Chef Clark's mission is to serve only sustainable seafood and he's launched a campaign among his peers to educate the public that we should care about the sustainability of ocean life. Clark began his career training at George Brown College and went on to work in Toronto's finest kitchens. Now working in Vancouver, and having a desire to serve fresh seafood, he went straight to the boats “to find better seafood and more variety. Soon the chef was adding sea cucumber to salads and barnacles to soups. His former restaurant Star Anise, remains the only restaurant to ever win the Vancouver Magazine awards for "Restaurant of the Year? and "Best New Restaurant? in the same year.

As a teenager, Dean Fearing thought the world revolved around his Fender guitar--working in the local Holiday Inn kitchen was simply a means to a (hopefully) rock star end. But one day his dad said, "Look, there's a chef coming to town and offering classes. I know you want to be a rock star, but just give him five minutes of your time.? That chef (Harvey Colgin, a 72-year-old former chef of the Ritz Carlton) changed his life. Dean found his own rhythm in the kitchen, moved on to the Culinary Institute of America, and eventually became known for his unique take on Southwestern cuisine. His restaurant "The Mansion? in Dallas has drawn accolades from Presidents, including George Bush and Bill Clinton. He's authored two cookbooks and has hosted two television series.

Elizabeth Falkner is a pastry chef with an attitude. Known as a dessert artist who makes "anything but round? cakes, Elizabeth Falkner's architecturally stunning and mouth-watering creations have earned her a place amongst pastry and savory cooks alike. Falkner says, "I love architecture in dessert because the medium asks for it." The California native is a fine arts graduate who originally planned on pursuing a career in film after obtaining her degree from the San Francisco Art Institute. However, in 1997after stints at several of San Francisco restaurants, she opened her own dessert restaurant, the cinematically inspired "Citizen Cake" ("a cake for every citizen") to wide critical acclaim. She's also a cookbook author and winner of numerous prestigious awards “ both local and national.

With his quiet Asian demeanour, Nobu Matsuhisa is not the image of an ambitious Type-A chef. And yet, he is one of the most successful chef/owners in the world. At 15 years of age, Nobu started work at a now-defunct sushi restaurant in Tokyo. From Tokyo he moved to South America, where Chef Nobu opened restaurants in Peru and Argentina before landing on US shores- to Alaska. After his beloved restaurant burned to the ground, Nobu relocated to LA and opened the first of a long chain of restaurants. In 1993 when working in NYC, Nobu met regular customer and A-list actor Robert DeNiro who asked the chef to open restaurant with him. Nobu has been recognized with awards such as the "Best Ten Chefs in the US?, consecutively ranked No.1 in the category of "Taste? in the Zagat Food Survey and a Michelin Star to NOBU London only to name a few.

Desjardins and partner Pierre Audette, bought a charming cottage in Ste. Adèle (an hour outside of Montreal) and turned it into a small restaurant called "L'eau à la Bouche?, at a time when "fresh broccoli was a radical concept. She couldn't bear to import asparagus in February instead of serving their own Laurentian squash, cabbage, and mushrooms. Their notions of freshness and purity, of healthfulness and simplicity became their governing philosophy. As word spread about L'Eau à la Bouche ("Mouthwatering?), Anne and Pierre expanded into a cozy country inn with 25 rooms. In 1989, they were accepted as a member of the world renowned Relais and Chateaux chain. Among numerous accolades, Anne has been named the Best Chef in Canada by the New York Times, honoured as one of America's Top Tables by Gourmet.

As Executive Chef at Canada's prestigious Royal York Hotel David Garcelon now juggling six restaurants, massive banquets and room service. Complete with a walkie talkie, David oversees 12 sous chefs and in the course he walks 8 kms. daily. He manages a budget of $30-million, and a staff of 200. David got his first gig as executive chef at the ripe age of 28 so he's been a star from the start. At the Royal York, he's also become an advocate for local produce “ even keeping an herb garden and 10,000 bees on the roof so that the hotel can take advantage of fresh herbs. At 42, David Garcelon“ is a decade younger than most chefs in such a high-profile position.

