Top Chef alum and Washington D.C. restaurateur, Chef Spike Mendelsohn, is amped up about hosting Kraut Rocks, the month-long culinary experience that puts sauerkraut on center stage.

Because Spike and his numerous restaurants are a key part of D.C.’s contemporary food scene, he is ideally suited to host a culinary experience that shines the spotlight on the local food scene. Spike’s restaurants include three locations of Good Stuff Eatery.

Chef Mike Isabella is the Chef and Owner of Graffiato, an Italian-inspired spot that features small plates, locally cured meats, artisanal pizzas and pastas with seasonal ingredients influenced by the food Isabella grew up eating in New Jersey. In May 2012, Isabella opened Bandolero, a modern Mexican restaurant in the prestigious Georgetown area of Washington D.C. He is a regular among the elite Chefs representing Washington, D.C. and has become known as a culinary expert on the D.C. food scene.

Chef Fabrice Reymond is the Executive Chef at Redline Gastrolounge, a luxury gastropub in the heart of D.C.’s Penn Quarter serving American cuisine with a French flair. Known for his reputation for crisp presentations, and the ability to bring subtle international influences to classic American recipes and cuisines, Chef Fabrice has solidified himself as an expert in the D.C. food scene.

Chef Erik is praised for his creative menu and impressive plate presentations at Toki Underground, where he is the Executive Chef and Owner. On the popular “H” Street area of the Atlas District in Washington D.C, he is hailed as D.C.’s own ramen wonderland where all food is made-to-order.

A perfect fit for a true British gastropub, head chef Ian Reeves was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England. He is the Executive Chef on The Queen Vic that is part of the “H” Street area of D.C.’s Atlas District.

The pub offers the best British menu with all the best comfort fare using local and seasonally sourced ingredients to creative a massive chalkboard full of delicious and exciting dishes.

Chef Ryan Wheeler, Executive Chef at Virtue Feed and Grain in the Old Town D.C. area, is known for his pickling techniques of local root vegetables like beet roots, as well as his popular duck confit dish.

Virtue Feed and Grain, a 21st century tavern, is filled with a homey vibe, excellent drinks and tasty modern pub grub.

In 2007, Chef Teddy Folkman solidified his place in the D.C. restaurant scene as Executive Chef of Dr. Granville Moore's on the popular “H” Street, in D.C.’s Atlas District. The laid-back pub’s atmosphere, which was once used as a doctor’s office, has received top honors for its food and beer on the national level.