Local Women in Food & Drink: The All-Star List

Women play a vital role in building and sustaining our local food community in Northeast Florida. From running kitchens to making policy, crafting baked goods to growing food, it's with great pride that we celebrate the movers and shakers from Amelia Island to Jacksonville, St. Augustine to Flagler Beach. We have compiled the following list as a way of bringing recognition to the women who are changing the way we think about food and drink in our region, but by no means is this list complete. If there's someone we've missed, please drop us a line and provide their name and a bit of information about what they are doing. Make sure to also thank the following women for their efforts to strengthen our region's entire food system by supporting their programs and businesses.
 

CHEFS

Genie McNally – Chef-Co-owner, The Floridian
Hope Dempsey – Chef, D'Vine Cuisine Catering
Calli Marie – Chef and Food Manager, BREW
Erin D'Antoni – Chef, Foo Dog Curry Traders
Celestia Mobley – Chef-owner, Celestia's Coastal Cuisine
DeeAnn Hobbs – Executive Chef, Renaissance Marriott
Nadine Ladson – Executive Chef, Mezza Luna
Natasha Olivera – Chef de Cuisine, Michael's Restaurant
Jessica Green – Sous Chef, The Reef Restaurant
Constance Andrea Kingsmore – Chef de Cuisine, Asado Life Restaurant
Vernetta Stewart – Executive Chef, The Palate
Saji George – Owner, Mesa Restaurant
Sarah Harper – Pastry Chef, Orsay
Sabrina Clark-Dunn – Sous Chef, Bellwether
Ellie Schultze – Chef, Chez L'Amour, chef-owner, Vilano Main Street Diner
Andrea Bryant-Smith – Executive Chef/Co-owner, Farmery Bakery & Bodega
LaTasha Kaiser – Co-owner, KraVegan
Amanda Wilson – Executive Chef, Lakeview Health Addition Treatment and Recovery Center

RESTAURANT OWNERS & MANAGERS

Lorna MacDonald – Co-owner, Raintree Restaurant
Rebecca Garcia-Gonzalez – Owner/Founder, 1928 Cuban Bistro
Julie Stopelli – Owner, DOS Coffee & Wine
Jenn Ashton – Owner, Juniper Market
Meredith Corey-Disch – Owner, Community Loaves
Liz Earnest – Co-owner, Chef's Garden, Cummer Cafe
Nathalie Wu – Owner, Wicked Bao
Sara Frasca – Owner, Trasca & Co Eatery
Lindy Loose – Co-owner, Gas Full Service Restaurant
Kiley Efron – Co-owner, Taverna Restaurant
Sarah Marie Johnston – Co-owner, Prati Italia, Town Hall
Barbara Bredehoeft – Owner, Biscottis and BB's Restaurant
Nan Kavanaugh -- Co-owner, El Jefe
Chantal Biergen – Owner, Belgium Barista
Deborah Emmett Nicol – Co-owner, TacoLu
Michelle Culhane-Kearney – Co-owner, Culhane’s Irish Pub
Lynda Culhane – Co-owner, Culhane’s Irish Pub
Mary Jane Culhane – Co-owner, Culhane’s Irish Pub
Aine Culhane McClung – Co-owner, Culhane’s Irish Pub
Lisa Asker – Owner, Jerry's Sports Grille
Theresa Poynter – Owner, Karibo Cafe
Erica Thompson – Co-owner, Osprey Tacos
Renee Spadaro – Co-owner, Crave Food
Elizabeth Simms – Co-owner, Late Risers Bar & Grille
Grace Ellen Forgette – Co-owner, SubCultured Subs
Misty Lake – Co-owner, Sunday
Whitney Hobbs – Co-owner, Boat Drinks Bar
Latunda Miller – Owner, Miller's Soulfood
Haley Kirk – Co-owner, Vessel Sandwich Co.
Brittny Lowrey – Managing Partner, The Happy Grilled Cheese
Nancy Ruth Barber – Owner-Manager, Breezy Coffee Shop Wine Bar
Amy Sears – Owner, Vitality Bowls Jax
Amy Tarmey – Co-owner, Buena Onda Cafe
Wendy Huyen – Owner, Paris Bánh Mì
Daisha Jones – Owner, Funnel Cake Queen
Florence Bermudes – Owner, Say So Sweets
Courtney Sherman – Co-owner, Donato's Pizza
Danielle Johnson – General Manager, Orsay
Aisha Nieves – Manager, Orsay
Madeline Hamrick – Foh Manager, Bellwether
Sherry Ohl – Manager, Bellwether
Brandye Mackey – Co-owner, Mackey’s Munchies
Lacey Motley – Owner, Magnolia Cafe
Nicole Prieto – Co-owner, Josephine
Terri Gamble – Owner, The Blue Hen Cafe
Trish McLemore – Co-Owner, The Ice Plant
Shandon Lucianna – Owner, 1 Foxy Lady
Melissa Schroeder – Owner, Ancient City Brunch Bar, Bourbon And Boards

