Chefs on the Mountain

The proud son of Filipino immigrants, Dale Talde’s passion for cooking began at a young age in his native Chicago where he learned to prepare meals alongside his mother in the kitchen. Dale applied this distinct Asian American experience to the menu of his eponymous restaurant, TALDE, which opened in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood in 2012. He went on to open a TALDE in Miami, Florida and in Jersey City, New Jersey. In addition his Manhattan projects include the opening of Massoni at the Arlo NoMad Hotel in November 2016, and Rice & Gold in October 2017 at the 50 Bowery Hotel in Chinatown. His most recent endeavor, Goosefeather was featured in Esquire Magazine as one of the Best New Restaurants List, which lead to Dale’s nomination for a James Beard Award – Best Chef in New York in 2022. In addition to his work in the kitchen, Dale is the host of Tastemade’s All Up In My Grill. He was also a three-time cheftestant and judge on Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning culinary show, Top Chef. He competed in Season 4, All Star Season 8, Top Chef Duels and became one of the show’s most popular cast members. Dale has competed on Chopped, Iron Chef America, Knife Fight and was head judge on Knife Fight Season 4, as well as guest judge on both Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.

While studying marketing in college, Amber of SweetAmbs Cookies realized that her true passion was decorating cakes and cookies – a profession where she could combine her artistic skills with her love for baking. She went on to obtain a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from The Culinary Institute of America and now teaches others how to decorate cookies on their own through her mesmerizing video tutorials. Amber was named one of Forbes’s top influencers in food and is the author of two books, Cookie Art and Cookie Canvas.

Chef Cheng is currently retired from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) after 33 years of teaching. Her previous work there besides teaching the Cuisine of Asia cooking classes also included researching Sichuan peppercorn and fermented bean curd, creating the course of Food, Wine, and (Agri)Culture– China, leading CIA students on an immersive experience studying Sichuan cuisine in China, and teaching the CIA Pro-Chef program in Zhuhai, Taiwan. Chef Cheng also taught at the Sichuan Culinary Higher Education School (now Sichuan Tourism University) for many years before she came to the United States. She has taught courses in Asian cuisine for dining service chef teams at Harvard University, Boston University, Philip Exeter Academy, and Deerfield Academy. She has enjoyed sharing her expertise of Asian ingredients and culinary skills at food industry conferences around the country. Chef Cheng’s rich knowledge as a culinary education professional and her lifelong experience with Asian cuisine brings an invaluable edge to the food industry.

Jim Palmeri is Executive Chef at Mohonk Mountain House. Since arriving at Mohonk Mountain House in 2007, Chef Palmeri has created an outstanding culinary experience that embraces a farm-to-table philosophy, highlighting the bounty of the Hudson Valley region.  The Wisconsin native graduated from the nationally acclaimed Culinary Institute of Kendall College in Chicago and has worked in resorts for most of his professional career. A good part of it was with Hyatt Regency properties in places such as Scottsdale, Arizona; Coral Gables, Florida; Las Vegas, and even the Cayman Islands. Palmeri also worked at the Four Seasons in big cities including Washington D.C. and Chicago.

Fine Teas sources and blends only the finest teas from around the world. Today Michael and Paul Harney continue to embrace both tradition and innovation, the cornerstones of the company founded by their father, John Harney, in 1983. Offering over 300 varieties of the highest quality teas, their blends include classics like Earl Grey, signature flavors like Hot Cinnamon Spice and Paris, several varieties of Matcha, more adventurous teas like Bamboo, and everything in between. No matter which tea you choose, their expertise and commitment to quality are brewed into each cup.

Whitecliff Vineyards is an artisanal family run winery created from the ground up by owners and founders, Michael Migliore and Yancey Stanforth-Migliore. Establishing the vineyard has been an ongoing process since 1979, involving years of trial and error and a rigorous approach of science and engineering, to provide the knowledge and the strong base necessary to create a successful vineyard and winery. It is one of the largest vineyards in the Hudson Valley, with over 20 varieties of grapes planted.

Based in Kingston NY, Treeline Cheese starts with ethically sourced and sustainably farmed cashews from Brazil and West Africa to make cashew-based cheeses. Their team seeks to make products free from dairy, with their sustainability focus on trees, supporting reforestation projects in the Amazon, Brazil.

Frank Vignola is one of the most popular and sought after guitarists on the international music scene. His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List:” for the Wall Street Journal. Vignola has recorded over 30 CD’s as a leader and has been a guest on hundreds of recordings. Currently, Frank Vignola holds residency every Wednesday night at the world famous Birdland Jazz Club Theatre in New York City.

As a touring guitar musician, performer, and educator, Vinny Raniolo, his dynamic playing has brought him to 14 countries on three continents having performed in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House in Australia, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, and New York’s Lincoln Center. While keeping a busy touring schedule in a variety of musical settings, Vinny has also become a familiar figure on Public Television. Featured previously on three popular shows, including the heavily programmed Tommy Emmanuel and Friends, in Frank Vignola’s Four Generations of Guitar as the youngest generation in the lineage of jazz guitarists with veteran Bucky Pizzarelli and in the Music Gone Public series.

KJ Denhert is an award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader living in Ossining, New York. She is a consummate artist with a rich history; a legend of Urban Folk & Jazz who channels a wide range of influences to create something completely unique. She performs regularly in New York and around the world and has shared stages with internationally renowned jazz and pop musicians such as GRAMMY Award winners Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack and many more. She has released 10 albums including her latest “Destiny”.