Simon Kim is the proprietor of Gracious Hospitality Management, the brand behind the Michelin-starred COTE Korean Steakhouse in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, COTE Miami, and bespoke cocktail lounge Undercote, with exciting new projects in the pipeline.

Born in Seoul, Kim began his hospitality career at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, while studying Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada. He would go on to lead the front-of-house teams for notable chefs, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Thomas Keller, and open his first Michelin-starred restaurant, Piora, at the young age of 31.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Simon opened COTE in 2017, New York City’s first Korean steakhouse and the only Michelin-starred Korean tabletop grill restaurant in the world, an honor now shared by COTE Miami following its breakthrough first year in the city’s Design District. COTE quickly earned numerous accolades within its first few months, including GQ’s Best New Restaurants in America, two stars from The New York Times and New York Magazine, James Beard Foundation Award nominations, and semifinalist nods for Best New Restaurant and Outstanding Wine List.

An Associate Board Member of the National Restaurant Association, EY Entrepreneur of the Year New York 2022 winner, Crain’s 40 under 40 honoree, and recipient of the Next Generation Award from the NYC Hospitality Alliance, Simon is not only a leader in the industry known for his creative and polished execution but one that is passionate about supporting local Asian American communities. In 2021, Simon founded Taste of Asia, an annual tasting event celebrating New York City’s AAPI communities. Featuring a curated selection of 40 restaurants serving Asian-inspired bites in Madison Square Park, this event honors the diversity and vitality of AAPI culture and cuisine in New York City and beyond, raising $1.2M in its inaugural year and $1.4M in 2022 for three organizations: City Harvest, where Simon sits on their Board of Directors and is an active participant on their Food Council, Apex for Youth and Madison Square Park Conservancy. Simon is also a Board member of the National Restaurant Association and a father of two.

Carol Lim and Humberto Leon are the co-founders of Opening Ceremony, a retail destination and cult fashion brand founded in 2002, and were the co-creative directors of French fashion house KENZO from 2011 to 2019.

Lim and Leon met during their studies at University of California, Berkeley, where Lim graduated with a B.A. in Economics, and Leon with a B.A. in Art Practice and American Studies.

Inspired by their world travels together, the duo left their jobs in the corporate fashion sector to start Opening Ceremony in 2002. The brand, colloquially known as OC, has grown from its first flagship store on Howard Street in New York into a global brand with stores in Los Angeles and Tokyo. Opening Ceremony is renowned for scouting emerging fashion talent from around the world and supporting them alongside well established designers.

Each year, OC produces two seasonal collections of ready-to-wear and accessories, dressing notables such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Drake, Cate Blanchett, Justin Bieber, and members of the Obama family. Over the past two decades, OC has also collaborated with brands, including Vans, Google, Intel, Disney, Coach, Pendleton, Levi’s, Rodarte, Apple, and Maison Martin Margiela, and creatives, including Spike Jonze, The Linda Lindas, Yoko Ono, Solange, Beastie Boys, Beyonce, Chloë Sevigny, Whoopi Goldberg, Justin Peck, and Syd Mead. OC was elected by Fast Company as one of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies” in 2011 and received the prestigious Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Fashion Design in 2016.

In July 2011, French luxury group LVMH appointed Lim and Leon as a co-creative director of KENZO, a storied Parisian fashion house founded in 1969 by Kenzo Takada. During his tenure at KENZO, the brand successfully re-launched as the world’s source for vibrant, forward-thinking contemporary fashion. Lim & Leon’s vision of “culture first” has led to musical collaborations with the XX, MIA, Solange, Air, Lauren Hill, Blood Orange, Vampire Weekend, Mike D (of Beastie Boys), Disclosure, Spiritualized, and more, on original scores for his historic shows at KENZO. Through shows, advertising, image, film, and special partnerships with innovators that include Jean-Paul Goude, TOILETPAPER, Natasha Lyonne, Karen O, Gregg Araki, Kahlil Joseph, and Carrie Brownstein, KENZO’s reach expanded far beyond fashion and into popular culture.

