Judges
Top Taco 2023 Judges
Jamie Bernstein
Since arriving in New Orleans in 1996, Bernstein has been an important voice in the cultural fabric of New Orleans. His contributions have been vast and varied. Jamie edited the popular magazine Where Y’at for two years, managed a Royal Street art Gallery for pop artist FRENCHY, Captained the Krewe Of OAK parade, hosted the Offer Radio Hour on 102.3FM, performed in various television programs including HBO’s Treme and continues to write songs for himself and some of New Orlean’s most popular performers. His most current musical release is a pop tinged adaptation of his Americana song stylings called Future Cowboys. Albums Going Kamikaze and Life On Mars are both available on all streaming platforms. Early in the summer of 2024 Bernstein recorded a solo album of original songs with producer Mark Howard on a sailboat in the Bahamas. Jamie’s varied creative endeavors have been driven by a lust for life and a positive outlook no matter the situation. Jamie Bernstein's commitment to positivity and optimism is further reflected in his collaboration with the Whistle Monsta. They host a weekly podcast and radio program called Only Good Vibes News Network. Together, they share uplifting stories and perspectives with listeners spreading joy and inspiration far and wide.
Jesse Carr
Jesse Carr is a seasoned Food and Beverage professional who now works with Virgin Hotel New Orleans as the Food and Beverage Director. Starting his career in New York working in clubs he found his passion working in cocktail bars ending up a Maison Premiere where he worked for 3 years seeing them to a James Beard Award. He moved to New Orleans and worked with the group that brought us La Petite Grocery, Balise and Justine. He then worked at Jewel of the South as General Manager and then Pontchartrain Hotel. Now at Virgin he brings his love for beverages and history to staff and guest.
James Clesi
James Clesi started CLESI’S as a “pop-up” in 2013 boiling his signature crawfish and serving his family’s famous jambalaya to the masses at bars and venues across the city. Since then, with the help of his brother Carlo and sister Sonya, CLESI’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & CATERING has become one the premier sources of AWARD-WINNING seafood and spirits New Orleans has to offer! With his restaurant located at 4323 Bienville Street and private event space, CLESI’S AT BOTTINELLI located at 139 Bottinelli Place.
James Craft
Originally growing up in Texas, James has made roots in the New Orleans area and loves the one-of-a-kind diversity of cuisine, culture, and community unlike anywhere else. With a lifelong passion for cooking good food, and an even bigger passion for eating good food, he is excited for the opportunity to be a first time judge for Top Taco. James is currently employed with Deep South Blenders in Jefferson, La.
Bryan Dias
Bryan Dias is the host and executive producer of the popular New Orleans based podcast, The NOLADrinks Show with Bryan Dias. The show explores the world of drink, food, and culture in New Orleans and beyond. He is also the president of the Raising Spirits Society, the charitable organizer and beneficiary of the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, supporting young adults in the hospitality industry. Additionally, Bryan is the executive producer of the Nitty Grits Podcast Network, the official podcast network of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum and the National Food and Beverage Foundation.
Richard Michael Dubus
Richard Dubas took Top 8 in Bourbon Fest 2023 cocktail competition, second place in Malort cocktail contest 2023, and first place in Kreme de Pink Cocktail Contest 2023. He is also a cocktail YouTuber and blogger Gnome's Tavern, wrote e-book "Gnome's Tavern Volume 1," and stand-up comedian.
Mitchell Gibbs
Mitch Gibbs is a radio personality on WODT and WGSO New Orleans and currently hosts a weekly podcast recorded live at Drago’s downtown location inside the Hilton. Mitch loves all things sports.
Randy Goodwyn Jr
Born in southwest Louisiana, this Florida-college graduate moved to the New Orleans area, then started a motorcycle customization and repair business. Known by his family and friends as a true “foodie,” he’ll go to great lengths to get his latest craving or cocktail.
Brian "Tank" Greenberg
Originally from Texas, Tank was raised on tacos. Since moving to New Orleans in 2000, Tank feels the local taco scene’s biggest shortcoming is the lack of breakfast tacos. Though he doesn’t expect Top Taco to feature breakfast tacos, he does have strong feelings about your more “standard” tacos and looks forward to trying all the tacos he can while leaving no bite unjudged.