FARMERS

Alina Gonzalez – Co-owner, Urban Folk Farm
Dora Baker – Owner, Maggie's Herbs
Tracey Westbrook – Owner, Atlantic Beach Urban Farm
Kristin Lapinski – Co-owner, Down to Earth Farm
Katie Versaggi – Farmer, Bee Hill Farm
Mavis Renfroe – Farmer, Spuds Farm
Amy Van Scoik – Co-owner, Frog Song Organics
Caria Hawkins – Executive Director, Abundant Harvests
Jen Barnes – Farmer, Barnes Family Farm
Amanda Wesley – Farmer, Wesley Wells Farm
Tina Harden – Co-owner, Somer's Garden
Jolinda Kohl – Co-owner, Somer's Garden
Lindsay Meyer – Co-owner, Congaree & Penn Farm
Kimberly Bryan Ruessler – Farmer, Lola Farms
Jordan Versaggi – Farmer, Bee Hill Blooms
Toni Carter – Owner-Farmer, Cartwheel Ranch
Sarah Salvatore – Farm Manager, White Harvest Farms
Imani Vidal – Farmer, White Harvest Farms
Mika Harrison – Owner, beekeeper, farmer and herbalist, The Herban Life
Punita Patel – Owner-Farmer, Backyard Buffalo
Andrea Acosta – Farmer, GYO Greens
Maria Fernandez – Farmer, GYO Greens
Ashantae Green – Farmer, Green Legacy Farm

BAKERS & BAKERIES

Meredith Corey-Disch – Owner/Baker, Community Loaves
Allison D’Aurizio – Owner/Baker, 1748 Bakehouse
Katie Riehm – Owner/Baker, Sweet Theory Baking Co.
Christina Longo – Owner, Stella Dolci Desserts
Hollis Wilder – Sweets by Holly
Sherry Stoppelbein – Hot Shot Bakery
Pilar Langthon – PilArt Cakes
Michelle McInnis – Owner/Baker, Sweet Spot and Urban Lounge
Lela Pate – Owner, Luli's Cupcakes
Nana Hammond – Owner, Jax Bread Co.
Natasha Burton – Owner, Mixed Fillings Pie Shop
Tamera Rae Morgan – Owner, Low Five Bakes
Mackenzie Frangie – Owner, Spoonful Bakery
Kelly Crawford – Baker, Bell's Baked Stuff
Brooke Sams – Co-owner, The Mini Bar
Christy Lerin – Owner, Living Bread Co.
Harshika Patel – Owner, Cozy Tea
Charlotte Burch – Owner, Cupcake 50
Lara Lombardo – Owner, Seagull Bakery
Asia McKnight – Cake Decorator/Baker/Owner, Frutastic Creations and Bakery
Shar Caballero – Co-owner, Sweet Cravings by Shar
Sonya Adams – Owner, Sonyas 2 Sweet for Words
Rona Jakositz – Head Baker, The Urban Bean Coffeehouse Cafe
Kelly Weaver – Head Baker, Spring Park Coffee
Janelle Luce – Baker/Owner, Sourdoubts
Emma Sterzinger – Baker/Owner, Songbird Pies
Brooke Wiisanen - Baker, Community Loaves
Verousce McKibbin – Pastry Chef, Omni Amelia Island
Heidi Kabath – Pastry Chef, The Ritz-Carlton
Veronica Anderson, Co-founder, Arble Baking Co.
Bailey Rowland, Co-Owner, Crème de la Cocoa
Christine Apthorp, Owner, Alms & Fare
Arlene Fores, Owner, Parfait Pastry Shop