In 2016, Lim and Leon oversaw the release of KENZO’s first fragrance, KENZOWORLD, which was launched with an internet-breaking film directed by Spike Jonze and starring Margaret Qualley. In November 2016, KENZO and H&M collaborated on a highly -coveted collection that sold out instantly in stores around the globe. In 2017, KENZO was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, attributed to Leon & Lim’s multi-pronged approach to collaboration and advertising. In 2018, Leon wrote and directed his first film, “The Everything,” which served as KENZO’s Fall/Winter 2018 campaign film. Lim and Leon were judges for the LVMH Fashion Fund, advisors to the Parsons School for Design, and members of the selection jury for the ANDAM Fashion Award. In 2017, Lim and Leon were honored by New York nonprofit arts organization Creative Time at their annual gala. Lim and Leon have also been honored with the President’s Award for Excellence in Retail Innovation from the Academy of Art in San Francisco; Apex for Youth’s Inspiration Award; The Daily Front Row “Fashion Innovators” Award; The Fashion Group International’s 2018 Fashion Star Award.

In 2020, Leon opened his first restaurant with mother Wendy Leon, sister Ricardina Leon, and brother-in-law John Liu, in Eagle Rock, California. Inspired by their diverse heritage and deep-seated love for home cooking, CHIFA features a multi-cultural menu of traditional Cantonese, Peruvian, and Taiwanese recipes, many refreshed with a modern twist. As its visual director, Leon designed the restaurant’s custom interiors and furniture, which were featured in The Architectural Digest. At the end of its inaugural year, CHIFA received the prestigious Bib Gourmand Award by the MICHELIN Guide and earned a coveted spot on Condé Nast’s “The Best New Restaurants in the World” and the Los Angeles Times “101 Best Restaurants” lists for 2021. To critical acclaim Leon designed opened his second Arroz & Fun in Lincoln Heights, California. The restaurants have been featured in numerous publications including the Los Angeles Times, Eater, Bon Appetit.

Since 2020, Lim has consulted and advised for a number of brands including SK-II, Peter Do and Camper. In 2023, she worked with Jenny Han and Netflix on product collaborations for the show XO, Kitty.

The first child of Chinese immigrants living in Columbus, Ohio, John C Jay has been called a living legend and a creative mastermind. He has changed how brands immerse themselves in the culture of their communities, and his work has influenced design standards for a generation.

His first break came in 1980 in the menswear and home-furnishing departments of Bloomingdale’s in New York, which he landed despite having no experience in retail, fashion, advertising or marketing. He won them over with his passion, and during his 12 years there he climbed to executive vice president, director of marketing and creative services.

In 1993 he joined Wieden+Kennedy, the iconic ad agency, where he became Global Creative Director, led game-changing campaigns for Nike and established satellite offices in Tokyo, Shanghai and Delhi. John is now President of Global Creative at Fast Retailing, which owns Uniqlo, Theory, Helmut Lang among others.

John has been inducted into the Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame, was included in Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in 2011, and has spoken extensively about creativity. He has also been selected in the 50 Most Influential Art Directors of the Past 50 Years by the readers of Graphic Design USA, and is the founder of the Jay Scholarship Fund at Ohio State University to encourage students of Asian descent to pursue careers in the arts.

Xi’an native Jason Wang grew up in New York City and attended college with plans to pursue a corporate career. When his father, a veteran of Chinese kitchens, opened the first Xi’an Famous Foods in 2005 to sell dishes based on family recipes, Jason saw the potential of the business and was eager to help the restaurant grow, at one point experimenting with dishes in his dorm room while in college. Following a brief stint in the corporate world after college graduation, Jason decided to fully invest himself in Xi’an Famous Foods, learning every aspect of the business from the ground up. Since 2009, he has expanded the hole-in-the-wall chain to multiple locations in the New York City area. Through these restaurants, Jason brings a dining experience that appeals to both Chinese families who come to eat expecting authenticity, to everyday Americans looking to explore flavors.

