Meet the talent
Enjoy unique dishes, celebrity-led cooking demonstrations, and immersive food experiences, all set in the beautiful Paradise Island Resort.
Alon Shaya is an Israeli-American chef, TV personality, author, and Chef-Partner at Pomegranate Hospitality who recently opened Silan at Atlantis. Born in Israel, raised in Philadelphia, and a proud New Orleanian, Alon has always had a deep love and appreciation for food and the singular way restaurants anchor their communities.
Alon, a multiple James Beard Foundation award-winner, was named "Best Chef, South" in 2015, and his restaurant won "Best New Restaurant" the following year. He was named one of the "50 People Who Are Changing the South" by Southern Living and one of the "50 Most Influential Jews in America" by The Forward. When not working, Alon loves to spend time with his wife Emily, daughter Ruth, and their two dogs Henry and Ceci. He enjoys traveling for new food experiences around the world, playing tennis, and fly fishing.
Approaching their 30th anniversary as a group, the Baha Men rode a massive wave of success in the early 2000s following the release of hit single, ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’. Featured in major motion pictures and chanted throughout sports stadiums around the globe, the Baha Men unleashed a revolutionary form of Caribbean pop that permeated American pop culture. The hit single would go on to earn the band several awards including a 2000 Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, as well as Billboard Music Awards for World Music Artist and Album of the Year.
Recognized by Rolling Stone as “Bahamian junkanoo pioneers”, the Baha Men continue to hit monumental milestones. With the support of Sony Music Entertainment, the group released ‘Night and Day’ in 2014. With their April 30th release of ‘Take A Chance,” recorded with Patrick Romantik in Miami, the Baha Men continue to prove their longevity and ability to craft high energy pop hooks while maintaining a close-knit and familial feel to their music.
Born and raised in New York City, Bobby Flay is a renowned American chef, restaurateur, and television personality, best known for his frequent appearances on Food Network. After attending the French Culinary Institute, he opened his first restaurant, Mesa Grill, in 1991, followed by Bolo and several others, including Bar American, Bobby’s Burger Palace, and Gato. Flay has earned multiple accolades, including the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year.
Flay’s television career took off in 1994 with his debut on Food Network, where he became a household name on shows like Iron Chef America, Boy Meets Grill, and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay. His reputation as a grilling expert grew with shows such as Grill It! with Bobby Flay and BBQ with Bobby Flay. More recently, he starred in The Flay List alongside his daughter Sophie and hosted Bobby’s Ireland, exploring his Irish roots. An accomplished author, Flay has also written several popular cookbooks, sharing his expertise with home cooks.
Chef Glenn Rolnick was born and raised in Rockland County, New York, where he first gained cooking experience during his preteen years, preparing meals for his family while his parents worked. His dishes received rave “family reviews,” and soon he began catering small neighborhood functions.
Recognizing his talent, Rolnick worked at a bakery during high school and community college. After earning an Associate’s Degree from Rockland Community College, he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America, where his peers voted him “most likely to succeed.”
After graduating, Rolnick landed his dream job at the Hotel Carlyle in New York City, quickly advancing to Sous Chef within six months. He later became Executive Sous Chef at the United Nations Plaza Hotel, overseeing dining rooms, banquets, events, and room service, cooking for world leaders and dignitaries.
Returning to Rockland County, Rolnick launched a successful catering business, hosting hundreds of events annually. After six years, he rejoined the restaurant industry, serving as Executive Chef at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City and later at Dellwood Country Club in Rockland.
For the past 20 years, Chef Rolnick has been Director of Culinary Operations for the Alicart Restaurant Group. He has appeared on Good Morning America, Fox News, and PIX11, and been featured in Time Magazine, The New York Times, and Food Arts Magazine. He has styled food shoots for Gourmet Magazine and The New York Post, and been heard on Martha Stewart Radio and Z100 Elvis Duran’s Morning Show.
JJ Johnson is an award-winning Chef, TV Personality, and Author. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including a James Beard Foundation Award for the best American cookbook for Between Harlem and Heaven. He has also been featured on multiple television shows, including Food Network’s Chopped, Netflix’s Street Food, and has his television show called Just Eats with Chef JJ on TV One's network Cleo TV.
JJ founded the quick-casual rice bowl shop Fieldtrip, which has taken NYC by storm with 4 locations and the newest location at Atlantis Paradise Island. JJ believes some of the most dynamic cultures are linked to rice, and with America being a diverse nation, we all grew up within a "rice culture." Henceforth the slogan, “Rice is Culture" at Fieldtrip.
Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018 and awarded “Outstanding Chef” and “Humanitarian of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation, José Andrés is an internationally recognized culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, educator, television personality, humanitarian and founder of World Central Kitchen, and chef/owner of José Andrés Group.
A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States, he is also known for his groundbreaking avant-garde cuisine and his award-winning group of restaurants. Located in The Cove at Atlantis, Fish by José Andrés pays creative homage to traditional Bahamian cuisine and the ocean that surrounds the islands. The menu highlights sustainable Bahamian fishing practices and features the freshest possible seafood, such as local Bahamian conch and lionfish.
Kardea Brown is an Emmy-nominated contemporary Southern chef and the star of Food Network’s Delicious Miss Brown. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, and of Gullah Geechee descent, Kardea’s culinary journey is deeply rooted in the traditions of her heritage. Growing up on Wadmalaw Island, she learned to cook traditional Gullah dishes from her grandmother, a skill she now showcases with a modern twist. After working in social services, Kardea found her true passion in cooking, leading her to create the New Gullah Supper Club, a pop-up dining experience that celebrates Gullah cuisine with her unique flair.