Michael Lomonaco is the quintessential New York chef. After surviving 9/11 “ but losing many of his beloved staff that day AND his restaurant, Windows on the World, Michael has been "giving back? to his city ever since. He opened the best steakhouse in town, and began many charities to help the families of those who died as well as New York City's Homeless. Italian-American Michael Lomonaco's first career of choice was a theater/film actor and singer but eventually, his passion for cooking, food and wine overshadowed the bright lights of Tinsel Town. In 1988 he became Executive Sous Chef at the legendary Maxwell's Plum and a year later returned to the '21' as Executive Chef. Michael has been host of Discovery Channel's Epicurious and the Food Network's Michael's Place.

Susanna Trilling has been a chef for over thirty years and has dabbled in the culinary traditions of many countries- but it's her own Mexican roots that pulled her back to what she loves most. Many years as a professional chef, Susana opened New York restaurants Bon Temps Rouler and Rick's Lounge. It was in 1988 however, that Susanna really found her heart's wishes come true when she moved to Mexico's gastronomic capital, Oaxaca. There, Susanna opened her catering business and cooking school called Seasons of My Heart on the Rancho Aurora- a hillside farm - which was made into a PBS culinary series as well as an accompanying cookbook. The participation-based classes are combined with market tours, demonstrations in local homes and cottage industries.

Antony Worrall-Thompson is a survivor. Born in Stratford upon Avon, he was abused several times as child by both distant family members and schoolmasters. Always active in sports, he swam the English Channel when he was 16. He then went on to study hotel management at Westminster College despite protestations from his grandmother who tried to prevent him from becoming a chef, feeling that it was "beneath him?. After a travelling food sabbatical in France, he returned to London to open his own restaurant in 1981 “ Ménage à Trois in tony Knightsbridge. The several restaurants that followed were each heaped with accolades and awards such as the Mouton Rothschild Menu Competition and the Meillier Ouvrier de Grande Bretagne (MOGB), the chef's Oscar.

Born and raised on Long Island, Larry Forgione spent childhood summers on his grandmother's farm eating tasty chickens and freshly harvested, perfectly ripe fruits and vegetables. He committed himself to using only domestic ingredients and cultivated a supply from small farmers, purveyors and foragers. Forgione started the first "free range? chicken farm in 1980 in Warwick, New York, and coined that very term. He had found his mission: to support the best of America's harvest. Obsessed with the celebration of Americana, he opened An American Place, where his pan-seared buffalo steaks, terrine of American caviars, and old-fashioned banana betty awed the city's Europhile foodies, earning him three stars from the New York Times. "Cooking American? had become a source of national pride. Forgione has written two cookbooks and has won several James Beard and CIA awards.

Arun is proof you don't have to be a Type-A chef, with the accompanying theatrics, to become a star in the kitchen. This quiet, artistic, Buddhist chef is the epitome of humility and yet his restaurant is known as the best Thai dining in America. An ordained Buddhist monk, poet, and painter, Chef Arun Sampathavivat is a master of Thai cuisine. Since opening "Arun's Restaurant? in 1987, he has become world-renowned “ and won a James Beard Award as Best Chef Midwest. Celibate, he lives with his brother in Chicago and still practices the tenets of Buddhism. Although the religion espouses rejection of "worldly things?, Arun has had to embrace success. Frommers has described Arun's as "the best Thai restaurant in the country.?

Art Smith has come a long way from small town Florida to being short listed as White House Chef. Art started out as a personal chef at the Governor's Mansion in Florida where he was raised. In 1997, he ended up as personal chef to Oprah Winfrey for 10 years. With the blessing of the TV icon, Art opened Table 52 in Chicago, and has never looked back. He just opened his THIRD restaurant in Washington, DC and has now published 3 cookbooks “ one of which, "Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family?, won a James Beard Award. Art's mission is to resurrect the important role of food and "gathering at the table.?

Maricel Presilla took the indirect route to becoming a chef: Dr. Presilla used to teach medieval history at New York and Rutgers universities. But in studying anthropology and culture, Maricel found herself specifically drawn to the FOOD of civilization throughout the ages. Foregoing academia for a full-on career as chef and food writer, she soon opened Zafra, a pan-Latin restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey which has garnered rave reviews for its unique take on Latin American cuisine.