Jason graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2009 with multiple majors in finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, and international business. In the past years, he has been named: Nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur of the James Beard Awards 2020; Zagat’s 30 Under 30 listee; Forbes 2014 30 Under 30 listee; Crain’s 2014 40 Under 40 listee; Eater.com 2013 Young Gun.

Michelle Lee is a global marketing and content executive and the former VP of Global Editorial & Publishing at Netflix, where she led global social media, digital and print content marketing, and podcasts. She was named an Adcolor Legend in 2021 for her work over the years in diversity and inclusion. Prior to Netflix, she was the Editor in Chief of Allure for six years and transformed the well-known media brand into an innovative, multi-faceted brand that champions diversity and challenges old-fashioned beauty standards. She was named Adweek’s Editor of the Year in 2017, while Allure was named Magazine of the Year for their groundbreaking covers, such as the July 2017 This Is American Beauty cover featuring model Halima Aden in a hijab and their September 2017 oath to ban the term “anti-aging” from their lexicon, which sparked global conversation about how we speak about aging. Allure was also a 2019 National Magazine Award finalist for its March 2018 issue The Culture of Beauty, featuring Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior to Allure, Lee was Editor in Chief of NYLON, NYLON Guys, and nylon.com. In 2015, she launched NYLON Studio, the company’s in-house creative agency and was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, putting her in charge of ideation and execution of native advertising, in addition to her EIC role.

Previously, she was Co-founder/Chief Marketing Officer at branded content agency Magnified Media.

Lee has spoken at SXSW, Google, CES, Cannes Lion, Columbia, Wharton, and has appeared on Today, GMA, CNN, and more.

Lee was a Scout for Sequoia Capital, an advisor for Silicon Foundry, and is an advisor for Sequoia-backed beauty tech startup NEWNESS. For four years, she sat on the board of ColorComm; and currently sits on the Board of Gold House and Advisory Council of Act to Change. She is a member of Adweek’s Innovators Council and was a member of Twitter’s original Content Council and was named to the Gold House A100 of most influential Asians, Digiday’s Glossy 50, and Create & Cultivate’s Creative 100 in 2017. She is a recipient of a 2019 ColorComm Circle Award.

Nathaniel Ru is the Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of sweetgreen, leading the brand and their award-winning creative team. He oversees a team of thinkers and marketers who use creativity and storytelling to help redefine what the fast-food industry will look like in the years to come.

He has been named as one of the Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company and one of Forbes’ Next 50 CMO’s. His team has collaborated with some of the world’s best chefs, athletes and musicians to amplify their mission. In both 2019 and 2020 sweetgreen was named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of the Year. His passion for storytelling has led him to work at the unique intersection of food, lifestyle and social impact.

Nathaniel and his co-founders started sweetgreen in 2007, opening their first location in Georgetown, DC, just three months out of college. Their vision is to be as ubiquitous as traditional fast-food, but far more transparent and honest. Since inception, sweetgreen has served over 100 million healthy meals.

Nathaniel graduated from Georgetown University and lives in Los Angeles.

Shan-Lyn Ma is CEO and Co-Founder of Zola, the wedding company reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience by combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology. Zola launched in 2013 and quickly became the country’s fastest growing wedding registry. Today, the company carries over 500 brands—from registry staples to up-and-coming designers—and over 300,000 couples have used the platform to register for gifts, experiences and funds. In April 2017, Shan-Lyn and her team released Zola Weddings, a free suite of wedding planning tools including wedding websites, a customizable checklist, guest-list manager, and, of course, registry.

Before starting her company, Shan-Lyn was Chief Product Officer of Chloe + Isabel. Prior to that, Shan-Lyn was Gilt Groupe’s first Product Lead tasked with defining and evolving the core site experience. She led key new business launches, including their successful foray into mobile, launching and managing their mobile web experience and apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Additionally, she was Creator and General Manager of Gilt Taste, the brand’s food and wine division. Before her time at Gilt, Shan-Lyn held product and marketing roles at Yahoo!. She holds a degree in BCommerce with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and an MBA from Stanford University.

