Meet the Chefs 

Neal Brown
Neal Brown Hospitality Group 

Neal Brown has become well known as one of the top chefs of the Midwest. His 20+ years of restaurant experience has earned him local and national attention. Neal Brown Hospitality Group owns
​and operates the popular restaurant Pizzology, which opened in 2009 and is a "Top 10 Restaurant" selection by Indianapolis Monthly magazine. Neal is also Chef/Owner of The Libertine Liquor Bar, recognized as one of the 25 Best Bars In America by Esquire Magazine. Ukiyo is Brown's latest venture. Inspired by Japan, the restaurant offers sushi, ramen, and Kappo dishes. A very personal Omakase experience prepared by Chef Brown and his team is available by reservation. 

---

Erin Gillum 
Spoke & Steele

​​
Erin Gillum has worked every part of the restaurant industry; from steakhouses to catering companies, fish cutting to the front of the house, Gillum has done it all. She is the Executive Chef at Spoke & Steele, in the downtown hotel Le Meridian. In April 2019, Chef Erin debuted her curated menu. The small, medium and large plate format focus on fresh, local, organic meats, cheese, and produce, and the freshest seafood available in the Midwest. Spoke & Steele has allowed Chef Erin to spread her wings and show Indianapolis who she is and what she has to offer this robust food community.

Eli Laidlaw 
Plat 99 

After growing up in Maine, Indianapolis has been home to Eli Laidlaw since he moved to the city after high school. He attended The Chef's Academy before working at the Hilton and Omni Hotels, as well as the South Broad Ripple restaurant, Recess. After being
at Recess and Nourish he returned as sous chef for Plat 99 at the Alexander. Laidlaw's carefully-curated menu of sharable small plates is globally inspired while showcasing local ingredients
​from Indiana farmers and artisans. 

---

Abbi Merriss 
Bluebeard

​Chef Abbi Merriss has been a James Beard Foundation-nominated chef for four consecutive years (2016-19). Her food blends the familiar with the unexpected, the classical with the unorthodox, the comforting mainstays of the Midwest with exotic and eclectic international flavors. The food at Bluebeard is built on the belief that food isn't a commodity, but a catalyst for community. The staff at Bluebeard have personal relationships with the local and regional farmers and purveyors who provide the meat and produce. Under Abbi's leadership, the Bluebeard kitchen has become a sort of training grounds for up-and-coming chefs. She embraces the opportunity to mentor young chefs, even when it means eventually seeing them set off on their own adventures. That spirit of generosity extends to her food, where every bite feels like an unexpected gift.

---

Alan Sternberg
Common House 

​Alan Sternberg ranks among the top young chefs in the country as a Raising Star of the Year semifinalist in 2016 and 2018 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards. The former executive Chef of Cerulean restaurant is a co-founder and the Executive Chef for Common House supper club.The Chef is inspired by global cuisine, yet firmly grounded by strong Indiana roots. Alan has become known for creating menus that are as beautiful as delicious. His modern Midwestern cuisine has been featured in Travel & Leisure, Indianapolis Monthly, the Indianapolis Star and the Indianapolis Recorder newspapers. 

Adam Sweet 
King Dough Pizza 

Adam Sweet is the Pizzaiolo and founder of King Dough Pizza in Bloomington and Indianapolis. After working up the restaurant ranks in his hometown of Little Rock, Adam and his wife returned to their old stomping grounds of Bloomington, Indiana. Diving in headfirst, they opened their own pizza shop. With a focus on locally sourced produce, naturally leavened dough, and strong relationships with local purveyors they've cemented King Dough in the hearts and minds of pizza lovers. At the Indianapolis location, the menu expanded to offer burgers, wings, and a rotating cast of Italian inspired entrees. Yet, King Dough always keeps in mind that every meal should be a pizza party.