ReadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2025

Sammy Monsour Author

Sammy Monsour, a Michelin award-winning chef and food activist, brings a rich culinary heritage rooting from his parent's neighborhood restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a third-generation chef, Sammy's restaurants in Boston and Los Angeles have earned acknowledgment and acclaim from James Beard Foundation, Eater National, and Zagat.

Kassady Wiggins, a seasoned beverage director and trailblazer in the craft cocktail scene, hails from Greenville, South Carolina. Influenced by her early exposure to organic farming and permaculture, she crafts Southern-inspired drinks that have been celebrated by Eater, Forbes, LA Weekly, LA Magazine, and LA Times.