Dr. Gregory Yep assumed the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Technical and Research Officer at CJ Cheiljedang in September 2023, propelling the global leader in Asian and American foods, nutrition, and biotechnology into an unprecedented era of pioneering innovation. At the helm of the company’s global research and development strategy, Dr. Yep is a visionary leader spearheading transformative initiatives, pioneering technological advancements, fostering impactful external collaborations, and steering the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. His strategic leadership is dedicated to delivering unparalleled new food products that not only captivate but also delight the global consumer, with iconic brands such as Bibigo and Red Baron.

Beyond his corporate role, Dr. Yep is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. As the executive sponsor for company initiatives, he actively engages in community service, shaping a future where inclusivity and social impact seamlessly intertwine. Prior to his role at CJ, Dr. Yep served as the Chief Science Officer at IFF and held the position of Senior Vice President of Research and Development at PepsiCo. In these influential roles, he crafted enduring, science-based strategies for core ingredients, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of food, flavor, metabolism, and nutrition. Dr. Yep’s impact is notably reflected in his leadership of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, a beacon of knowledge in sports nutrition and exercise science dedicated to enhancing the performance and well-being of athletes. His journey also includes a pivotal role as Global Vice President, Application Technologies at Givaudan Flavors and Fragrances, where he led a diverse global technology group, shaping research and development for taste and flavor delivery technology on a global scale. Earlier in his career at McCormick & Company, Dr. Yep ascended through executive roles, making a lasting impact on the field of food science. Dr. Yep’s holds or has held directorial roles on the Board of Directors for J.M. Huber Engineered Materials Company, IFF Hong Kong, Asian Pacific Islander Tennis Association, and Will Ventures. He currently serves on multiple advisory boards, including the United States Tennis Association National Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Cornell University.

Recognized for his exceptional commitment to underserved youth, Dr. Yep received the prestigious Apex for Youth Inspiration Award. His expertise in flavor science has earned him accolades as a Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association Excellence in Flavor Science awardee. Dr. Yep’s academic journey commenced at the University of Pennsylvania, where his passion for taste, scent, and nutrition took root, culminating in a master’s degree and a PhD in organic chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University. As a vital member of CJ’s Executive Committee, Dr. Yep’s influence spans continents, with a base in both Seoul, Korea, and the United States. His indomitable spirit and multifaceted expertise continue to drive CJ Cheiljedang towards a future defined by innovation, inclusivity, and global impact.

Ben Huh is a South Korean-American internet entrepreneur and the former CEO of The Cheezburger Network, which at its peak in 2010 received 375 million views a month across its 50 sites.

Huh was born in Seoul, South Korea and grew up in Rancho Cordova, California, attending Cordova High School there. In 1999, Huh graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism, although English was not his first language. With regards to this, he said “I got a degree in a language I didn’t speak because I felt something in the power of media that attracted me.”

The Web’s influence on journalism was growing, and Huh decided to go into a career in the Internet. He founded a web analytics company, which folded after 18 months. After that, he worked at three companies in six years. In 2007, Huh started a blog for fun with his wife about living with a dog in Seattle. Later that year, there was a series of pet food recalls, and the company responsible took down their company website. Huh went through the company’s cached files and found a PDF that outlined the company’s customers, revenues, and facility locations. He posted this to his blog, and the post got linked around the internet. One of the links was from a site called I Can Has Cheezburger and Huh struck up a friendship with the two owners.

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated producer, television host, food expert, and a New York Times best-selling author.

She is the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation, currently in production for its second season. Taste the Nation is the recipient of a 2021 Critics Choice Real TV Award for Best Culinary Series, a 2021 Gotham Award nomination for Breakthrough Series, and 2022 Critics Choice Real TV Award for Best Show Host. In June 2022, Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition won a James Beard Foundation Award in the Visual Media – Long Form category.