FOOD ARTISANS & SPECIALTY SHOPS

Suzanah Raffield – Co-owner, CAMP Craft Cocktails
Rhonda Stringfellow Ryan – Co-owner, CAMP Craft Cocktails
Dana Stallings – Owner, Kilwins
Jennifer Harvey – Owner, Grater Goods
Colleen Messner – Owner, Spice and Tea Exchange
Hillary MacDonald – Co-owner, Fresh Jax
Crystal Israel – Owner, Little Black Box Jams and Jellies
Bryanne Hamilton – Co-owner, Southern Horticulture
Jean Dowdy – Co-owner, Southern Horticulture
Julieta Aguirre – Co-owner, GuanaBana Ice Pops
Ashlee Ham McCormick – Co-owner, Backyard Pops
Charlotte Tzabari – Co-owner, Olive My Pickle
Carrie Zarka Dooley – Owner, Shakti Life
Teena Laquin – Owner, Sundance Fresh Market
Treena Moreno – Owner, Mayan Summer Foods
Yvette Musgrove – Owner, My Pepper Jelly and YUM-a Southern Market
Jess Diebel – Co-owner, Makenu Chocolate
Milouda Cline – Co-owner, Cline's Custom Meats
Sarah McElrea – Co-owner, Summa Salts
Meghan Barbera – Owner, Seeductive Foods
Veronica Joy – Owner, Tex-Jax Foods
Lisa Kiral – Culinary division director, Rethreaded

FOOD TRUCKS

Ashley Amin – Chef, Fusion Food Truck
Amanda Barry Asker – Co-owner, Funkadelic Food Truck
Tera Waugerman – Co-owner, Wauga Wauga Food Truck
Vanessa Kasal – Co-owner, Big City BBQ
Natalia Lorencz – Owner, Mama's Food truck
Laura Zuckerberg – Owner, Island Girl Seafood food truck
Maritza Lathion – Co-owner, Latin Soul Grille food truck
Lakita Spann – Co-owner, Mr Potato Spread food truck and restaurants
Eunice Coughlin – Co-owner, Cafe Ybor Food Truck
Erin Zrikem – Co-owner, Ez Eatz by Yaya food truck
Stephanie Goldsberry – Co-owner, Hapa Li food truck
Heloisa Oliviera – Co-owner, Delish Kebabs food trucks and restaurant
Karen Rojas – Co-owner, Josies Latin Fusion Food Truck
Kellie Rice – Co-owner, Mother Truckin Pizza food truck
Lisa ORourke – Co-owner, Roccos Pizza
Heather Bracy – Co-owner, A Flying Sausage food truck
Amy Rhoden – Co-owner, The Tot Spot food truck
Bonnie Abernathy – Co-owner, Nitrogen Creamery
Nipa Premsuk – Co-owner, The Hungry Owl Food truck
Maria Rueda-Flores – Co-owner, Alma Food Truck
Jen Ochoa – Owner, Daddy-O’s Portable Patio food truck
Amy Geske – Co-owner, The Smoked Meat Militia
Kristi Hopfer – Co-owner, Twisted Okie
Amber Boudreaux – Co-owner, Roux Food Truck
Aimee Freedman – Co-owner, Frio Gourmet Pops
Christine Thorenson – Co-owner, The Stuffed Potato Truck / About Time Creamery
Kerry McClure – Owner, Rad Ringo's Mini Donuts
Lisa Wheeler – Owner, Le Petit Cheri Cupcakery
Janete Carvalho Nunes – Owner, Brazilicious Food Truck
Nita Millbrook – Co-owner, FAE’s BBQ Food Truck
Dawn McDonald-Watkins – Co-owner, YAMO, Beachside Caffe by YAMO

DRINK

Gabby Saul – Bartender/Co-Owner, Rue Saint-Marc
Jessie Lane – Bartender, Boat Drinks Bar
Samantha Morgan – Co-owner, Vagabond Coffee Co.
Angie Brack – Co-owner, Really Good Beer Stop
Kelly Pickard – Co-owner, Alewife Craft Beer Bottle Shop & Tasting Room
Jamie Burket – Co-owner, Alewife Craft Beer Bottle Shop & Tasting Room
Emily Everson – Bartender, Restaurant Orsay
Erin Gibson – Owner/Bartender, Root Down
Samantha Jo Bush – Bartender, Dos Gatos
Audrey Ancelin – Owner, Regard Libations
Alexandra McKeown – Owner, Hyperion Brewing
Elizabeth Jacobs – Owner, Legacy Ale Works
Jamie Rice – Owner, Show Pigeon Coffee
Kara Scremin – Co-owner, Engine 15 Brewing
Andrea Conover – Owner, Azalea City Brewing Company
Jessica Stern Harrison – Owner, Carrera Wine Cellar
Julianne Baksh-Renfroe – Owner, Juicy St. Aug
Alexandria Klempf – Owner-Founder, Sip C
Valerie Kelley – Co-Owner, Brass Tacks Coffee and Spring Park Coffee
Shannon Michelle – Beverage Director, Josephine

