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Jared BarkerBig Boy BiscuitsJared Barker is the founder and owner of Big Boy Biscuits, a Virginia-based comfort food company he launched in December 2024 with a simple goal: bring high-quality biscuits and scratch-made comfort food back to the table. Built around a family biscuit recipe that Jared refined over the years, Big Boy Biscuits specializes in hearty, made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches and classic American comfort food, all prepared in its Lorton, Virginia kitchen.The business got its start with a single pop-up in December 2024 and has quickly grown into a regular favorite at the Mount Vernon, Lubber Run, and Westover Farmers Markets.​Jared's passion for food began long before Big Boy Biscuits. Raised in rural central Virginia, he grew up surrounded by farming, hunting, and preserving food—experiences that shaped both his appreciation for good ingredients and his belief that food brings people together. He began his culinary career at just 16 years old and has since worked his way through nearly every corner of the hospitality industry, from line cook to Director of Operations to business owner.

Rochelle CooperDuck & The PeachRochelle Cooper learned to love baking at a young age, making traditional desserts for the holidays with her mom. This hobby grew into a passion and she found herself at Johnson & Wales Culinary School in Providence.Rochelle combined her talent for the pastry arts with her joy in sharing her knowledge and ideas with others by becoming a teaching assistant at Pennsylvania State University. During this time, professors encouraged her to pursue a Masters’ in Education and one year later, she wrapped up a graduate program at Penn State. Missing the rush and excitement of restaurants, Rochelle found herself in Washington, D.C at Range by Bryan Voltaggio, working under the renowned Chef Chris Ford.The whimsy, science, and storytelling of Jose Andres’ Minibar drew her further downtown where she spent years in the two Michelin Starred kitchen before becoming a research and development chef for the Jose Andres team.Former colleague and friend Chef Kat Petonito enticed Rochelle to join Eastern Point Collective to begin her own pastry program at the restaurant group’s restaurants: The Duck & The Peach, La Collina and The Wells. In 2023, she opened, Méli, the group’s fourth DC restaurant. Rochelle is considered one of the top pastry chefs in Washington, DC and, in summer 2024, was named Pastry Chef of the Year at the RAMMY Awards, the city’s top culinary honors. Inspiration for Rochelle’s desserts comes from nostalgia and seasonal ingredients available locally. She also has a knack for sustainability and is always finding ways to cross utilize savory and bar preparations in her work. This is Rochelle’s first farm dinner and we can't wait to see what she cooks up!

CJ CrossChalkboard BBQCJ Cross owns Chalkboard Wings and BBQ, and is partnering with Arcadia Veteran Farmer, Class of 2025, Jim Gentile for his dish this year. Once a personal trainer, CJ has opened multiple restaurants and breweries, the most recent being Chalkboard in the Spring of 2022 just a few hundred yards from Arcadia farm. He works closely with Virginia farmers to source his meats at Chalkboard, a small 40 seat restaurant featuring a full bar and an ever-changing menu with new specials available each week. Throughout the pandemic, C. J.’s team served hundreds of meals for underemployed restaurant and health care workers. He volunteers with Bike to the Beach, which supports those affected by autism, by supporting marketing efforts and events execution along the East Coast. C. J. received his degrees from Northern Virginia Community College and James Madison University.

Jonathan DeardenKNEAD Hospitality + DesignBorn and raised in Northern Virginia, Jonathan Dearden has spent more than two decades building his career in some of the country’s most respected kitchens. After working alongside James Beard Award-winning chefs and leading culinary teams across luxury resorts, hotels, and restaurants, he now serves as Corporate Chef for KNEAD Hospitality + Design, overseeing culinary operations and development across its diverse portfolio of restaurant concepts. A Top 4 finalist on Top Chef Season 23, Jonathan is known for combining refined technique with approachable, flavor-driven cuisine while mentoring and inspiring the next generation of culinary professionals.

Kate FioreBuzz BakeshopKate Fiore is the head baker at Buzz Bakeshop. Buzz is a beloved neighborhood bakery in the north end of Old Town, Alexandria, featuring a myriad of sweets, pastries, cakes, coffee, and so much more. From freshly baked cupcakes and rich fudgy brownies, to decadent cookies, craft coffee, and sumptuous breakfast croissants, muffins and sandwiches, our dedicated team of pastry professionals is committed to bringing you only the freshest handmade goods day in, day out.

Chris GirardotRavenHook BakehouseWhen Chris was a child, he often watched his father, a chemistry professor, experiment with cooking at home. Watching these experiments fostered a curiosity about cooking that he still carries with him. Chris first started working in a bakery in 1992, intending it as a stepping stone while he figured out his next career move. But he quickly fell in love with baking. He asked questions, learned from other bakers on the job, took classes, read lots of books, and learned through trial and error. Then in 2006, Chris Girardot founded RavenHook Bakehouse in DC with a commitment to the old-world style of bread making, relying on centuries-old techniques to produce delicious, grain-forward breads. Today, RavenHook makes European-style bread and pastries by hand and brings them to nearly 20 farmers markets every week. Chris focuses on using really good ingredients, locally grown when possible. He’s a leader in the local grain movement, incorporating locally grown and milled grains into many of RavenHook’s products, as well as educating consumers about the value of local grains, teaching classes, and building a stronger community through Common Grain Alliance.