Abigail Gullo
Abigail Gullo, a hospitality professional with two decades in the beverage industry, got her start making neighborhood craft cocktails at the innovative bars of turn of 21st century New York City. Since then, she has created drinks at award-winning restaurants from New Orleans to Seattle, from Rome to Athens and Puerto Rico. Named Bartender of the Year many times, she concocted libations for the Today Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She co-hosts the New Orleans focused Podcast, Drink & Learn and is Creative Director at Loa Bar and the International House Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Michael Gulotta
Born and raised in New Orleans, Michael Gulotta began cooking in local restaurants at a young age. After graduating from the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, he joined the newly opened Restaurant August. Gulotta then took leave to train in the Italian Riviera and Germany’s Black Forest. When Hurricane Katrina hit, Michael returned home to help rebuild and assist with August’s re-opening. He was named Chef de Cuisine in 2007 and led the award-winning kitchen for 6 years, while establishing relationships with local farmers and purveyors. He opened his first restaurant, MOPHO, in January of 2014. Located in New Orleans’ Mid City, MOPHO strives to be a true neighborhood restaurant and a destination for Southeast Asian inspired cuisine utilizing the Louisiana pantry. In its first year MOPHO was nominated for America’s Best New Restaurant by Bon Appétit Magazine and named Restaurant of the Year by New Orleans Magazine. In 2016 Michael was named one of Top 30 Chefs to Watch in the nation by Plate Magazine, A New Orleans Rising Star by Starchefs, a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine, and Chef of the Year by New Orleans Magazine. In 2017, his team opened its second full service restaurant, Maypop, in the Central Business District of New Orleans. Maypop was named a Top 5 Best New Restaurant by The Times Picayune, A Best New Restaurant by New Orleans Magazine, a New Orleans top 20 restaurant by Condé Nast Traveler, and a New Orleans’ Top Ten Restaurants for 2019, by Brett Anderson. Michael was also a finalist for The James Beard Awards Best Chef South in 2020. In 2018 Michael helped start the Fair Kitchens movement, along with the Unilever Foods global team, which focuses on improving kitchen culture across the world. Michael’s newest project, Tana, is a return to his Sicilian roots and his training in Italy. Tana is an upscale Italian restaurant in the Old Metairie Neighborhood of New Orleans featuring a pasta production station in the dining room and a menu blending the cultures of New Orleans, Sicily and the Ligurian coast.
Meredith Hammock
Meredith has been in the service industry for 25 years and can currently be found behind the bar at House of Blues and slinging her own tacos at a pop up every Wednesday at Three Legged Dog.
Jason Harris
Over 25 years of restaurant and bar experience with the last 8 helping to lead the 3 Felipe's Taqueria locations here in NOLA.
Emily Hingle
Emily Hingle is a Louisiana native who loves experiencing the unique culture of New Orleans every day through food, drinks, and especially music. She has been with Where Y’at Magazine since 2009.
Star Hodgson
Owner Star Craft nola, managing partner Café Amelie - has been exacting classic and creating contemporary cocktail recipes for over 20 years. A founding member and past President of the New Orleans Chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG), Star also served the bartending community as a Chair of the USBG National Charity Foundation Board. She has worked with some of the greatest bartenders, spirits, distributors, and patrons on the planet. Star contributes to several online and print publications, has served as a judge for many esteemed cocktail competitions and is also a blind tasting judge for spirits competitions.
Dave Jackson
Dave Jackson is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience in the New Orleans hospitality industry. As a certified Level 2 Sommelier, Dave brings a deep passion for wine, creative libations, and fine dining to every guest experience. Currently serving as the General Manager of Boulevard American Bistro in the Central Business District, Dave excels in delivering exceptional service and creating a welcoming atmosphere. With a dedication to leadership, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence, Dave continues to be a driving force in the region’s vibrant hospitality scene.
Brian Kern
Brian Kern is a man about town with a passion for parades and parties. Brian currently reigns as the Captain of the Krewe of Boo, the annual Halloween Parade that has become a big attraction on the fall calendar in New Orleans since it’s inception back in 2008. Brian proudly fought for, and won, his krewes’ right to parade this Mardi Gras season.
Jenna Lemoine
I am so excited to be this year’s judge! Thanks so much for this wonderful opportunity!
Lenny Lisotta
Lenny has worked in the food and beverage industry for over 35 year. Sales team of Miller Brewing company, M&M/Mars and Deep South Blenders. Lenny works with customer blending of food ingredients with Deep South. Love a good Taco!
Diane Lundeen
Lundeen is Petcetera’s pet pastry chef and baker. She is the lead designer for NOLA Bitch Couture, a doggy style design house, making creative apparel, accessories and toys for pets and people. Lundeen dedicates her spare time to charity and animal rescue, including Bad toThe Bone: Rescued on The Runway, a feast of food and fashion in which dogs from local rescues strut the catwalk in hopes of finding homes.
Andrew Marin
Andrew Marin writes about food and cocktails for Where Y’at Magazine. He is a former chef and bartender and has judged Top Taco every year it's been held. Follow him @ndrewmarin on instagram for photos and live story updates from the festival.