Lakshmi also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo’s two-time Emmy-winning series Top Chef, now in its 20th season. Top Chef has been nominated for 42 Emmys, including her four-time nomination as Outstanding Host for A Reality-Competition Program. In 2022, she accepted two Critics Choice Real TV Awards for Best Culinary Show and Best Competition Series on behalf of Top Chef as well as an award for Best Show Host.

Anita Lo is a French trained chef and cookbook author (Cooking Without Borders and SoLo, a Modern Cookbook for a Party of One which won Eater’s Cookbook of the Year and was nominated for an IACP award) based in New York City. She is best known for her work at annisa, a contemporary American fine dining restaurant in the West Village which she owned and operated for 17 years and which received a three star rating from the New York Times and a Michelin star among other accolades. She was the first female chef to collaborate for a state dinner at the white house under the Obama Administration. She has appeared on numerous television shows and films including Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America and The Heat. She is currently working with the Tour De Forks, hosting culinary tours around the planet. She was recently knighted to the Order of Agricultural Merit from the French government.

Karen Wong was the Deputy Director of the New Museum, a mid-size museum renowned for its entrepreneurial platforms and mission: new art and new ideas. She co-founded the initiatives IDEAS CITY (2010), a residency and conference exploring the future of cities with the belief that art and culture are essential to our metropolises, and NEW INC (2014), the first museum-led incubator for art, technology and design. Both initiatives are models for the intersection of cultural and civic engagement. She lectures often on museum innovation and emergent culture. Recent talks include keynotes at museum conferences (Toronto, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Athens, Paris) and panels (SXSW, Frieze Art Fair, Kickstarter, Sotheby’s, A/D/O). She recently developed a design talk series for Google NYC.

In September 2021, Karen embarked on a new adventure to build a scaleable online marketplace for underrepresented artists across the nation — GBA/Guilty By Association where she is Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer.

David Chang is the chef and founder of Momofuku, which includes restaurants in New York City, Washington DC,
Sydney, Toronto, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, a casual chicken concept (Fuku), and a bakery (Milk Bar) established
by award-winning pastry chef Christina Tosi with multiple locations.

Since opening Noodle Bar in 2004, David has been honored with five James Beard Foundation Awards (Rising Star
Chef of the Year, Best Chef New York City, Best New Restaurant – Momofuku Ko, Outstanding Chef, Who’s Who of
Food and Beverage). Momofuku Ko has two Michelin stars which it has retained since 2009, and the restaurant is
featured on the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.

David has been featured on the covers of Forbes Life and New York Magazine and recognized as one of Time
Magazine’s 100, Fortune’s “40 Under 40”, Fast Company’s “1000 most creative people in business”, and Esquire’s
“most influential people of the 21st century”. He was also named a GQ man of the year and is now a regular
contributor to the magazine. David’s cookbook, Momofuku, is a New York Times best seller. David has collaborated
with Academy Award-winning Director, Morgan Neville, on a Netflix original documentary series, called Ugly
Delicious which debuted in February of 2018.

Kam Mak was born in Hong Kong. His family moved to the United States in 1971 and settled in New York City. His interest in painting was awakened through involvement with City Art Workshop, an organization that enables inner-city youths to explore the arts. Kam continued to pursue his interest in painting while attending the School of Visual Arts on a full scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1984. Mr. Mak’s works has been exhibited at the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition, The Original Art show (dedicated to the best of children’s picture books) and in a one-person show at the Brooklyn Public Library. He has illustrated over 200 paintings for book covers, magazine and editorial pieces for such client as, HarperCollins, St. Martins Press, Random House, National Geographic, Time magazine, Newsweek, and the New York Times.

