Our Experts

Molly Horn is the Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator for Total Wine & More, the country's largest independent wine, spirits and beer retailer. She has over a decade of expertise in developing and managing bar programs in the Washington Metro area and was Head Bartender at Farmers Restaurant Group, one of the busiest operations on the East Coast. Horn's many responsibilities at Total Wine & More include tasting and marketing new first-to-market spirits, as well as educating sales floor team members on spirits and mixology. Horn is passionate about spirits and crafting cocktails and uses her training as a Certified Sommelier to inform her tasting and reviewing process.

Joe Isidori, owner of New York hotspot Arthur & Sons, is a third-generation Italian American chef and author. Isidori has created multiple restaurants across the United States, including Jotoro Kitchen and Tequila Bar, Arthur on Smith, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beers, and more. While at Black Tap, Isidori led the international expansion of the restaurant to Dubai, Geneva, and Switzerland. He has also cooked in numerous prestigious kitchens around the country, from Everglazed Donuts to Harbor in NYC. Isidori published his first cookbook in 2016, "Craft Burgers and Crazy Shakes."

In 2024, Isidori launched Arthur & Sons New York Italian Tomato Sauce, his own line of jarred sauces. In addition to earning a Michelin star, Isidori has been named a Star Chef's Rising Star, and is a proud three-time champion of the NYCWFF Burger Bash. Isidori has also appeared on numerous national broadcasts, including "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "The Drew Barrymore Show," "The Rachael Ray Show," and more.

Justin M. Lavenue began his bartending career in 2009 while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. After graduating, he worked at the Bitter Bar, one of Colorado's first craft cocktail bars. In 2013, he moved back to Austin, completed the BAR 5-Day Course in New York City, and joined the opening staff at Half Step on Rainey Street. Two years later, he opened The Roosevelt Room, which has since become one of Austin's most popular bars. He continues to manage his ventures, study for his BAR Masters certification, consult on bar and restaurant projects, and write cocktail recipes.

Chef John Politte has dabbled in the culinary world for the last 40-odd years, working as a chef, bartender, bouncer, dishwasher, waiter, multi-level manager, teacher, media personality, food journalist, food photographer, online seasonings and spice shop curator, podcaster, and cookbook author. He enjoys using his humor, wisdom, and experience to entertain and teach the curious among us.

Robbie Shoults is a celebrity chef and the third-generation owner of the Texas-located Bear Creek Smokehouse. What started as "Shoults and Son Poultry and Livestock Farm" during World War II has evolved into a nationally recognized and award-winning smokehouse.

Shoults, affectionately known as the "Head Honcho" at his business, stays grounded and hands-on. Whether it's mopping up a spill or negotiating a deal, Shoults is involved in every aspect of Smokehouse operations.

Outside of his work at the smokehouse, Shoults has lent his talents and expertise to a wide array of food-centric media. He has appeared on "Beat Bobby Flay" five times and has been featured on everything from "The Today Show" to "Rachael Ray." His culinary expertise has also been featured in national publications, including Southern Living, Taste of Home, The Food Network, Texas Lifestyle Magazine, Eat This Not That, Daily Meal, Tasting Table, Food Republic, Mashed, and Chowhound.

Michelle Wallace is the highly esteemed chef and visionary behind B'Tween Sandwich Co., which launched in 2023 as a series of pop-up events. Her idea was to create sandwiches that celebrate the diverse culinary culture in Houston, Texas. The foundation of Wallace's career began in college at Texas Southern University, where she would cook meals for her friends. She then pursued formal culinary training at the Art Institute of Houston before officially launching her career.

Since then, Wallace has honed her skills in several esteemed kitchens, including her time as Executive Chef at Gatlin's BBQ for six years. While she thrives in barbecue, her culinary skills are unlimited, as evidenced by her appearance on the latest season of Bravo's "Top Chef," where Wallace excelled in different forms of culinary brilliance. Wallace is also a highly respected and recognized chef, having been nominated for CultureMap Houston's Rising Star Chef in 2021. She was also chosen as a James Beard TasteTwenty chef for the culinary series Taste America. Wallace's dedication to crafting unique, delicious sandwiches that celebrate Southern culture shines in her meals and hospitality.

Doreen Winkler is a natural wine sommelier, orange wine expert, and founder of Orange Glou, the world's first orange wine subscription service and only brick-and-mortar store dedicated solely to skin contact wines, as well as Orange Glou Wine Fair, North America's first fair devoted to skin contact wines. Named one of "America's Top Sommeliers" by Forbes, Winkler is one of the first sommeliers who created wine lists focused on natural, organic and biodynamic wines. She's developed wine programs for Michelin-starred restaurants, bars and wine retailers, including at Aska and Aldea in NYC, where her program received the World of Fine Wine Best Wine List Award.

Mathew Woodburn-Simmonds is the founder of Home Coffee Expert, a business that aims to provide its followers with the best possible information about every step of the coffee-making (and drinking) process. His obsession with coffee began during his college days when he worked as a barista for a coffee shop and extended well into his time as a restaurant manager and sommelier.