Demetrio Marquez
Chef D Marquez, has 43 years of professional culinary experience cooking, instructing, and leading as Executive Chef with several major hotel resorts, fine dining restaurants, country clubs and health- care groups in the southeastern region of Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Chef D was the former Chef and Owner of a successful Southwestern cuisine restaurant in downtown Ocean Springs, MS named "Chile Poblano". He is proficient in many cuisines such as World Fusion, Pan-Asian, and Classical French, Central and South American, Italian and Regional American Foods. Chef D is currently the Hispanic Brands Specialist with Performance Food Service New Orleans. His responsibility is to develop and consult with restaurants, muti-unit groups and new prospects with technology, trends, concepts, and food products offered by Performance Food Service
Malik Mingo
Malik is the host of the local talk show, "Great Day Louisiana," on WWL-TV in New Orleans. The show features everything that makes Louisiana great! From food, to cocktails & events, you can learn how to live your best life by watching the show! Malik has also interviewed several celebrities from Halle Berry to Tyler Perry and Kevin James. Malik was born in New Orleans, but moved to San Antonio, Texas when he was 9 years old, so he likes to say he is NOLA made and Texas raised! Prior to WWL, Malik worked in San Angelo, Texas as a morning anchor, reporter & weatherman. When Malik is not at work, you can find him at a local festival eating, enjoying live music or at home catching up on his very full DVR!
T. Cole Newton
Born and raised in Washington, DC, T. Cole Newton moved to New Orleans in 2006 to volunteer with AmeriCorps. After his service year, Cole took a bartending job at Commander’s Palace. In 2008, he developed and implemented the cocktail program at the Uptown bistro Coquette. Inspired by that experience, Cole opened his Mid City cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit in 2010. Twelve Mile Limit was chosen as the Best Bar in New Orleans by The Manual in 2017. Cole’s second bar, the Domino, opened in 2019 on St. Claude Avenue in the New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood. Cole’s book, Cocktail Dive Bar: Real Drinks, Fake History, and Questionable Advice From New Orleans’s Twelve Mile Limit (Running Press, 2021), recounts his experience as a young bar owner in the Crescent City with classic and original recipes, humorous and insightful essays. “The book is knowledgeable but not pretentious, entertaining but not distracting—Newton's writing is almost as good as the drinks. Almost,” writes Nathan Matisse in Ars Technica. In addition to his work in bars, Cole is President and Board Chair of the United States Bartending Guild and the Board Secretary of the New Orleans Women and Children’s Shelter.
Jammer Orinitas
Jammer Orintas, Co-Owner of Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza, discovered his passion for food at an early age. In addition to operating 5 pizza restaurants in the Metro area, he is a self proclaimed taco expert. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza has been recognized by The Gambit, New Orleans Magazine and The Times-Picyanue as one of the best pizza joints in the city.
Jessica Ortiz
Born and raised in New Orleans, Jessica loves all the food, drinks, and festivals Louisiana has to offer. She worked at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen for 8 years before moving into a business development role at Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends in 2009.
Brett "Slab" Patron
Brett “Slab” Patron, co-founder of the 610 Stompers, comes from a long line of eaters and dancers. His grandparents are from Merida, located on the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula. Slab spent many Sundays throughout his life, cooking and eating traditional Mexican food, but he believes tacos can cover a diverse range of food from many cultures.
Ronnie Pendelton
New Orleans native and service industry vet of over 15 years. Food is not only a passion but therapy and Ronnie loves the language. He is currently a server and bartender at both Zasu & Piece of Meat.
Brittany Perniciaro
New Orleans bartender for 16yrs at an eclectic range of spots from music venues to restaurants, dive bars to festivals, strip clubs to neighborhood bars. I loved to make mud potions as a kid, & that’s really stayed the trend of my life with this bartending career. I love serving my fellow human with a smile, & making every drink with love.
Woody Poche
Woody is the proprietor of the eponymously named Woody’s Fish Tacos, a fixture on the New Orleans Festival Circuit for several years. Currently enjoying retirement with his new Nepalese sidekick, Rin Poche, he’s excited to make a rare public appearance in support of this “Juan”derful event.
Daren Porretto
New Orleans native Daren Porretto. Growing up under a long line of Italian New Orleans family cooks, Porretto mastered Italian & Creole Louisiana staples at a young age in his grandparents’ kitchen. Porretto began his career at Commander’s Palace in 2010 as a line cook, quickly working his way up to a senior sous chef position. After many years cooking professionally, he decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and pursue career opportunities in New York City. Back in New Orleans, Porretto joined the team at SoBou as Chef de Cuisine, where he worked until the COVID – 19 pandemic put his culinary career on hold. After some time on his own, he accepted the title of Chef de Cuisine at Eric Cook’s newest venture, Saint John, where he led the team cooking haute-Creole cuisine in the restaurant’s open kitchen table. Now, You can find Daren pursuing his career in software engineering and social media management within the restaurant industry.
