Chef Nick Wallace
Chef Nick Wallace
Chef Nick Wallace
Chef Jamie Gwen
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Meet Chef Nick Wallace
Born and raised on a family farm in Edwards, MS (30 miles east of Jackson) and now bases his catering business out of Jackson, Mississippi. Chef Nick learned to cook from and credits his love of cooking to his grandmothers. He describes his style as combining Mississippi farm food with sophisticated French techniques.
Chef Nick was recognized on the “Best Chefs America” list in 2013 and 2017, he served as Chef at The Beard House in NYC, won Food Network Chopped: Alton Brown Challenge 2017, and in 2013 Chef Nick participated in the James Beard Foundation’s third Chefs Boot Camp for Policy & Change in New York.
His philosophy centers around striving for a healthy lifestyle and supporting local farmers. Chef Nick uses locally grown organic produce and local ingredients in his dishes.
“This partnership has been life changing for me to see a big company like
Dole® Sunshine come into Jackson Mississippi. To work along side of the community and Dole® to tackle food insecurity is a polish to my life and career!”
Nick Wallace
Meet Chef Jamie Gwen
Jamie Gwen is a culinary star sharing her passion for food nationally on TV, on her weekly syndicated radio show, and hosting symposiums and conferences across the country focused on food, nutrition and empowering other women to succeed personally and professionally.
Her “foodie” fan base stretches from coast to coast with her appearances on The Food Network, Master Chef, The Talk, Martha Stewart, Emeril Live, Bravo TV, HGTV, DIY Network and more.
Chef Jamie is a Culinary Institute of America & Le Cordon Bleu Graduate, a Celebrity Chef and Syndicated Radio Host, a Certified Sommelier and a 7-time Cookbook Author.
But if you ask her, she will quickly share that her most rewarding roles are being a philanthropist and a mom.
Nutritious is delicious, and so are the wholesome, easy to create recipes that Chef Jamie has created specifically for the Dole® Sunshine for All® Cities Kids Cooking Camp.
“As a Chef, I truly believe that food is sustenance that also nourishes the soul and mind bringing connection. I am so proud to be a part of the Sunshine For All® Cities program and to lend a hand in shining a light on food education and good nutrition.”
Gratefully, Jamie Gwen
Meet Chef Ally Phillips
Chef Ally Phillips has travelled the world cooking with some of the most talented international chefs. Ally was crowned “the Great American Grandma” by GE Appliances in 2019 because of her style, panache and passion for life and family.
In 2013 after winning the Dole® California Cook-Off Ally took on the role of Culinary Influencer and Ambassador for the Dole® Sunshine Company.
Chef Ally is a cookbook author, publishes her own Ally’s Boho Living digital magazine, and is known for blending different cultures and influences to create some of the most unique and delicious signature dishes.
The Dole® Sunshine for All® Cities Kids Cooking Camp launched with regional recipes created by Chef Ally specifically for the kids cooking classes.
Chef Ally worked closely with the Dole® Sunshine team to help develop the cooking curriculum for the program. And she has remained involved working with each new chef as the program has expanded from Jackson, Mississippi to Baltimore, Maryland and Merced, California.
Helping to teach kids across the country to prepare nutritious meals by empowering them to make smarter, healthier ingredient choices just comes naturally for “Grandma Ally” as she is affectionally known.
allyskitchen.com
“As GE Appliances ‘Great American Grandma’ and Mama Ally to 14, I’m committed to this program because it’s flat out working: touching the lives of children, reshaping futures and showing kids that healthy food, clean ingredients and nutrient-dense foods actually are yummy! Our collective ‘health’ of this country depends in large part on kids who have healthy brains and bodies fueled by the right foods.”
Ally Phillips
Meet Chef Jasmine Norton
Growing up in Baltimore, Jasmine would regularly enjoy oysters with her father who taught her how to shuck at the tender age of seven. Her love for adventure and passion for food sparked the creation of her business: The Urban Oyster. Jasmine’s goal is central to her business: introduce oysters to friends, family and peers who were apprehensive about the texture of raw seafood, notably oysters.
In 2016, she opened The Urban Oyster, which is the first female and Black-owned oyster bar in the United States. The Urban Oyster represents various things; it’s a movement for those who prefer quality food in a relaxed atmosphere, it’s seafood without the pretentiousness and stuffiness.
