Chef Lamar Moore was born and raised in the south side of Chicago. He began showing his love for the culinary arts at the age of eight. Growing up in a large family, Moore learned the importance of cooking with love, taking care of people, and giving back to those less fortunate. His grandmother was extremely influential in his culinary journey. Hailing from Mississippi, she passed on a great appreciation of Southern food and culture to her grandson, as well as the importance of cooking from the soul.   

Since catching the culinary bug as a young boy, Moore has dedicated years of blood, sweat, and tears to get where he is. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2003 and decided to head West to San Jose, CA, where he secured a job at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants. After seven years, he returned to Chicago, where he became the sous chef for Chicago's professional football team, before moving on to a series of restaurants working as a successful chef and restaurateur. Moore has had the privilege of cooking for professional football championships, professional football championships, and even Barack and Michelle Obama on multiple occasions, but he admits his grandmother will always be his first and biggest fan.

Moore has appeared on popular top culinary competition shows like “Welcome To Waverly” and “Chopped.” “Beat Bobby flay and “Vegas Chef Prizefight,” where he earned and won head chef of the all-new $10 million steakhouse, Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse at Flamingo Las Vegas. Moore believes food is an opportunity to step back from the world and connect with people on a deeper level and has brought this spirit to the fast-paced world of Las Vegas. While Moore has enjoyed many successes, there is still more he wishes to achieve-- he strives to prove to his family and himself that all his hard work has not gone in vain and that he can represent both the South and the South Side in the bright lights of Vegas. Now he helms the kitchen at a top restaurant, where he brings American southern influences to west loop Chicago.  

Chef Lamar Moore’s advice to aspiring chefs: don’t stop cooking, feel food from your soul, take care of your team, never ever stop learning, and humble your ego.

Jef Tate, Chicago, IL: A native of Chicago’s East Rogers Park neighborhood and second-born son of immigrant parents from Jamaica & Belize, Jef Tate comes from a rich culinary tradition. He draws heavily from this tradition while creating the bar. Tate has received various awards and accolades in just a few short years, including Liquor.com Legacy Cocktail Competition US Finalist in 2019, ROOF on the Wit Fire & Ice Championship Ice Winner in 2018, and the Best Use of Magnus Award from the Chicago Reader Cocktail Challenge in 2017. In 2019, Jef opened a 9-seat, a speakeasy-style bar inside the Fieldhouse Jones hotel, rated one of the best bars in Chicago by Chicago Magazine. Shuttered by COVID, Mr. Tate has now moved on to head up the beverage program at one of Chicago’s award-winning bars.