THOMAS KELLER (K)

Chef

 In 1994, Keller took ownership of The French Laundry in Yountville, quickly garnering nationwide acclaim. Keller’s restaurant group also includes French bistro Bouchon, with locations in Yountville, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills; Per Se in New York; Ad Hoc in Yountville; and Bouchon Bakeries in New York, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills.

Keller is the author of five cookbooks, of which more than one million copies are in print. His award-winning “The French Laundry” cookbook debuted in 1999, followed by “Bouchon” and “Under Pressure.” He also authored “Ad Hoc at Home,” which received awards from IACP and the James Beard Foundation, in addition to appearing on The New York Times Best Sellers list for six weeks. His most recent cookbook is “Bouchon Bakery.”

In January 2017, Keller, along with chef Daniel Boulud, led Team USA to win gold in the Bocuse d’Or, the elite worldwide cooking competition started by legendary French chef Paul Bocuse.

ARMANDO MANNI (M)

Olive Oil Producer

Armando Manni uses a singular “Live Oil” process, which he developed in partnership with the University of Florence and the National Council of Research of Italy. The process makes MANNI organic extra-virgin olive oil the only oil in the world to maintain its extra-virgin quality and taste for three years, instead of the industry-standard 12 months. The Live Oil process also gives Manni oil higher levels of antioxidants (phenols) than any other olive oil.

Manni led the research behind K+M, when he and Chef Keller again worked with the University of Florence to test a chocolate that used MANNI oil in place of cocoa butter. The goal was to create a chocolate production methodology that retains the naturally occurring antioxidants of the cocoa beans, unlike traditional chocolate-making processes, which can cause the loss of up to 60-80 percent.

Armando Manni began his career studying Economics at LUISS University in Rome and at the University of Rome La Sapienza, then studied photography at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome and emerged as one of Italy's top young photographers in the 1980s.

Through the '80s and '90s, Manni directed some of the biggest hits on Italian television, and as a scriptwriter he won the European Script Fund twice. “Elvjs & Merilijn,” Manni’s first feature film, was declared of "National Cultural Interest" by the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The film has since developed an international cult following as well as critical acclaim and prizes at film festivals around the world, including the Golden Globe award in Italy.