6 award winning chefs =
1 magical night

​The TURN Festival Feast is an evening of cuisine, conversation and camaraderie while savoring the unique culinary styles of award-winning chefs. This one-night-only, earth to table experience features Marcus Daniel, Abbi Merriss, Eli Laidlaw, Brad Gates, Alan Sternberg, and Erin Kem.
Click here to purchase tickets.
 

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Eli Laidlaw
Plat 99 at The Alexander 

After growing up in Maine, Indianapolis has been home to Laidlaw since he moved to the city after high school. He attended The Chef’s Academy before working at the Hilton and Omni Hotel brands, as well as the South Broad Ripple restaurant, Recess. Chef Laidlaw first joined the staff at The Alexander Hotel in 2013 working mostly with large-scale banquets and events. After being at Recess and Nourish he returned return as sous chef for Plat 99. Laidlaw and his team are sourcing the majority of their ingredients locally.
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Abbi Merris

Bluebeard

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​Abbi Merriss began her cooking career in Norfolk, Virginia in 2001 at The Ten Top and Cora.  She returned to Indianapolis to be closer to her family in 2005 and became a line cook at Elements. She received a presidential scholarship to the Chef's academy in 2007 and earned a degree in Baking and Pastry after completing an internship at P*Ong and working at Falai in NYC.  After returning to Indy, she cooked at R Bistro and became an assistant instructor briefly at the Chef's Academy until she was hired as sous chef of Greg Hardesty's restaurant 'Recess' in 2010. Abbi joined up with longtime friends Tom and Eddie Battista in 2012 to create a unique food-focused experience at Bluebeard.

Erin Kem

​Cannon Ball Brewing Company

Erin Kem is the Chef/Manager at Cannon Ball Brewing Company where her seasonal menu pairs with the ever-growing repertoire of beers made on-site by Mark Swartz. A graduate of Ball State University and New England Culinary Institute, Erin began her career working under Chef Tony Hanslits and James Beard semi-finalist Chef Regina Mehallick, under whom she acted as sous chef and executive chef for 12 years.  There Erin became active in Slow Food Indy and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, an organization which awarded her a scholarship to explore St. Andrews, Scotland and its culinary offerings.  Her love of travel continues to inspire her cooking as well as her monthly cooking classes she teaches at R2Go specialty market.  ​

Marcus Daniel
Joseph Decuis

Marcus joins Joseph Decuis from New York City’s Michelin star rated restaurant, The Breslin Bar & Grill and the John Dory Oyster Bar, both under the direction of the renowned Chef April Bloomfield. Prior to his experience in New York, this Fort Wayne native graduated from Ivy Tech’s culinary program and worked locally before moving to Los Angeles and New York City to broaden his culinary experience.  Over 12 years, Marcus has gained a reputation for creativity and innovation, matching technique and flavor in artful presentations.  Marcus is passionate about the farm to table movement in America.

Alan Sternberg
Common House

​Raised on a steady diet of potpies, casseroles, and “traditional American whatever,” Alan Sternberg has worked in kitchens since his first job as a dishwasher at age 17. He went on to earn a renegade reputation at Muncie’s Restaurant 2 Oh! 4, where he insisted on making the pasta by hand. He then served as chef de cuisine at The Local Eatery & Pub and as sous chef at Mesh on Mass before taking over Cerulean’s head-toque position in 2014. Next, Alan and Audra Sternberg launched Common House, Indianapolis's premier pop-up supper club. 

Brad Gates

Hedge Row

Brad Gates first became enamored with cooking while in high school. After training with Jacques Pepin and Alain Sailhac at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, he worked in a wide variety of creative restaurants around the United States before returning to the midwest. After a stint in business for himself, his next culinary adventure is the opening of the Kimbal Musk project Hedge Row, recently opened on Mass Ave.