Kam’s most recent art has graced the second series of the USPS lunar New Year stamps and also a new postcard stamp for the USPS adored with the fish Koi was released in spring 2009. His most recent book My Chinatown: One Year In Poems received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and is about a little boy growing up in Chinatown. My Chinatown was the Parent’s Choice 2002 Recommended Award Winner by the Parents’ Choice Foundation. The Dragon Prince, published by HarperCollins won him the Oppenheim Platinum Medal for the best children’s picture book of 1997, and the National Parenting Publication Gold Medal for the best children’s picture book of 1997. Mr. Mak was awarded a gold medal for the cover art for The Kite Rider and silver medals for the cover art for My Chinatown from the Society of Illustrators 45th Annual Exhibition in 2003. He also won the Stevan Dohanos Award from the Society of Illustrators (awarded to an artist in recognition of his or her artistic excellence). In November 2008 Mr. Mak was awarded The Asian American Dynamic Achiever Awards of OCA-Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter, for his outstanding accomplishment in the arts and In 2009, The past awardees include Elaine Chao, The previous Secretary of the US Department of Labor under the Bush’s administration, and Mr. Ang Lee, an acclaimed film director & producer. In 2009 he was the recipient of the Inspiration Award from APEX.

Kam is a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology as well as guest lectures at many of the public schools and institutions. He is currently working on a series of portrait and still life paintings incorporating the use of egg tempera; it is a painting process that uses egg yolk to bind pigments. Egg tempera was a medium of choice for many renaissance artists in the 14 and 15 centuries. Kam currently lives with his wife Mari and children Luca and Dylan in Carroll Garden, Brooklyn.

Phillip Lim was born in Thailand, in 1973 to Chinese immigrants (his father from Hunan, his mother from Canton) who then fled to Southern California to escape Cambodia’s civil war, where his mother found work as a seamstress and his father became a professional poker player. While his mother has clearly had an early influence on his ethos, Lim didn’t fantasize of being a designer. Lim studied finance for three years at California State University of Long Beach, where it became evident that Lim was sitting in the wrong classroom and he found himself switching to a degree in home economics.

Whilst unpacking boxes at a weekend job at Barneys in Beverly Hills, Lim came across the name of a designer Katayone Adeli. He had his own career epiphany and decided to call Adeli’s office and ask to work for her. Despite not knowing what a portfolio was, he got himself an internship and eventually, through his innate talent and tenacity, earned a position in her design team. When Adeli relocated to New York, Lim remained in the Los Angeles area and co-founded his first label, Development. After four years, the then 31-year old departed to launch his collection business partner and friend, Wen Zhou, also 31. This meant switching coasts to New York, where he now works and resides in Soho.

Phillip Lim debuted his eponymous brand, 3.1 Phillip Lim, in the fall of 2005, bucking the ostentatious runway trends of the time. His line of youthfully elegant wardrobe classics with a twist, was an instant sensation and adored by critics, fashion editors and customers alike. Widespread recognition of Lim’s talent and accolades quickly followed, including the 2006 Fashion Group Internationals Women’s Designer ‘Rising Star’ Award, the 2007 CFDA Swarovski Award in Womenswear, the 2012 CFDA Swarovski Award in Menswear, and the 2013 CFDA Award for Accessories Designer of the Year.

After 10 years as creative director and co-founder of 3.1 Phillip Lim, he finds himself at the helm of a pioneering contemporary brand-designing women’s, men’s, accessories, and shoes – making him one of the most talented and successful young designers of his generation.

Ming Tsai is the James Beard Award-winning chef-owner of Blue Dragon in Massachusetts and his latest venture BABA at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana. An Emmy Award-winner, Ming hosts PBS-TV’s Simply Ming, now in its seventeenth season. Ming is the author of five cookbooks: Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai, Simply Ming, Ming’s Master Recipes, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals and Simply Ming In Your Kitchen. As a way to emulate his lifestyle and share it with the world, Ming is launching his new line of veggie filled patties, MingsBings, which hits grocery stores fall 2020. Ming supports many charities, including Family Reach, a non-profit whose mission is to provide financial relief and support to families fighting cancer, of which he is currently the Chairman of the National Advisory Board. For more visit www.ming.com. (Boston, MA) @mingtsai