CATERING, COMMISSARY & HOME DELIVERY

Dana Stallings – Owner, Jax Kitchen
Hope Dempsey – Chef/Owner, D'Vine Cuisine
Jasmin Wooden – Owner, Blue Sage Cuisine
Tasha Peters – Co-Owner, By Design Catering and BDC Meals
Deanna Park – Founder, Magnolia & Thyme Culinary Concepts, Dir. of Innovation, Fresh Food Group
Kathy Godwin – Owner, Kathy's Table
Karen Fritts – Owner, Riverfront Cafe and Catering
Chriss Brown – The Empowered Kitchen, Catering by Chriss and Beaver Street Commissary
Florence Haridan – Owner, Conscious Kitchen
Forrest Masters – Owner, The Sprout Kitchen
Amie Keslar – Owner, Front Porch Pickings
Mimi Lan – Owner, Viglo
Synaca Stevens – Chef-Owner, Homegrown Catering & Events
Bri Murray – Chef-Owner, Culinary Experiences
Intan Agan – Chef-Owner, Intan's Kitchen & Bakery
Kelly Baxley – Chef-Owner, Kelly's Kucina
Kathleen Catherall osteen – Chef-Owner, The Goods

TEACHING KITCHENS & NUTRITION

Andrea Rosenblatt – Owner, A Chef’s Cooking Studio
Dawn Hutchins – Owner, Florida Coastal Cooking and Wellness
Brooke Brennan – Owner, B.B. Wellness

WRITERS, FOOD ADVOCATES & ORGANIZERS

Caron Streibich – Food Writer, JAX Times-Union
Heather Schatz – Writer, WJCT & Edible Northeast Florida
Ju'Coby Pittman – CEO, President of the Clara White Mission
Katie Delaney – Fresh Access Bucks Program Manager, Feeding Florida
Leslie Kaplan – Food Activist
Evelyn "Prissy" Fletcher – Extension Agent, St. Johns County
Bonnie C. Wells – DPM Commercial Agriculture II, St. Johns County
Genora Crain-Orth – River City Chicks
Jennifer Wolfe – Women Writing for a Change
Erin Thursby – Food Writer/Editor
Julie Watkins – Executive Director, The Girls Gone Green
Brittny Lowrey – Food Blogger, Jacksonville Restaurant Reviews
Grace Stoyshich – Brand Manager, Jacksonville Restaurant Reviews, Restaurant marketer
Lisa Watterson – Brand Manager,  Jacksonville Restaurant Reviews
Belinda Hulin – Writer, Cookbook Author
Kelly Johnson – Wings, Worms and Wonder
Brentley Stead – Writer
Jen Hand – Writer
Jessica Ward – Writer
Siddie Friar – Writer, food advocate
Ashantae Green – Supervisor, Duval County Soil and Water Conservation Board District, Group 4
Meghan Fiveash – Fresh Access Bucks Outreach Coordinator, Feeding Florida
Tiffany Bess – Owner, Apple Rabbit Compost, Sustainable Food Advocate
Hannah Werthman – Co-owner, Snaxsonville Food Blog
Christina Longo – Writer
Meghan Niemczyk, Chef Advisor, UNF Meals on Wings program; Associate Director, UNF Center for Nutrition & Food Security
Rachel McCandless, Registered Dietitian, Feeding Northeast Florida

SPECIALTY BUSINESSES

Andrea Jones-Downs – Co-founder/CEO, The Tasting Tours
JoAnna Engel – Co-founder/CFO, The Tasting Tours
Tory Eulenfeld – Director, Member Services, National Golf Course Restaurant Association
Leigh Cort – Founder, Women’s Food Alliance
Mindy Harwood – Founder/President, CFI Marketing
Sarah Scaggs– Vice-President, CFI Marketing

This list was updated March 2024