Shortly after opening its doors, The Baltimore Sun nominated Jasmine’s cream of crab soup for the best in the city and in 2019 the restaurant was dubbed The Best Raw Bar by the Baltimore magazine. Similarly, when Jasmine opened the oyster bar’s sister concept last year, The Urban Burger Bar, the restaurant quickly received the Best Burger nomination. Jasmine was named to the 25 Women To Watch by The Baltimore Sun in both 2019 and 2021.
Jasmine’s love of community and food shines through in each food concept she conceptualizes. She will soon be spreading her charm to the nation’s capital with another restaurant set to open in 2022.
“My mission is for people to come in to my restaurants as they are, us meeting them as they are, and introducing them to something they might not be familiar with.”
Jamine Norton
Meet Chef Mitch Vanagten
UC Merced Executive Chef Mitch Vanagten’s lifelong passion for cooking began at a young age in his family’s Dutch Indonesian household. This passion has translated into a culinary career inspired by the bounty of food grown and raised in the San Joaquin Valley.
Chef Mitch began his culinary career in the Bay Area as an ACF apprentice at the prestigious Menlo Circus Club where he worked his way up to sous chef. He then further refined his skills at Sharon Heights Country Club in Palo Alto, and eventually took on his first Executive Chef role at ALZA Pharmaceuticals. He has been the Executive Chef at UC Merced since its inception in 2005.
With an extensive knowledge of international cuisine and ‘farm to table’ cooking, Chef Mitch is often called on for his expertise. He also volunteers for philanthropic causes both on campus and in the Merced community. The main focus of his efforts are hunger relief, healthy eating education, and local sustainable agriculture. Chef Mitch is also a Food Waste Prevention Advocate who actively develops programs to educate the community on the issue of food waste.
He has volunteered at UC Merced and in the Merced community to support hunger relief, local agriculture scholarships, and healthy eating initiatives.
“I’m extremely excited to partner with Dole Sunshine for All Cities Program. Access to healthy food should be available to everyone! My hope is that teaching our Merced youth how to cook healthy recipes will have many positive outcomes for them, including supporting stronger brain function, boosting their health and wellness, and expanding their minds to help them understand world cultures, customs and flavors.”
Mitch Vanagten
Meet Chef Shannon Tchuimeni
A native North Carolinian raised in Maryland, Chef Shannon Tchuimeni credits her culinary professionalism and high quality standards to the rigorous training she completed in the early days of her career.
Shannon’s culinary career began while she was a student at Stratford University in Falls Church, VA, although it was in her role of being a government employee at the National Institute of Health, planning staff luncheons and meetings sparked a passion for cooking, and led her to attend the Culinary program at Stratford University.
Founded in 2014 in New York City, Black Girls Cook’s mission is to inspire and empower inner-city adolescent girls of color to adopt healthier lifestyles and aspire to leading lives that are focused on wellness.
Since its inception Black Girls Cook (BGC) has hosted hands-on culinary arts classes, urban gardening classes, instruction on the creation of all natural beauty products at home and focused on the development of distinctive entrepreneurial skills to help build self-confidence and self-esteem amongst its target audience.
Through a number of partnerships BGC has impacted the lives of girls 8 to 15 in the historically under-invested areas of Baltimore, New York City, Washington, DC and now Miami helping to prepare them to lead healthier, happier and more successful lives.
Chef Shannon’s own Bstro2go Chef Service launched in 2020 which afforded her the time to give back to her adopted home of Baltimore by offering her services to Black Girls Cook to share her passion for food and healthy eating with the next generation of young women.
“Culinary classes are not affordable for many families, and most cooking programs are for adults, not children so Black Girls Cook recognizes the importance of the Dole® Sunshine for All® Cities Kids Cooking Camp and its positive impact. As a representative of Black Girls Cook, Chef Shannon is passionate about contributing to the creation of culinary and gardening programming that educates adolescent girls of color from underserved communities.”
Chef Nichole A. Mooney
Founding Executive Director
Black Girls Cook
Meet Chef James Bickmore-Hutt
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia Chef James Bickmore-Hutt combines his passion for food, innovation and travel as the Associate Director of Culinary Innovation, Corporate Executive Chef for Dole Packaged Foods.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef James has worked in establishments all over the world, but his passion for food first began from his time spent in the kitchen with his grandmother, learning how to cook authentic Italian cuisine.
