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Sharing the past, shaping the future – with some of the region's most exciting voices in food.
As part of the inaugural edition of North America's 50 Best Restaurants, #50BestTalks returns with a powerful new theme: North American Dream.
This live event will bring together some of the most compelling voices in food to explore the personal histories, cultural influences and transformative stories that have shaped the region's culinary identity. It's a celebration of the people, places and passions behind the plates – and a chance to reflect on what North America is eating in 2025, and why.
#50BestTalks has been a space for bold ideas and meaningful dialogue since 2014. From spotlighting gender equality and Indigenous foodways to exploring the future of fine dining, previous editions have challenged norms and inspired change.
This year's theme opens the door to wide-ranging interpretations – from immigration and identity to sustainability and community.
Held at Wynn Las Vegas on Wednesday 24 September, the event will offer a rare opportunity to hear directly from chefs, activists and food leaders who are shaping the future of gastronomy. Expect heartfelt storytelling, provocative insights and a celebration of the diversity that defines North American cuisine today.
Confirmed speakers
Gregory Gourdet – Kann, Portland, Oregon
Originally from Queens, NY, Gregory Gourdet is a James Beard Award-winning chef and author based in Portland, Oregon. He runs the acclaimed live-fire restaurant Kann, which showcases traditional Haitian flavours alongside dishes inspired by the cuisines of the African and Caribbean diaspora. Known for his bold flavours and advocacy for equity in hospitality, Gourdet brings a powerful voice on culture and innovation in food. His work bridges tradition and progress, offering a bold vision for the future of food rooted in personal history and purpose.
Lisa Binns – Stush in the Bush, St. Ann, Jamaica
Lisa Binns is the co-founder of Stush in the Bush, a plant-based culinary retreat nestled on a sustainable farm in St. Ann, Jamaica. Alongside her husband Christopher, Binns has created a soulful experience that blends bold Caribbean flavours with regenerative agriculture and deep respect for the land. Her cooking is rooted in love and sustainability, offering guests a unique connection to nature. A passionate advocate for locavorism and conscious hospitality, the chef's work celebrates the richness of Jamaican foodways while challenging conventional ideas of luxury and wellness in gastronomy.
Asmeret Berhe-Lumax – One Love Community Fridge, New York
The founder of One Love Community Fridge, a grassroots mutual aid network based in New York City, Asmeret Berhe-Lumax is passionate about the power of collective action to transform food systems from the ground up. Eritrean-born and Swedish-raised, she brings a global perspective to her work in food justice, community building and urban sustainability. Through her leadership, One Love has become a vital lifeline for underserved neighbourhoods, promoting access, dignity and solidarity through shared food resources. Berhe-Lumax is also the recipient of the Champions of Change Award, as part of North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, recognising her impact and commitment to equity in food.
Normand Laprise – Toque!, Montreal, Quebec
Normand Laprise is a Canadian chef and pioneer of Quebecois cuisine with over three decades of convention-breaking cooking under his belt. His award-winning restaurant, Toque!, revolutionised Canadian fine dining with its local-meets-global perspective when it opened in 1993 and continues to innovate today. Laprise's childhood in rural Quebec – where relying on seasonal ingredients and canning and preserving summer harvests for use throughout the long cold winters were not a trend, but a fact of life – indelibly shaped his professional philosophy. This in turn has moulded many of the country's most notable chefs, including Cheryl Johnson and Charles-Antoine Crête of Montréal Plaza, Frédéric Morin of Joe Beef Group and Jessica Noël of Vin Mon Lapin, who all spent time in the kitchen at Toque!.
Chad and Hanna Williams – Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chad and Hanna Williams are the duo behind one of Philadelphia's brightest stars – Friday Saturday Sunday. After stints at restaurants both in the US and further afield, the husband-and-wife team opened Friday Saturday Sunday in 2016, going on to win a James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2023. Chad helms the kitchen, showcasing the diversity at the heart of modern American cuisine alongside inspiration from his travels to Europe. Hanna, meanwhile, steers front of house, bringing a unique sense of Philadelphian hospitality to the operation. Together, they're an influential force in the city's dynamic dining scene.
Find out more about the first North America's 50 Best Restaurants, which spans the US, Canada and the Caribbean. The 1-50 ranking will be announced live from Wynn Las Vegas on Thursday 25 September 2025.
