CULINARY SHOWCASE

COCKTAILS + NETWORKING – TASTE OF CLEVELAND OFFERINGS
4:00 P.M. | Culinary Showcase

Beth Gantz has been a small business owner for over 10 years. She has a passion for working with entrepreneurs. Currently, she owns Beth Gantz Designs, a hand painted needlepoint company, and is a small business advisor with the Small Business Development Center at Lorain County Community College. Beth previously worked with Bad Girl Ventures, and owned and operated a retail store, Stitches, Etc. for 6 years. Beth received her certification in Get Shelf Made. As the only certified instructor in Ohio, Get Shelf Made is a one-of-a-kind workshop that demonstrates how to turn a food or beverage concept into a viable business. Before starting her businesses, Beth worked in college admissions and marketing for Ursuline College. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Salem College and an M.Ed in Adult Learning and Development from Cleveland State University.

COCKTAILS + NETWORKING – TASTE OF CLEVELAND OFFERINGS
4:00 P.M. | Culinary Showcase

Jeanne Petrus-Rivera has led a life that could hardly be called boring. From international travel and living in Europe and Latin America, to six years on the west coast, and then back home to Cleveland in 2000, it has always been an adventure! Working in the hospitality industry for many years as a server, prep-cook, and bartender, teaching English as a Second Language to immigrants, making wire-wrap and beaded jewelry, creating sugar skulls for the Day of the Dead, and dancing her life away, Jeanne was always a vegan at heart, but not always in practice. Then seven years ago an acupuncturist recommended that she give up dairy to help with some health issues, and that was all the impetus she needed to drop all animal products for good. But she knows how hard it can be for people to “give up” some of their favorite foods, and she loves to spread the word about how you really just need to “veganize it!” That’s why Red Lotus Foods was born: to help people to make the switch from problematic dairy, to healthy and cruelty-free cashew-based products.

COCKTAILS + NETWORKING – TASTE OF CLEVELAND OFFERINGS
4:00 P.M. | Culinary Showcase

Growing up in the restaurant industry with my parents who are both CIA Culinary graduates, we owned and operated several restaurant and catering businesses. I moved on to be a part of the opening of the Hilton Columbus in 1998, Easton Town Center, a five star hotel in the greater Columbus, Ohio area where I managed the restaurant, room service and banquets; five years after, I managed at PF Chang's China Bistro for 5 years while employed, I assisted in the operation in Aladdins Eatery before starting my Personal Chef Business part time in 2006, full time in 2009. I have earned five years of Hilton customer service certificates each year that I was employed. In the operational standards business handbooks of both Hilton and PF Chang's, I created new and improved standards that were implemented by both and still in use to this day. When I started my personal chef business and moving back to Geneva in late 2011, I became active in Rural Action, an organization promoting economic and environmental growth, which I saw was needed in my community. I am active in my community, VFW and with my local farmers, starting the first Farm to Table dinner series throughout the summer of 2012 in my hometown of Harpersfield, Ohio. Receiving so much notariety from newspapers with over 15 articles(under Publications), competing in many competitions including Masterchef, I take pride in staying true to who I am, to my clients and my vision. I am a Ladies Auxilary in my local VFW doing many of thier Events. I have recently been awarded Best of New American on Clevelands Hotlist and Best of Customer Service for 2015 and 2016 on Thumbtack. During the Summer of 2015, I was appointed charge the cooking demonstartion school of Vintage Ohio, Ohios Largest Wine and Culinary Festival, with over 40,000 attendees. I was honored to be a guest chef 11 times on both Fox 8 morning show and New Day Cleveland. I recently was a hire of a private firm , The 400, in New York City for a high profile client for the RNC in Cleveland Ohio.

COCKTAILS + NETWORKING – TASTE OF CLEVELAND OFFERINGS
4:00 P.M. | Culinary Showcase

Patricia Urcuyo graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in Political Science and International Studies before joining Chrysler FCA as the College Industrial Programs coordinator. Her personal transformation through a Paleo lifestyle, previous corporate experience and passion for entrepreneurship has fueled the business development of PaleoMD. In 2014 she co-founded PaleoMD with her brother and father with the goal of helping people fulfill their potential by living healthy lifestyles rooted in proper nutrition. Today Patricia manages the day-to-day operations of the company and is a part time consultant for Integis, a retained search firm for Private Equity clients and their portfolio companies. In her free time she enjoys staying active with CrossFit, yoga and running, volunteering with Girls on the Run, and continually seeks opportunities to empower fellow women entrepreneurs. PaleoMD LLC manufactures "PaleoPizza", the first frozen Certified Paleo pizza available in grocery stores. PaleoPizzas are gluten, dairy, legume and soy-free and never contain artificial sugars, additives or preservatives. Visit www.paleomdpizza.com for more information, locations and online ordering.

COCKTAILS + NETWORKING – TASTE OF CLEVELAND OFFERINGS
4:00 P.M. | Culinary Showcase

Chef Jill Vedaa of Salt has worked along side the best chef in Cleveland including Karen Small and Michael Symon. Former Chef of Rockefellers in Cleveland Heights, Jill decided to open her own restaurant Salt, which opened in late July. She has taken the last 22 years to form her simple, thoughtful and flavorful approach to her menu using seasonal foods and ethnic inspiration.