The Chef Competitors
Meet the incredible chefs who competed at the 2025 Dish It Up!
Tiffany Bacon, Sweet Bakes Couture
Chef Tiffany is the pastry guru and founder of Sweet Bakes Couture. She is a self taught, later on the job trained pastry chef who has baking in her blood. She has gone from baking at home to selling dessert items on her college campus as a student to having them placed in surrounding local stores and served in restaurants. After graduating from college she was able to hone her baking and cake decorating skills, assisted with the opening of and became head pastry chef at Buttersweet Bakery in GA. Due to a family emergency, Chef Tiffany had to relocate back to Philadelphia. Although life circumstances changed, she never left her true passion of baking behind. Up on return, she continued improving her skills and worked as a pastry chef and pastry sous chef for several Steven Starr Restaurant Group restaurants. Chef Tiffany received the National Black Chef Association Award in 2018, has competed in: the Greatest Baker, Favorite Chef, and twice in Dessert Wars - both times making the Top 25 & Top 10 lists respectively, then making it to the National Championship round in the 2024 competition.
Also being a poet, Chef Tiffany began to curate poetry events in which she could merge her 2 loves, desserts and poetry. She created two open mic series entitled, Poetry & Cupcakes and PoeTea & Pastries. Now in her 20th year of this pastry industry, she has been blessed with the opportunity to open a location of her own which will also host her open mic events. In 2025, she will be opening the only chic, luxe bi-level dessert café and sweetery in Philly! Look out for Sweet Bakes Couture Café & Sweetery in the Northern Liberties area of the city.
Emily Chellew, Cry Baby Pasta
Chef Emily Chellew is the executive chef at Cry Baby Pasta. She began her career at 16, performing in national competitions and getting stellar grades that led her to the Culinary Institute of America's accelerated program. She landed the sous chef position at Congress Hall in Cape May, NJ when she was only 19. Chef Chellew's Philadelphia career began at Fork Restaurant, where she was the staff's favorite line cook. She credits chef Andrew Wood for honing her organic, fire-born cooking techniques while being his chef d' partie at the seminal BYOB Russet for several years. After that, Chef Chellew's culinary journey led her west to San Francisco, the land of Michelin stars. Her creativity flourished under the tutelage of Dominique Crenn at her triumphant restaurant, Atelier Crenn. Her mastering of the hearth and open-fire cooking in a refined setting was solidified with Joshua Skenes at the world-renowned Saison. Never to be static, Chef Chellew journeyed down under for pursuits of self-discovery and new joy. While settling in Melbourne, Australia for a year, she found a creative home in Lume with Chef Shaun Quade. Back in Philadelphia, Chef Chellew's love of traditional American home cooking married with her passion for natural, local, and foraged ingredients multiplied by her training at some of the most intricate kitchens in the world have led to one of the most satisfying yet sublime menus in the city.
Dawn Frazier, Details By Ms. Dawn
After working in the corporate setting for 25 years, Chef Dawn Frazier decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship and began by operating the bar and grill, concessions and banquet space at the former Freeway Golf Club in Sicklerville, N.J. She went on to open Ms. Dawn’s Kitchen in Burlington, N.J., followed by Details by Ms. Dawn LLC, which offers event catering, food concierge and private chef services. Chef Frazier has received various awards, including the 2014 Woman of the Year Award for Community Service, which she was nominated for by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; the 2016 Tasters Choice Award at Taste of Community; and the 2016 Woman of the Year for Community Service, which she was nominated for by Zeta Delta Zeta.
Rosa Gutierrez, Tierra Colombiana
Originally from Ecuador, Rosa came to the United States 40 years ago and began working at Tierra Colombiana, where her love for food and natural gift for bringing people joy through her cooking quickly made her an essential part of the team. Drawing from the recipes of Tierra Colombiana’s first Cuban chef, Rosa has become a beloved icon of the restaurant's tradition. Her signature saying, “I prepare food with love—love is the main ingredient in everything,” reflects the heart she puts into every dish. It's that heartfelt touch that guests say they can taste—and why they keep coming back. Today, Rosa mentors the next generation, working closely with Colombian Chef Sebastian Rodriguez. With 14 years of experience in both Colombian and international cuisine, Sebastian blends Rosa’s time-honored teachings with modern culinary techniques, keeping tradition alive while embracing the future of Latin flavors.
