Rick Bayless
HMSHost partnered with celebrity chef Rick Bayless to bring the authentic Mexican cuisine of Tortas Frontera to O’Hare International Airport (ORD) for travelers to enjoy. Bayless is an internationally acclaimed chef, restaurateur, author, television personality, environmental advocate, and philanthropist. His renowned restaurants in Chicago include Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, XOCO, and Tortazo, among others. Tortas Frontera at O'Hare has repeatedly been recognized as one of the best airport restaurants in the U.S.
Hugo Ortega
HMSHost partnered with Chef Hugo Ortega to bring the vibrant authentic flavors of Mexico to travelers with Hugo’s Cocina at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Executive chef/co-owner of four of Houston’s top restaurants and winner of Best Chef: Southwest at the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards, Ortega has been recognized locally, nationally, and globally for his inspirational story. Passionate about sharing the traditional foods and culture of his native Mexico with diners, he opened the critically acclaimed Hugo’s streetside location in 2002, which brought authentic regional Mexican cuisine to the forefront of dining. Hugo's Cocina at IAH was voted one of the top 10 "Best Airport Sit-Down Restaurants" in USA TODAY's Readers' Choice Awards.
Lorena Garcia
One of the country’s leading Latina chefs, Venezuelan-born Lorena Garcia partnered with HMSHost to bring her healthy twist on traditional Latin cuisine to travelers with both Lorena Garcia Tapas y Cocina at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Lorena Garcia Tapas in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Garcia’s passion for food stemmed from her family gatherings in her hometown and inspired her to bring that comfort to overwhelmed travelers. Her success has earned her spots on television shows including Top Chef Masters and NBC’s America’s Next Great Restaurant in addition to inspiring her own cookbook and line of kitchenware.
David Chang
David Chang is the founder of Momofuku and Majordomo Media. Since opening his first restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar, in 2004, he has been named one of “the most influential people of the 21st century” by Esquire, received six James Beard Awards, recognized as GQ’s Man of the Year and a Time 100 honoree. He is the host of The Dave Chang Show and Recipe Club podcasts, and numerous television shows. His cookbooks Momofuku, and Cooking At Home, and memoir Eat A Peach are all New York Times bestsellers.
Jeff Steelman
Chef Jeff Steelman is Head Chef and Vice President of Culinary for HMSHost, overseeing all culinary activities and menu development. He leads a team of corporate executive chefs, highly seasoned and motivated to deliver the best food operations in the world. Chef Steelman has managed world-renowned culinary operations including the Hilton Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, and Todd English Enterprises out of Boston, where he was most recently Vice President of Culinary prior to joining HMSHost.
Kathy Casey
Celebrity chef, mixologist, and pioneer in the bar-chef movement, Kathy Casey partnered with HMSHost to bring Dish D’Lish, Casey’s popular fast-casual dining concept, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Together, HMSHost and Casey successfully transported the spirit, creativity, and flavor of the original Seattle Pike Place Market location to the airport location. A savvy spotter of what's hot in the culinary and cocktail scene, Kathy is a frequent TV and radio guest and speaker on trends and has been featured by Esquire, USA TODAY, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Good Morning America, and CBS This Morning.
Tim Love
Chef Tim Love is a culinary pioneer and vibrant personality renowned for his signature urban Western cuisine. Love has blazed a trail from a single restaurant to a nationwide culinary empire, earning celebrity chef status along the way. His portfolio includes the iconic Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Woodshed Smokehouse, and numerous Live Nation venues. HMSHost partnered with Chef Love to open Love Shack at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), voted one of the top 10 "Best Airport Grab-And-Go Food" spots in USA TODAY's Readers' Choice Awards.
Amy Berman
HMSHost partnered with nationally renowned baker Amy Berman to feature her bakery, Vanilla Bake Shop, in the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This trendy Los Angeles favorite presents travelers with award-winning, made-from-scratch-daily, cupcakes with a focus on contemporary design and taste. Amy Berman has accumulated countless accolades and praise from respected culinary figures including Martha Stewart and Giada de Laurentiis. Her masterful creations routinely land on “best of” lists of numerous magazines and culinary shows.
Michael Voltaggio
Chef Michael Voltaggio established a reputation for what critics herald as “serious” food that is playful, visually stunning, and flawlessly executed. In partnership with HMSHost, he brought his legendary street-side Los Angeles restaurant Ink.Sack to the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Voltaggio earned the title of Top Chef on Bravo TV’s Emmy Award-winning show in 2009. He was later named “Best New Chef” by Angeleno magazine in 2010 and his first restaurant ink earned the title of America's best new restaurant by GQ Magazine in March 2012, cementing a place within the Los Angeles culinary community.
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, of Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" and Food Network's "Too Hot Tamales," paired their formal culinary educations with their knowledge of down-home Mexican cooking to create Border Grill, a low-key neighborhood cantina brought to travelers by HMSHost and groundbreaking empire with locations in Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, and Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. The strength of the brand also led to a line of prepared foods under the “Border Girls” name at Whole Food Markets. In June 2013, Susan and Mary Sue were awarded the California Restaurant Association’s Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award and most recently were inducted into the 2014 Menu Masters Hall of Fame.
Jason Dady
The “Dady Family of Fare” currently consists of Tre Trattoria (2007), offering Tuscan-Italian dining at the San Antonio Museum of Art; Two Bros BBQ Market (2008), providing award-winning Texas pit barbecue; Range (2017), a Tuscan-Italian steakhouse located along the famed River Walk in downtown San Antonio; and Roca & Martillo (2024), a bold Tuscan- Texas concept located at the Spurs’ La Cantera campus. The group also includes Tre Pizzeria, with locations in Boerne and at San Antonio International Airport (SAT), delivering approachable, high-quality Italian favorites in fast-casual settings.
Expanding beyond traditional restaurant formats, Chef Dady has also launched Lil’ Bros BBQ Shack and Ice Ice Dady, both located at The Rock at La Cantera, offering modern barbecue and a playful shaved-ice concept, respectively. Additional concepts include Umai Mi, a modern Asian concept located at the Pearl Bottling Department Food Hall, and Mexico Ceaty, an upcoming immersive concept celebrating vibrant Mexican flavors and culture. The portfolio is rounded out by Chef Jason Dady Catering & Events, the only James Beard–nominated, chef-owned catering company in San Antonio.
Guy Fieri
Chef, restaurateur, and Emmy Award-winning television host Guy Fieri is one of the world’s most recognizable and influential culinary stars. With a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he is best known as the Mayor of Flavortown and the face of Food Network favorites Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, Guy’s Grocery Games, and the iconic culinary competition Tournament of Champions. His thriving business empire has grown to include over 80 restaurants worldwide, Hunt & Ryde Vineyard, Santo Tequila, and Knuckle Sandwich Cigars.