Feast with the Beasts

Chef Tristen Epps-Long, winner of Top Chef Season 22, is redefining Afro-Caribbean cuisine through bold flavors, global technique, and cultural storytelling. A Johnson & Wales graduate and alum of The Greenbrier, Tristen rose to acclaim as Executive Chef at Red Rooster Overtown, earning recognition from the Michelin Guide and Condé Nast Traveler. His accolades include the StarChefs Rising Star award and a James Beard Award semifinalist nod.

Now based in Houston, Tristen is developing Buboy—a contemporary Afro-Caribbean tasting-menu restaurant named after his grandfather. Rooted in heritage and memory, the concept celebrates Black foodways through expressive, modern technique.

Dedicated to uplifting Black culinary traditions, Tristen is committed to inspiring the next generation of chefs.

Instagram: @cheftristenepps

Michelle Wallace is a St. Louis native whose bold, soulful cooking reflects Houston’s rich culinary diversity. While studying Healthcare Administration at Texas Southern University, Wallace discovered her passion for food and technique. That curiosity led her to formal training at The Art Institute of Houston and a formative period living abroad in China, experiences that shaped her distinctive global approach to Southern cuisine.

Wallace began her career in hospitality at Houston’s Restaurant, working her way from front-of-house to management before training under acclaimed chef Mark Holley at Pesce. She later cooked privately for professional athletes and, in 2017, joined veteran pitmaster Greg Gatlin at Gatlin’s BBQ. Over six years, she refined her craft as both chef and pitmaster, creating standout dishes such as house-smoked pastrami and smoked bologna sandwiches—fan favorites featured in Texas Monthly.

In 2024, Wallace competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 21, finishing in the top six and earning the coveted Fan Favorite title. Her television appearances also include Food Network’s BBQ Brawl (Season 3), Netflix’s High on the Hog (Season 1), and BET’s The Recipe: Juneteenth Celebration. She was recognized as a James Beard Taste Twenty Chef for the Taste America series (2022) and Rising Star Chef by CultureMap Houston (2021).

In 2023, Wallace launched b’tween sandwich co., a Houston-based pop-up blending comfort food, smoked meats, and creative technique. From local farmers markets to city-wide events, b’tween celebrates community, craft, and flavor—building on Wallace’s growing legacy as one of Houston’s most dynamic culinary voices. B’tween Sandwich Co. has been nominated for Best Pop-up in its first two years by CultureMap Houston.

Instagram: @betweentheslices

New York City native Henry Lu was raised in the Bronx and started his career as a young boy at his parents’ Chinese restaurants. After attending the French Culinary Institute, Henry worked his way through some of NYC most notable restaurants, including stints as Sous Chef at Manhattan’s Pearl and Ash, during which it earned two stars from The New York Times and graced Bon Appetit’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants 2013 and Williamsburg hit spot Llama Inn, which also earned two stars from the Times. From 2017 to 2020, he was the Executive Chef of Four Happy Men Hospitality Group, which included Loosie’s Kitchen, Loosie’s Rouge, Etiquette Space & Cafe, and Sauced. During that time, his work was featured on Eater New York’s 2018 Best Dishes, Food & Wine 2019 list of Things You Won’t Want to Miss, and Gotham Magazine. In 2020, Chef Henry Lu moved to Houston to become chef/partner at byKin HTX with Chef Evelyn Garcia and to open their first restaurant, Jūn, located in the heart of the Houston Heights neighborhood. In 2024, they opened Third Place, a daytime cafe inside Jūn that serves as a community space for chefs, artists, makers, musicians, and more.

Instagram: @chefhenrylu

Chef Jassi will be doing a cooking demo for Feast VIP ticket holders.

Jaspratap “Jassi” Bindra is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and creative force redefining modern Indian cuisine in the United States. As Executive Chef and Managing Partner of Kahani Social Group, he is the visionary behind the culinary direction of Amrina, where he curates a progressive dining experience rooted in the essence of classical Indian flavors, reimagined through contemporary techniques and global influences.

Bindra’s cuisine reflects a deeply personal narrative—an evocative blend of nostalgia, innovation, and cultural storytelling inspired by his childhood in India. His menus present a refined yet approachable interpretation of Indian gastronomy, balancing authenticity with creativity while emphasizing locally sourced ingredients, sustainability, and zero-waste practices. Each dish is thoughtfully composed to deliver a journey through taste, texture, and temperature, with the goal of creating a lasting emotional connection to Indian cuisine.

His distinguished career is marked by both critical acclaim and industry recognition. Prior to Amrina, Bindra served as Executive Chef at Punjab Grill in Washington, D.C., where he competed against chefs from Michelin-starred establishments in London and New York to secure the role. Under his leadership, the restaurant earned a Michelin Plate and a coveted mention in the Michelin Guide in 2019. That same year, he was recognized in Hindustan Times’ “World’s Best Indian Chefs” list by renowned critic Vir Sanghvi, who praised the restaurant as “the best fine-dining Indian restaurant on the East Coast of America.”

A dynamic presence beyond the kitchen, Bindra gained national recognition as the winner of Chopped on Food Network and further showcased his culinary expertise as a contestant on Top Chef Season 23. His flagship restaurant, Amrina, was named Eater Houston Restaurant of the Year in 2022 and ranked #16 in the Houston Chronicle Top 100 Restaurants in 2023, Top 100 in 2024 & 2025.

Bindra’s hospitality journey began in Kolkata, India, where he pursued catering management before earning a bachelor’s degree in international hospitality management from Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland. He launched his career with the InterContinental Hotels Group as a Kitchen Executive Trainee, earning the distinction of “Best Executive Trainee.” He went on to play integral roles in opening luxury hotels and themed restaurants across India, garnering multiple accolades along the way. His work has been featured in leading publications including Food & Wine and The Washington Post. Driven by a passion for connection and storytelling, Bindra continues to expand his culinary footprint through Kahani Social Group with
innovative concepts such as Kitchen Rumors, Pok Pok Po, bōl, and Jashn Catering. With several new ventures on the horizon, he remains committed to elevating Indian cuisine on the global stage while creating meaningful, memorable guest experiences.

Instagram: @chefjassibindra

Chef Ope will be doing a cooking demo for Feast attendees.

Growing up as a child of Nigerian immigrants, Ope Amosu personifies the
Afro-American crossroads. His Houston upbringing mirrored that of many
first-generation children—rooted deeply in Nigerian culture yet shaped by the rhythms of the Bayou City. After earning an MBA from Rice University and spending a decade as a commercial executive in the energy sector, Ope channeled his varied experiences into creating ChòpnBlọk, a restaurant and cultural movement reimagining how the world experiences West Africa.

From grassroots pop-up to celebrated restaurant, ChòpnBlọk opened its first storefront in POST Houston’s food hall in July 2021, followed by its first brick-and-mortar location in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood in October 2024. In 2025, ChòpnBlọk was named to The New York Times’ “Best Restaurants in America” list, featured on Eater and Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants” list, and awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand—further solidifying its place on the national stage.

Serving as the architect of the brand’s expansion, Ope is a three-time James Beard Award semifinalist—earning an “Emerging Chef” nomination in 2024 and a “Best Chef: Texas” nomination in 2025 and 2026; a member of the James Beard Foundation’s 2025–2026 TasteTwenty lineup; and part of StarChefs’ 2025 “Rising Stars” class. He is the founder of Chopd & Stewd Festival and a rising culinarian featured across Bravo TV’s Top Chef, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Food & Wine, PBS’ No Passport Required, Hulu’s Taste The Nation, and more.

Instagram: @o.amosu