From working in Michelin stared restaurants in NYC, dinner theatre in VA, catering and mixology in LA or guiding chefs on culinary tours through Asia. James has lectured across the country at Ivy league universities, has trained culinary staff of all skill levels and helped to refine the menu and business processes of restaurants and foodservice operations all over the country.
With an Italian, Greek, English, Irish background, James is raising his young family with similar appreciation for global study and authentic experience. Good food and positive culinary experience doesn’t have to be at the sacrifice of health and finance. Having set up culinary programs with youth groups and children’s homes to educate on good food, safe kitchen and economic practices, James believes that even the smallest Chef can bring something new to the kitchen.
“Since our humble, yet mission-driven beginnings almost 170 years ago, Dole has believed that good, healthy food should be more like sunshine — available for all. Part of that process is incorporating sustainability into everything we do, from our growing and sourcing practices to our products and the recipes we choose to create with them.”
James Bickmore-Hutt
Meet Chef McKinley Pierce
Chef McKinley Pierce had no idea that moving to Jackson with his family he would find a career and a passion for nurturing others.
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, it was always challenging for his family to source fresh fruits, vegetables and wholesome, nutritious staples to create healthy meals. Although he had no experience in the kitchen, he loved to eat and he was determined to learn how to improve the health of his family so he sought a job where he could gain both.
Soon an entry level opportunity at Outback Steakhouse evolved allowing Chef Pierce to move up through the organization while honing his cooking skills.
Ultimately Chef Pierce’s life long struggle with food accessibility and his passion for cooking and helping others made him the perfect candidate to lead the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi (BGCCM) culinary program.
The BGCCM currently serves meals and snacks to over 2200 kids ages 6 to 18 in two counties at four Club locations. The Dole® Sunshine for All® Cities Kids Cooking Camp program which Chef McKinley also leads offers hands on cooking and nutrition classes weekly geared to kids of all ages.
Classes include all the basic cooking skills, meal planning, shopping on a budget and instruction on how to grow your own fruits, vegetables, spices and seasonings at home.
“Changing the eating habits of kids can change the health of the whole family” and Chef Pierce also shares that “Cooking is a great life skill to have. Once you have the knowledge you can feed yourself, your family and you can even explore careers in the food industry”.
McKinley Pierce
Meet Chef Shawntia Griffin
Teach. Inspire. Love.
Chef Shawntia Griffin is a Baltimore native whose love of cooking began at home, where good food and conversation were served up everyday.
Shawntia discovered her passion for cooking for others while working at a local hospital in Baltimore. She found herself making dinner on a regular basis for her co-workers which helped to ease the stress associated with their jobs and was very therapeutic and rewarding for her and sparked her interest in pursing a culinary career.
Launched in 2021 by Chef Shawntia, Griff’s Grub’s mission is to “feed the soul” of everyone she serves whether a single meal or catered event.
She obtained her customer service certificate in the food industry and serve safe training while attending Baltimore City Community College. With over 21 years of customer service experience, no one enjoys working with people more than Chef Shawntia and she will be sharing her secrets to customer service in a series of upcoming classes she will be leading for industry professionals.
The mother of two young daughters has a full schedule hosting and catering events, while alternating as a personal chef in the community she loves.
She is also a proud Webster Kendrick — Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Baltimore parent!. When the opportunity to teach the Sunshine for All® Cities Kids Cooking Camp classes was shared with her she readily signed on!
“I’ve participated in events there and have been volunteering there as well, helping to motivate and encourage school age kids to reach their full potential.”
Chef Shawntia is also looking forward to someday passing down her culinary legacy and motivation to her girls, “I hope they will be able to follow their dreams and pursue their passions for helping people as I have done through my love of cooking.”
“Culinary classes are not affordable for many families, and most cooking programs are for adults, not children so Black Girls Cook recognizes the importance of the Dole® Sunshine for All® Cities Kids Cooking Camp and its positive impact. As a representative of Black Girls Cook, Chef Shannon is passionate about contributing to the creation of culinary and gardening programming that educates adolescent girls of color from underserved communities.”
Chef Nichole A. Mooney
Founding Executive Director
Black Girls Cook
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