Fernando Gonzalez2fifty Texas BBQFernando Gonzalez's path to becoming an acclaimed pitmaster took an unexpected turn from his career as a civil engineer in El Salvador. Drawn to the art of barbecue, he embarked on a transformative journey, immersing himself in the rich traditions of Texas barbecue and honing his skills in both traditional and contemporary methods. Driven by his relentless pursuit of perfection, Fernando has done extensive research across the country but especially Texas, learning and exchanging knowledge from renowned Pitmasters and absorbing their expertise. With each encounter, he refined his smoking techniques, developing a distinctive style that seamlessly blended his Latin American roots with the authentic flavors of Texas barbecue, adhering to the principles of salt, pepper, smoke, and time. His commitment to perfection and refusal to take shortcuts have earned him the respect and admiration of his peers and patrons alike.As a co-founder and head Pitmaster at 2fifty Texas BBQ, Fernando's passion and expertise have been instrumental in establishing the smokehouse as a culinary force. His restaurant has been bestowed with prestigious accolades, including the title of the best barbecue in the DMV area by The Washington Post twice, as well as recognition as one of the finest barbecue joints in the country by Texas Monthly, Food & Wine and Southern Living. His restaurant has been also named by The New York Times as one of the Top Dining destinations in Washington DC. Fernando has been honored with a StarChef's Award, a RAMMY award and has also been appointed as Culinary Diplomat through the US Department of State and the James Beard Foundation. He has taken this opportunity to represent the United States’s gastronomy and to showcase the diversity of the American barbecue tradition.​

Hamilton JohnsonMallardMallard is the brainchild of South Carolina native and vet D.C. chef Hamilton Johnson,  Johnson got his start at renowned Charleston restaurants and went on to become a well-known D.C. dining fixture — recognized for both his all-tattooed look and culinary talent — that dates back to his downtown days at Southern showpiece Vidalia under James Beard Award-winning chef Jeff Buben.​Johnson went on to open the Southern-accented Nordic kitchen Honeysuckle in the same space, which closed in 2019, and subsequently cooked at American Son and Michele’s in the Eaton hotel. The name Mallard is a tribute to Chef Johnson’s father’s hobby of carving wooden decoys.

Colin McClimansNina MayChef and co-owner of Nina May and Opal, Native Washingtonian Colin McClimans began what would be his future vocation at a tender age working the family’s stove with his father, an excellent home cook. He became interested not only in the food, but in restaurants—how they worked, the camaraderie of the kitchen and the team effort.While visiting his grandparents in Ohio each summer, he began working at 14 years old in the kitchen of a local eatery in the evening, and a career was born. The former college lacrosse champion served as Chef de Cuisine of Equinox Restaurant for over 6 years. There he helped owner Chef Todd Gray open multiple large projects including Salamander Resort, Manna, Milk + Honey, and a restaurant in the Museum of the Bible.Colin was named Zagat’s 30 under 30 in 2015 for his work in the industry. This is Colin's second appearance at the Arcadia Farm Dinner and we are jazzed to have him back. Tickled, even!

Stephanie MilneJosephine BrasserieStephanie Milne is the Chef De Cuisine at Josephine Brasserie in Old Town, Alexandria where she has been since its opening in 2023. A veteran of the DC dining scene, she began her career as a pastry assistant in 2012 with a passion for baking and the willingness to learn anything and everything about food. She spent many years as a pastry chef before deciding to expand her role and move into the savory side, developing her techniques and knowledge of different cuisines ranging from Mexican and Levantine to Filipino and the American South. She brings this experience to French cooking along with a love of all things dessert to elevate bistro classics and make creative modern dishes. Josephine was recently nominated for a Best Brunch of the Year RAMMY (2025) and continues to be a favorite gathering place and celebration destination in Old Town.

Kat PetonitoDuck & The PeachExecutive Chef Katarina Petonito oversees the menus and kitchen teams at Eastern Point Collective’s restaurants, The Duck & The Peach (seasonal, new American), La Collina (neighborhood Italian-ish), The Wells (intimate gin bar) and Méli (Greek-ish mezze and wine). Kat is a native of Maryland and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She began her career and love of Mediterranean cuisine and culture at Graffiato & Kapnos. At Mike Isabella Concepts, she excelled and rose in leadership to the Chef de Cuisine role at Kapnos Kouzina. Kat next joined the team at Starr Restaurants, working alongside Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley at their urban steakhouse St. Anselm where she led the kitchen as Sous Chef and honed her skills in butchery and sourcing the best products.Now, at Eastern Point Collective, Kat brings her knowledge and passions together to create inspired menus and flavor combinations, often drawing on her Italian and Filipino heritage and love of seasonal ingredients. Kat has been nominated multiple times for Washington DC’s RAMMY Awards including Rising Culinary Star of the Year (2022, 2023) and Chef of the Year (2024). This is her first Arcadia farm dinner!

Jarrad SilverSilver and Sons BBQJarrad Silver is the chef and owner of Silver and Sons BBQ in Bethesda, MD, as well as the Silver and Sons food truck, which operates at various locations throughout the D.C. area. Founded in 2020, Silver and Sons serves a Jewish-Mediterranean twist on regional American barbecue.Before founding Silver and Sons BBQ, Silver served as the executive chef for Neighborhood Restaurant Group, managing the kitchens at Birch and Barley and ChurchKey. He refined his signature style there, blending his Jewish heritage with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences while supporting local farms. He also served as the executive chef at Mike Isabella Concepts, contributing to the opening of eight restaurants over seven years.Jarrad Silver’s passion for food started in his childhood home in Bethesda, where he watched his father cook and helped his grandmother bake fresh bread during visits to Connecticut. With both homes featuring vegetable gardens, he formed an early appreciation for fresh ingredients, despite being too picky to eat most of them at that time.