Her show, Delicious Miss Brown, now in its tenth season, highlights the rich culinary traditions of the Gullah people and is filmed at her home in Charleston. In addition to her show, Kardea hosts The Great Soul Food Cook-Off and co-hosts Kids Baking Championship. Her debut cookbook, The Way Home, became a New York Times bestseller, offering readers a heartfelt collection of recipes that blend West African and Southern influences. Through her work on screen and in print, Kardea continues to honor her heritage while introducing the vibrant flavors of Gullah cuisine to a broader audience.
Katie Lee Biegel is an Emmy-nominated culinary personality best known for co-hosting Food Network’s hit show The Kitchen, currently in its 39th season. She also previously hosted Beach Bites with Katie Lee on Cooking Channel, and the digital series Meat Sweats and What Would Katie Eat? on foodnetwork.com. She served as a judge for Food Network’s popular Halloween Baking Championship series and can regularly be seen on Beat Bobby Flay and Today.
Katie is the host of Dear Media's weekly podcast, All on The Table with Katie Lee Biegel (2024), a podcast dedicated to getting to know people through food.
She is the author of several cookbooks, including It's Not Complicated: Simple Recipes for Every Day (2021), Endless Summer Cookbook (2015), The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions (2009), The Comfort Table (2008). Her debut novel, Groundswell (2011), became a Hallmark film in 2023, in which she co-starred and executive produced. Katie's next Hallmark film, which she co-wrote, produced, and stars, is coming out in the summer of 2025.
In 2023, Katie became the co-founder of Kind of Wild Wines, a line of certified organic, zero sugar, environmentally-friendly wines. Kind of Wild is a proud member of 1% For The Planet.
Katie is dedicated to hunger-relief for the food insecure and serves as longtime board member of the Food Bank for New York City. Along with her culinary and literary adventures, Katie enjoys spending time with her husband Ryan, their daughter, Iris, and their rescue pup, Gus. As a family, they enjoy traveling, art museums, a neverending search for the best pizza and tacos, collecting seashells at the beach, and frequent visits to the ice cream parlor. They reside in New York City and Southampton, NY.
Michael Symon is a celebrated chef known for his bold, soulful cooking influenced by his Greek and Sicilian roots. Hailing from Cleveland, Michael has made his mark with restaurants like Mabel’s BBQ, Bar Symon, and Angeline. He shares his approachable style and infectious personality on Food Network’s Symon’s Dinners and BBQ USA. Over his career, he has earned accolades, including being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine in 1998 and winning a James Beard Award for Best Chef Great Lakes in 2009.
Beyond the kitchen, Michael’s television career has spanned decades, beginning with his debut on Food Network in 1998. He went on to win The Next Iron Chef in 2008 and co-hosted The Chew for seven seasons, earning Daytime Emmys. Michael has authored several successful cookbooks, including Live to Cook and Fix It with Food, which addresses autoimmune issues. His latest release, Simply Symon’s Suppers, offers over 150 dinner recipes. When not cooking, Michael enjoys golf, gardening, and spending time with his family.
Michael White is an award-winning chef, TV personality, author, and restauranteur who recently opened Paranza at Atlantis. Most recently, he also opened Lido Restaurant at The Four Seasons at The Surfside Club in Miami. For The Lambs Club relaunch this year, Chef White partnered with Grand Tour Hospitality, whose notable team is behind some of New York City’s most popular destinations like American Bar and Saint Theo’s, and The Lambs Club founding partner David Rabin (Sona, Temple Bar, and American Bar).
In 2023, Michael White opened, Paranza at the iconic Bahamian resort, Atlantis Paradise Island. A love letter to Italy, the menu is an innovative expression of Italian regional cuisines with a focus on seafood. Chef White will join chefs Nobu Matsuhisa (Nobu) and José Andrés (Fish) in establishing Atlantis as the only resort destination in the region with three Michelin star-rated chefs.
Born Orville Richard Burrell and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Shaggy got his start as an MC in New York City's burgeoning dancehall scene soon after moving to Brooklyn in his teens. As the only diamond-selling dancehall artist in music history, Shaggy has sold more than 40 million album units to date, in addition to landing eight singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and seven albums on the Billboard 200 (including four in the top 40). He has received 2 Grammy Awards and is among the top 3 streamed reggae artists of all time on Spotify.
Shaggy has long used his platform to strengthen his community and homeland. In 2009, he established the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation and organized the first of many, Shaggy & Friends benefit concerts, which to date have raised millions for the Bustamante Children's Hospital (the Caribbean's only English-speaking children's hospital, located in Kingston).
Tony Abou-Ganim is widely regarded as one of the pioneering and leading bar professionals in the world. He has made dozens of national TV appearances on shows including TODAY, Iron Chef America, Good Morning America, CNBC, Fox News and more. Abou-Ganim is the author of The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails (Agate, 2010) which offers readers an in-depth look into spirits and ingredients available to today’s mixologist, both professional and amateur alike.
In 1998, Abou-Ganim was selected by Steve Wynn to develop the cocktail program at Bellagio Las Vegas. He not only implemented his philosophy of bartending and drink preparation, stressing both quality ingredients and proper technique, but also created several original cocktails for the resorts 22 bars. In 2002, he won the Bacardi Martini World Grand Prix – one of only two Americans to ever win this title.
local culinary talent
Maui Foods
Maui Foods
Da Food People
Do Doons Kitchen
Flipping Good Burgers
Blue Flamingo
Kitchen Culture
Wild Thyme Restaurant
The London Restaurant
Solemar Restaurant
Popalicious
Sip Sip
The New Duff
McKenzie’s Conch Shack
LeeBari
Poop Deck Sandyport
Bon Vivants
Vell Monkey Foot
Poop Deck Sandyport
Nom Nom Pita
Bahamas Rum Cake Factory
Bahamas Rum Cake Factory
Drifters
Sun & Ice
POW