Kate Honeyman, Walnut Hill College
Chef Kate Honeyman has been in the hospitality for over 30 years. Her passion for cooking began at a young age surrounded by a family of great cooks. She graduated from The Pennsylvania Culinary Institute and gained additional experience in pastry arts by attending both Notter’s Confectionary Arts and The French Pastry School. Her journey continued as she moved through various positions such as Executive Pastry Chef for The Starr Restaurant Organization, appearing as a tv cooking personality, and held pastry positions at Desserts International, Caesar’s Palace, and The Ritz Carlton Hotel. Being a 2x nominee for a James Beard award was also a great honor. Her path has led her to teaching Pastry arts at Walnut Hill College where she helps to nurture the future of the hospitality industry.
Kate Hughes, High Street Philadelphia
Kate Hughes is the Pastry Chef behind Fork and High Street who is elevating the pastry experience with exciting, creative desserts. Prior to joining the group, Kate was Pastry Chef at Wilder, Philadelphia, and earned her stripes at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia, Denver, Vail and Jackson Hole. She has a passion for exotic flavors and loves using savory elements in her desserts. She is a graduate of the Art Institute of Colorado and hails from Broomfield, just outside of Denver.
Maeve Joyce, Ocean Prime
Chef Maeve has had a passion for food and people since an early age and quickly learned how nice it is when those two passions come together. Maeve started working in restaurants at the age of 14 and continued this path all throughout her time getting a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from LaSalle University. Maeve worked in the Social Work field for five years while still cooking part-time three nights a week until making the decision to work in restaurants full time. She began as a pantry cook at Ocean Prime in 2017 and from there her career took off. Her love for the business and appetite for growth fueled her to quickly move up the ranks to Executive Chef. When not working she loves traveling the world, spending time in nature with her dog Prince, and continuously exploring the Philadelphia restaurant scene.
Justine MacNeil, Fiore
Chef Justine MacNeil is the co-owner and Pastry Chef of Fiore Fine Foods. A graduate of French Culinary Institute, Chef MacNeil has an impressive resume of positions in New York City, including pastry chef at The Dutch, Craft, and Del Postostine. Chef MacNeil and her husband moved to Philadelphia and opened Fiore in Queen Village in 2019.
Spurred by a glowing three-bell review from Philadelphia Inquirer's restaurant critic Craig LaBan within a few months of opening, Fiore swiftly established their place in elite company in the Philadelphia restaurant scene. Fiore has been honored with appearances on Philadelphia Eater's 38 Essential Restaurants list, a place in Philadelphia Magazine’s top 50 restaurant list, as well as the distinction of being the only Philadelphia restaurant with multiple Best of Philly Awards in 2019 for their pastries and breakfast sandwich. Most recently, Craig LaBan highlighted Fiore as one of just a few restaurants that he is eyeing as a newcomer to his coveted list of Philadelphia's top 25 restaurants in 2020, and Eater Philadelphia named Fiore as one of only three finalists for their Restaurant of the Year award.
Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa and Casa Mexico
Chef Cristina Martinez is a native of Capulhuac, Mexico who fled to the United States to escape from domestic violence. She held many jobs in the restaurant industry, eventually losing her position due to her undocumented status. In 2015, she opened South Philly Barbacoa, which Bon Appétit magazine named one of the top ten best new restaurants in America in 2016.
Chef Martinez was featured on an episode of the Netflix series Chef's Table in 2018, opened her second restaurant, Casa Mexico, in 2020, and earned the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic in 2022.
A passionate immigration activist, Chef Martinez established the Popular Alliance for Undocumented Workers' Rights, and was featured in Univision's podcast entitled Mejor vete, Cristina ("You Better Leave, Cristina"), which won Mejor Cobertura Multimedia (Best Multimedia Coverage) at the 2018 Ortega y Gasset Awards.
Mariangeli Alicea Saez, Elévate
Mariangeli Alicea Saez is a seasoned restaurant consultant with a deep commitment to the Hispanic restauranteur community and its sustainable growth. She is the driving force behind Elévate and Cantina la Martina. As an architect, Chef Saez began her career designing commercial kitchens in the food service industry in 2009. In 2012, she was subcontracted by a Mexican Restaurant Group to consult in growing their footprint to a national level. This opportunity opened the door for learning other trades in the food service world, allowing Chef Saez to work alongside chefs like Dionico Jimenez, Dudley Nieto, and Gustavo Baldiño, who mentored and educated her on Mexican gastronomy. She further ignited her passion for food and cooking while traveling to Mexico and visiting family. Chef Saez opened Xochi Taqueria in Ambler, PA in 2017. Fast forward to 2024, Chef Saez owns and operates Cantina la Martina alongside Chef Dionico Jimenez. In this space, she continues learning about Mexican gastronomy and sharing her love of food with guests. Chef Saez is also the founder and CEO of Elévate, a restaurant consulting agency with a niche in the Hispanic market.
