2024 Speakers
Jeffrey Schlissel, Chef, The Bacon Cartel
Chef Jeffrey Schlissel, known as Cheffrey to some, is now known for being the Kingpin of the Bacon Cartel. The Kingpin has been in the culinary field for over 30 years. What started as a simple thing to do with his mother became a lifelong career. The Kingpin has extensive knowledge of cooking all types of cuisines. Still, he finds that he truly enjoys creating dishes that combine Pan Asian Floribbean flair, or as he calls it, Floribbeanasian. He likes to use locally sourced and sustainable products in his dishes. Most recently, he has been experimenting with modern cuisine, smoking, and creating, among other dishes, the most delicious VEGAN bone marrow! The kingpin is set to open a butcher shop with vegan butcher items. The butcher shop/market will focus on locally sourced products. Growing up in South Florida opened him to a Latin pantry and introduced his palate to a wider range of taste experiences. Bold, fiery flavors meshed with sweet, refreshing tropical complexities yield a Zen-like experience for your taste buds. His restaurant experience includes corporate and independent restaurants, hotels, and country clubs. He has been a national presenter at the National Convention for ten years. He works with local farmers to feed their animals better to give him a better useable product and make less of an impact on our natural resources. He has seen too much-wasted food and has tried to get to the point where maximizing profits and limiting waste became as easy as cracking an egg! Recently the Kingpin has gotten into bbq. "For me smoking our food is the most primal way of cooking! It brings us around the fire to talk, tell stories, and reconnect with the way things used to be. It is the ultimate challenge to find that sweet spot in the smoker and get the final product to be as close to perfect as possible!" The kingpin is the former Palm Beach Chefs Association President, winner of the Best Asian Fusion Restaurant in 2012 by Boca magazine, Cutting Edge Chef of 2016 by the National Convention of the ACF, and 2017 Chef of the Year for the Palm Beach Chefs Association. 2018 National Presenter for Mental Health. 2018 presenter for the plant-based products national convention of the American Culinary Federation. 2020 featured in Chef Keith Sarasin's book "Meat: The Ultimate Cookbook" as a culinary insider. Presidential Medallion winner 2022 from the National American Culinary Federation is one of the highest awards given for community involvement and the culinary field. Winner of Luxlife Magazine Global Vegan Award for Best plant-based BBQ Restaurant Southeast USA 2022!