two cookbooks: Lark Cocktail and Lark Parties. Kate loves teaching classes, writing recipes with food & cocktail brands, and gathering people around good food. Kate is married to Dan, lives in Laketown, and has three young kids: Jack, Willem, and Vivian.

Missy Corey

from Pennyroyal Café & Provisions

Whether it’s mastering the art of butchering, or cooking her way to victory on the reality show, Chopped, Missy thrives off challenges. That, and the adrenaline rush combined with artistry, that comes from working in the restaurant industry. A Chicago native who has also honed her culinary skills in Portland, Maine, Missy now calls the Saugatuck-Douglas area home.  She recently teamed up with pastry chef, Bryan Kemp, and farmer and garden designer, Ryan Beck, to open Pennyroyal Café & Provisions featuring farm-to-table cuisine.

Ruth Crowe

from Isabel's Market + Eatery

A former US Army veteran, Los Angeles police officer, and collegiate softball coach, Ruth Crowe finally made her way back to art when she discovered Adobe Photoshop, and started her own graphic design business. After 11 years, she sold her business to pursue a style of a fusion of vintage photography that has been digitally altered and combined with layers of other images, photos, and sometimes words. Ruth uses wood panels, or plastered wood panels, with layers of wax and images melted within. All designs and photographs used in Adobe Photoshop and additional elements are added after or before image transfer.

My art, along with myself, are works in progress!

Jill Emmick

from Graze2Gather

Jill Emmick is a behavior analyst, health and wellness coach, and a mom who loves creating beautiful and tasty food art. She recently launched a charcuterie board and grazing table business Graze2Gather, and is enjoying bringing her love for charcuterie to people's homes and businesses!

Sophia Occhialini

from The Italian Spoon

Sofia, with her family, moved to Michigan from Italy in 2014. She grew up with deep love and respect for everything given by Mother Earth, inspired by her mom and dad, both excellent cooks. After been a student in many cooking classes with several famous Italian chefs, she became the chef that she is today. Her objective with The Italian Spoon is to carry on the heritage of the Italian family recipes and their little secrets by simply using local, seasonal fresh ingredients.

Mindy Trafman

from Isabel's Market + Eatery & Coast 236 Restaurant & Bar

Born and raised in Chicago, Mindy Trafman is no stranger to the hospitality industry.
From teacher to restaurateur and a sommelier, Mindy’s greatest joy is to share wine knowledge, flavors, and great stories via classes, tastings, and everyday hospitality. Loving the educational aspect, Mindy previously taught wine classes at Loyola University. Taking a sabbatical from the restaurant life, Mindy ran Lush Wine and Spirits stores and became impassioned with eccentric spirits and rare brews before moving to Saugatuck in 2014 to open The Kirby, a boutique hotel and restaurant in Douglas, Michigan, where she specialized in weddings and special events. Mindy joined Elizabeth Estes + Mary Fechtig as chef consultant for the opening of Coast 236 Restaurant & Bar in Saugatuck, Michigan; and is currently general manager and partner (and there to greet you every night.) Mindy is also a partner at Isabel’s Market + Eatery, and oversees the beverage department which offers great everyday bottles to rare, sought-after obscurities.

Sue “Sue Chef” Chaitin

from Isabel's Market + Eatery

Originally a caterer and personal chef, Sue later became Culinary Coordinator for D&W Food Centers where she designed and operated the first recreational cooking school in Western Michigan, as well as running in-store demo programs for seven locations. Over the years, Sue continued her passion for good food by producing and hosting the television show Get Fresh With Sue Chef, a farm-to-table cooking show that aired on every public television station in Michigan. A successful bottled spice line and cookbook soon followed. Sue is married to another chef, of course. Together they own and operate four restaurants: Ottawa Beach Inn in Holland, The Mermaid Bar and Grill and Baldy’s Smoked Meats in Saugatuck, and Matchbox Diner and Drinks in Grand Rapids.