Spice Routes at The Spice Suite is inspired by founder Angel Gregorio’s travels and her passion for connecting people through flavor. The gathering will bring together James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and Bar Providencia chef-owner Paola Velez, James Beard Award-nominated Chef Anthony Jones of Marcus DC, and acclaimed restaurateur, Lucky Danger founder, culinary director of Laoban Dumplings, and Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate co-founder Tim Ma for a celebration exploring spices, migration, memory, entrepreneurship, and the stories that travel with us.

Few foods have traveled the world quite like pizza. Owner Antonio Matarazzo and chef Matteo Venini of Stellina join Chef Elias Taddesse of Doro Soul Food for a collaborative dinner exploring the connections between Italian and Ethiopian food cultures. While separated by geography, the two nations share a unique and complicated history that continues to echo through food. From pasta dishes found across Ethiopia to shared rituals of hospitality, coffee, bread, and communal dining, the evening explores how cultures influence one another over generations.

Maître Artisan and President of Disciples Escoffier USA Chef Sébastien Giannini of L’Avant-Garde and Chef Andrew Ho of CUT by Wolfgang Puck will present Ode to Escoffier, an elegant dinner celebrating the French culinary traditions that shaped generations of American chefs and continue to influence hospitality around the world. This dinner includes the presence of special guest, Her Excellency the Ambassador of Monaco. 

Three-time James Beard Award nominee Erik Bruner-Yang will welcome James Beard Award-winning chef Tom Cunanan, of the late Bad Saint, to Maketto for The New American Table, a collaboration exploring the immigrant experience and the evolution of American cuisine through Taiwanese, Filipino, and the broader Asian-American culinary influences. 

Chef Marcus Samuelsson will host Diaspora of Flavor at Marcus DC. Born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, and celebrated as one of the world’s most influential culinary voices, Samuelsson and Executive Chef Anthony Jones will explore the movement of ingredients, traditions, and culinary memory across the African diaspora and their enduring influence on American cuisine.

James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame inductee Chef Pierre Thiam and world traveler, author, and cultural storyteller Jessica Nabongo will join Chef Rock Harper, Hell’s Kitchen winner and James Beard Award semifinalist for Around the World at the American Table. Through food, travel, and conversation, the evening will explore the global influences that continue to shape American food culture and the ways people, traditions, and ideas move across borders to influence how we eat today.

Award-winning Chef Rubén García of Casa Teresa welcomes acclaimed chef, restaurateur and TV personality Bryan Voltaggio for an evening celebrating the enduring connection between regional Spanish and American cuisine. Born in Catalonia and shaped by some of Spain’s most celebrated kitchens, including the legendary El Bulli, García joins Voltaggio, one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most influential culinary voices, for a collaboration rooted in place, tradition, and craftsmanship. Drawing inspiration from Catalonia to the Chesapeake Bay, the chefs will create a menu that explores how regional ingredients, local foodways, and generations of culinary heritage continue to shape the American table.

Chef Nicholas Stefanelli of Masseria will welcome acclaimed chef Katsuya Fukushima for Bimi Vita, a one-night collaboration inspired by the intersection of Italian and Japanese cuisine. Through six courses rooted in seasonality, precision, and hospitality, the dinner explores how culinary traditions evolve through friendship and cultural exchange.

Centrolina is introducing a new way for guests to gather and escape the heat this summer. Centrolina Social Club will debut Hot Summer Nights, an exclusive after-hours event hosted in Centrolina’s Chef’s Salon that blends wine, food, music, and socializing into a relaxed setting. The evening will transform Centrolina intoHot Summer Nights: A Private Salon Wine Experience. With low lights, cold wine, and heavy grooves setting the scene, guests can mingle and dance while indulging in five curated wines chosen by sommelier Liz Martinez. Seasonal bites from chef Amy Brandwein will accompany the flowing wines. This experience encourages you to move around, meet new people, and explore the menu pairings at their own pace. Hot Summer Nights offers you a rare opportunity to experience Centrolina in an intimate, fresh way. Tickets cost $65 per person. Purchase a ticket here: https://www.opentable.com/r/centrolina

View the artwork, meet the artists and enjoy complimentary refreshments at the Bethesda Art Walk! For complete information and list of participating galleries, visit here: https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda-art-walk/