In 1996, John Scharffenberger founded Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker with friend and business partner Robert Steinberg. Already an accomplished winemaker, Scharffenberger’s entrepreneurial spirit, astute palate and passion for artisanal foods translated perfectly into the production of the finest chocolate. Using the highest quality cacao beans from around the world, Scharffenberger helped to create the first new premium American dark chocolate in decades.

Today, John Scharffenberger is known world-over as a chocolate expert leading classes and demonstrations on the history of chocolate including how to taste and experience the world’s best chocolates.

Elizabeth Falkner is one of the most recognizable faces of the culinary world. Elizabeth was a finalist and runner up on Next Iron Chef on the Food Network, 2011. She has judged on Bravo's Top Chef, Just Desserts, was a competitor on Bravo's Top Chef Masters in 2009 and has also appeared as a judge on Top Chef Masters and Top Chef. Elizabeth was a competitor on Iron Chef America in 2006 and a three-time competitor on Food Network's Challenge and has appeared as a guest on many television shows. She recently hosted radio on Sirius/Martha Stewart Radio.

She is about to open her highly anticipated new restaurant, Krescendo, in Brooklyn. Previously, Chef Falkner had focused her restaurants—Citizen Cake and Orson—in San Francisco, where each received recommendations by Michelin as well as scooping up numerous awards from local and national media. Chef Falkner herself has received many awards and accolades over the course of her career, including being named by Bon Appétit magazine as one of America's 10 top pastry chefs and, in 2006, "Pastry Chef of the Year." San Francisco Magazine hailed her "Best Pastry Chef" several years ago and the San Francisco Chronicle awarded her the moniker of Rising Star Chef in its culinary star-studded city. Her dramatically architectural "cakescapes" and whimsically deconstructed dessert have been featured in dozens of magazines, including Conde Nast Traveler, Gourmet, Food and Wine and Travel and Leisure.

Her newest book, Cooking Off the Clock, was published this Fall. It includes inventive twists on the classics as well as recipes for her signature desserts, such as the Bourbon Pecan Pie Milkshake. Her first book, Demolition Desserts, was a finalist for IACP's Julia Child, Best First Cookbook award in 2008.

Chef Falkner serves on the board of directors of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and the Disciples of Escoffier, International.

Author, chocolate chef, and teacher, Alice Medrich has won more James Beard and IACP cookbook-of-the-year and best-in-category awards than any other author. Her most recent books are Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts (2012) and Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your Mouth Cookies (2010). Her interactive video class, Decadent Chocolate Cakes, can be found on Crasftsy.com.

Alice is credited with popularizing chocolate truffles in the United States and introducing the "American Chocolate Truffle" at her influential dessert shop, Cocolat, in the l970s. Gourmet magazine said "Cocolat is to chocolate what Tiffany's is to diamonds."

Medrich sold Cocolat in l990, but continues to influence chefs, chocolate makers, and home cooks by teaching, writing, and consulting. Currently working on a wheat-free baking book and a revised edition of Bittersweet, Alice lives in Berkeley, California.

Food photographer, art director, designer, author and blogger Matt Armendariz is a man obsessed with food, drink, and everything in between. With a varied career in the world of food spanning over the past twenty years, Matt is driven by food and the shared experiences that bring people together.

His food blog, mattbites.com, is consistently recognized as one of the top food blogs for its photography and writing and has been featured in a variety of publications since its inception in 2005.

Known for bright, colorful and accessible imagery, his photography as been featured by Martha Stewart, Target, California Avocados, Scharffen Berger, and Chiquita Banana, including a variety of various cookbooks publishers like Wiley, Hyperion, and Ten Speed Press.

His first cookbook dedicated to all things stick food is aptly titled On A Stick! and was released by Quirk in 2011. His second book, Food Photography For Bloggers, was released in September of 2012 by Focal Press and features helpful tips, tricks and examples for creating a perfect food photo with ease.

When he's not in his studio or at home cooking, you just might find him teaching food photography workshops all around the world with his partner Adam Pearson, a food stylist.

Angie Dudley is the creator of Bakerella.com, a blog that chronicles her adventures in baking. She focuses on fun and unique approaches to baking, exploring exciting desserts, recipes and decorating—and inspires others to do the same. While blogging about baking, Angie created cake and cupcake pops that took the internet by storm. The fascination with these tiny treats led to her New York Times bestselling book, Cake Pops. And her second book, Cake Pops Holidays will be released this fall. Here, she celebrates the holiday season with more than twenty winter-themed cake pop creations including tiny gingerbread houses, snowflakes and many more.

Angie has appeared on the Martha Stewart Show and in publications such as People, Entertainment Weekly, Better Homes and Gardens, Taste of Home, Betty Crocker and more. Angie is also a contributor to Woman's Day Magazine and Disney's Family.com.