PYET DESPAIN
This year, we are delighted to welcome acclaimed Chef Pyet DeSpain—an award-winning culinary talent and proud member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi NaCon—as our Featured Guest Chef. Among her many accomplishments, Chef DeSpain made history as the first winner of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef on FOX. Specializing in Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, she skillfully blends her Native American and Mexican roots in the kitchen.
Beyond the kitchen, she is a passionate activist for food sovereignty and Indigenous foodways, advocating for the preservation, accessibility, and revitalization of traditional foods within Native communities. Through her work, she educates and inspires others to embrace sustainable, ancestral food practices.
Chef Lineup
Halla Baidawi
Restaurant:
Work of Halla
Fidel Gomez
Restaurant:
T’ähä Mexican Kitchen
Victorie Kelley
Restaurant:
KCKCC
Michael Ruiz
Restaurant:
Prime Social
Lesley Reyes
Restaurant:
Café Ollama
Stephanie Echeverry
Restaurant:
Las Primas KC
Cody Hogan
Restaurant:
Lidia’s Kansas City
Grant Norris
Restaurant:
Enzo Bistro & Wine Bar
Bryan Sparks
Restaurant:
Wandering Vine at the Castle
Andrea Hall
Restaurant:
Empanada Madness
Julio Juarez
Restaurant:
Ocean Prime
Vincent Paredes
Restaurant:
The Farmhouse
Patrick Williams
Restaurant:
Pierpont’s at Union Station
PAST CHEF EXPERIENCES
Over the years, Comida KC has welcomed an incredible lineup of chefs from across the nation—each bringing their own culinary flair, cultural heritage, and unforgettable flavors to the table. From James Beard nominees to hometown favorites, these talented chefs have helped make Comida a true celebration of food, tradition, and community.
