• Michael Selig of Mike Selig's Vermillion in the River Market
• Scott McGehee from Boulevard Bread Co.
• John Beachboard from ZAZA Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Co, both in the Heights
• Mark Abernathy of Loca Luna and Bene Vita in Riverdale
• Tim Morton & Evette Brady from 1620 Restaurant in West Little Rock
  

Michael Selig, Executive Chef & Co-Owner
Vermillion Water Grille in the River Market

Michael Selig trained at Johnson & Wales University in Provicence, R.I., and worked at several restaurants and resorts in Washington, D.C. He came to Little Rock in 1996 as executive chef for the Excelsior Hotel. IN 2002, he opened Vermillion Water Grille, now known as Mike Selig's Vermillion, in Little Rock’s River Market District.

Mark Abernathy, Executive Chef & Owner
Loca Luna & Bene Vita Restaurants in Riverdale

Mark Abernathy, a Little Rock native, created popular Little Rock restaurants Juanita’s, Blue Mesa Grill, Loca Luna and Bene Vita. He has represented Arkansas in the Salute to Southern Chefs six times, an honor given to only a handful of chefs across the country. He has been featured in Southern Living, Bon Appetit and Gourmet, among other magazines.

Abernathy is the host and creator of “Today’s Cuisine,” an ABC syndicated cooking show, and has been the host and chef of several dinners for President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Tim Morton, Chef & Evette Brady, Executive Chef and Owner
1620 Restaurant in West Little Rock

Executive chef and owner of 1620 Restaurant Evette Brady received much of her practical training from her mother Olivia Brady, who catered in and around Little Rock for nearly 50 years.

After culinary school in Wisconsin, Brady went to work for the premiere restaurant in Little Rock, Jacques & Suzanne’s. While there she formed a strong working relationship and friendship with owners Ed Moore and Paul Bash. Bash also served as executive chef. It was this union that led to and cemented the foundation for what is 1620 Restaurant.

Moore and Bash formed Continental Cuisine Inc., which includes Allouette’s, 1620 Restaurant, Graffiti’s and Purple Cow. While serving as executive chef, Brady accepted the opportunity to acquire 1620 in June of 1998. Shortly afterward she called her nephew Timothy Morton back from Atlanta where he finished culinary school with honors and worked for many upscale restaurants before starting an event catering company. Morton was voted one of the best new caters in Atlanta in 1998 and today serves as chef of 1620.

Scott McGehee from Boulevard Bread Co. and
John Beachboard from ZAZA, both in the Heights

Scott McGehee, Executive Chef & Owner
Boulevard Bread Company

After attending the University of Arkansas, Scott McGehee was an honors graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. After culinary school, McGehee earned the opportunity to apprentice, and then become chef, at Alice Waters’ famed Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkley, Calif.

In 1999, McGehee opened Boulevard Bread Company, which has been recognized as one of the top restaurants in Little Rock by Southern Living.

John Beachboard
ZAZA Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Co.

John Thomas Beachboard was born in Nashville, TN, and raised in Little Rock. Beachboard attended Hendrix College with a degree in History and Business. After Hendrix Beachboard moved to New York City to pursue a career in the music industry. Working his way up from the mailroom, John eventually became director of online and retail marketing for three large independent record labels.

John moved back to Little Rock in 2003, “I missed rocks, and trees and dirt,” and began pursuing his other passion, cooking. John worked with Scott McGehee as his Sous-Chef for four years at Boulevard Bread Co., and as Executive Chef at Valentine’s Restaurant. Scott and John have a shared mutual passion for authentic Italian pizza and gelato and worked for over 6 years working and traveling to develop the concept that eventually became ZAZA Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Co.

To find out more about the Wintrhop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Auxiliary Cooks Tour, call 501-686-8286.