Amaryllis Rivera-Nassar, Amy's Pastelillos
Amaryllis Rivera-Nassar, known to many as Amy, is a Philly-born Boricua with a deep passion for food, culture, and community. With a background in development, marketing, PR, and event planning, she co-founded BigBite Philly, a signature food competition, and later served as Director of Marketing for FEASTIVAL, Philly’s premier culinary event. She also worked with Profile PR, representing top hospitality brands. In 2018, inspired by her late mother’s love of cooking, Amy launched Amy’s Pastelillos to honor Puerto Rican culinary traditions. She's also the co-founder of GUSTO!, an event series supporting Latinx communities and crisis relief in Puerto Rico, and serves as Kitchen Curator at Garage Philly. Through all her ventures, Amy continues to elevate Puerto Rican cuisine in Philadelphia’s vibrant food scene.
Tanesha Trippett, Jacobs Northwest
Chef Tanesha Trippett is the owner of Jacobs Northwest, Brotherly Grub Food Truck and Brotherly Grub Brunch Café. She attended culinary school at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, and established Jacobs Catering in 2016, then later opened Brotherly Grub Food Truck. Chef Trippett secured contracts with the Parks and Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy, serving southern-inspired Philadelphia foods such as smoked brisket and cauliflower cheesesteaks, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Love Park. In November 2019, Chef Trippett opened Brotherly Grub Brunch Café, later to become nominated as Best Black Owned Brunch Cafe in Philadelphia and spotlighted by Bud Light, NBC10, and the Philadelphia Eagles!
Chef Trippett's newest venture is the opening of Jacobs Restaurant in West Oak Lane in early April 2024. The menu includes a $10 brunch on Fridays for senior citizens in honor of Chef Trippett's grandma.
Shakeira Turner - Chef Keira, Chubby Chicks
Shakeira Turner, or "Chef Keira," is the owner and head chef of Chubby Chicks, where she oversees all aspects of the restaurant's operations, from concept development to menu creation. With a focus on innovative brunch dishes and a warm, inviting atmosphere, Chef Keira creates memorable dining experiences. Her journey has been fueled by creativity, hard work, and a love for bringing people together through food.
Tamika Valentine, Stylish & Graceful Catering
Founded in 2019 in loving memory of her daughter Tianna, Chef Ms. Meek’s culinary business was born from a place of heart, healing, and a passion for flavor. Known for her rich, savory comfort food and impeccable service, Chef Ms. Meek brings warmth and delicious flavor to every private, corporate, and social event she caters. Chef Ms. Meek is also a proud community advocate. In 2019, she and her family launched Legacy 4 Change, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting underserved youth with back-to-school supplies, winter coats, and holiday meals. Her dedication to giving back was recognized in 2022 when she received an award from the Lee Monument Foundation in Philadelphia. Over the years, Chef Ms. Meek has had the honor of working with numerous respected organizations, including the City of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia, Gift of Life Foundation, The Discovery Center, The Dell Music Center, and many more.
Miranda Watson, Sundry Mornings
I, Miranda, started Sundry Mornings Spice Co. when I was given a collection of peppers, while photographing local farms and producers, that inspired me to make a Taco seasoning for my husband. From there I went on making other spice blends that we commonly used in our home, like chili mix and cajun seasoning, while also finding other local ingredients that could also be dehydrated and added to the blend. Around 2015, I decided to start making bigger batches that I jarred and sold at small markets to make a little extra money during my slow seasons at work. From there I added hot sauces and for fun, I made my first batch of, Bloody The Vampire Slayer, for a Halloween market in 2017. In 2020, I turned that side hustle into my full time gig and have been growing it ever since. From selling at farmers markets to stocking shelves at local stores, Sundry Mornings products still carry my love for local and capturing, Farmer Fresh Flavor All Year Round!
Stephanie Willis, Everybody Eats
A 19-year vet in the food and beverage industry, personal chef, "mompreneur" and founder, Chef Stephanie Willis - affectionately known as "Chefanie" - is no stranger to hard work. Starting modestly at dish and humbly hustling her way up the ladder to a GM of a multi-million dollar restaurant owned by an Iron Chef, she knew her passion was in the kitchen.
Running a restaurant whilst moonlighting as a part-time caterer and being a full-time mom was the fuel that fed the fire for Chefanie to literally feed the streets with carefully curated, locally sourced meals, prepared with love through Eat Prep Love. She has worked with some of Philadelphia's top influencers and prepared meals for public figures in both the entertainment and professional sports worlds. Chefanie has been featured on various food blogs including Eater, Philly Mag, Philadelphia Inquirer, and VOGUE; won local cooking competitions; was recognized as one of Philadelphia’s Local Heros on Edible Philly; and was a contestant on MasterChef season 9.
Chefanie hopes to inspire young women of color interested in the culinary world to chase after their goals.