Andrew Quaid
The Super Saints Fan Mr. EveryThAng! helps to keep the Who Dat Nation Motivated in the Dome and everywhere he goes. A transplant to New Orleans in March 2005, he quickly fell in love with Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Your NOLA Saints & Pelicans, and “Everything” that New Orleans has to offer. His love of NOLA was honored by being named Krewe of O.A.K.’s 2024 King Robustus XXXVIII Which he regards as “A true honor and a humbling, yet outrageous experience”.
Kim Ranjbar
Though she was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kim Ranjbar took her passion for the written word and dragged it over 2000 miles to flourish in the city she loves. For 15 years, she's been eating, photographing and writing about food (and more!) in New Orleans, her work appearing in local publications such as French Quarter Journal, Chowhound.com, Where Y'at Magazine, New Orleans Living Magazine, NewOrleans.com, and Louisiana Kitchen & Culture.
Taylor Marie Rankins
I’m a new judge named Taylor! Born and raised in New Orleans. 31 years old and have been bartending for 8 years+. I work at one of the best dive bars in the city “The Upper Quarter” ❤️ Super excited to get a chance to judge Top Taco! ????????
Matt Ray
Matt Ray is part of the outreach for bartenders for Sazerac. He has worked in hospitality for most of his life, from Walt Disney World to James Beard winner for cocktails, “Cure". He left the industry at one point to teach English and history in public school, but returned to hospitality with his education experience in tow. Originally from Alabama, he uses his Appalachia accent to make spirits and cocktails fun and approachable for the average consumer. Matt lives in New Orleans and could not be happier that Mardi Gras is a paid Louisiana holiday for Sazerac. Most recently he won an award from Whiskey Magazine's "Icons of Whiskey": Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year - Honorable Mention.
Deborah Schumacher
Ms. Schumacher arrived in NOLA originally from Southern California. She has made New Orleans her permanent home since 1984. Ms Schumacher produced food service events for the Olympics, Super Bowls, Microsoft and Ford Motor Company to mention a few. Her passion is the restaurant business. She owns and operates Slim Goodies Diner on historic Magazine Street in New Orleans, which features an eclectic blend of the traditional American Diner fare paired with the Creole influences of Louisiana.
Jason Seither
Owner and chef Jason Seither spent his early life on the Bayou (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayou) cooking with his mother and boiling crawfish with his father. Seither’s Seafood in New Orleans uses the best local, traditional ingredients while Jason incorporates his own wild flair into his meals. Jason's also a huge music fan and his restaurant hosts nightly gigs for local musicians on the patio. You can catch Jason and Seither's Seafood on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri.
Chelsea Shannon
Chelsea Shannon writes about food and dining at NOLA.com.
Liza Smith
Liza is a seasoned food influencer (check out @_forkitover_ for more) and marketing professional in the food/beverage/restaurant industries. As the voice behind @_forkitover_, she passionately explores and shares culinary gems, from classic favorites to new spots, while celebrating her love for all things delicious.
Scotty "Sparky" Sparks
Scott “Sparky” Sparks aka NOLA’s King of Tailgating” is the quintessential southern gentleman known for his off-the-hook tailgates and frequent appearances on local TV plus the Food Network & Amazon Prime.
Robert Witkowski
Creative professional, author, and food lover who now calls New Orleans home! Directs and designs visuals, marketing, and graphic voice for print and online content at the Crescent City's leading lifestyle and entertainment magazine. Experiencing food in his past foodie towns including Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; New York, NY, and Portland, ME; Robert has a passion for the flavorful fun of Louisiana culinary innovation and creativity.
Jared Zeller
Form Responses 1 Zeller is a lifelong New Orleanian, graduated from Archbishop Shaw High School and the University of New Orleans with a BS in Management. He is also a proud veteran of the United States Army (1992-1996). Zeller founded the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Festival in 2006 as a way to revitalize a neighborhood in peril following Hurricane Katrina. This grassroots community festival has become one of New Orleans signature events, drawing thousands of locals and visitors to a once devastated neighborhood. In 2007, Gambit Weekly recognized him as one of New Orleans’ “Forty under Forty” for his work on the venture. In 2015, Zeller was acknowledged with a proclamation from the City of New Orleans for producing an economically and environmentally sustainable festival. His projects have been covered by local, national, and international media, including the Discovery Channel, EARTH X TV, HBO, New York Times, Offbeat Magazine, The Weather Channel, and Tegna Corporation.
Site Map
Brought to you by
PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT BENEFIT
