Culinary Crossroads will be back in Southern Indiana for the third time on May 21 for a collaborative chef dinner at Huber Winery. Presented by Go SoIN with support from Ivy Tech Community College, these collaborative, multi-course dinners bring the local community together to spotlight some of the region’s top culinary talent. With menus that highlight local, seasonal ingredients and with each course paired with Huber wines, these chef dinners are truly a celebration of the what the region has to offer.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a complimentary cocktail hour featuring passed hors d’oeuvres, a sparkling wine and a signature cocktail. Dinner is at 7 p.m. and features four courses prepared by the talented chef team of Vanessa Felix-Goode, Logan Hostettler and Liz Martino. Here’s a brief introduction to the chefs.
Chef Vanessa Felix-Goode was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and grew up in a multicultural family with Asian and Spanish influences. She spent her teenage years residing in both Peru and Canada, where she developed a sense of culture and an appreciation for native ingredients and combining local products with classic and contemporary culinary techniques. An instructor at Prosser Career Education Center, she earned the respect and admiration of her students by sharing her genuine enthusiasm and vast knowledge of food and culture. She is also a regularly featured chef at MESA, A Live Dining Show, where she takes at-home cooks and foodies through culinary journeys by offering unique experiences to savor.
Chef Logan Hostettler grew up in Nashville, Tenn., but was born in the small town of New Washington, Ind. Until he was 6, he lived across the street from the church that he and his family would one day renovate as The 1894 Lodge & Catering Hall. He went to college and played and coached baseball in Nashville, but when his parents moved back to New Washington, he packed up his catcher’s mitt and moved back home to Indiana to help with the family business. Chef Logan returned to his hometown, where he now lives with wife Christy and their two daughters and has helped turn the locally focused restaurant into an award-winning establishment.
Originally from Niagara Falls, N,Y., chef Liz Martino developed an early obsession with the art of cooking, inspired by the vibrant flavors of Italian and Croation cuisines prepared by family members. Formally trained at Sullivan University, Liz has made her mark on the local culinary scene over the past 20 years, from fine dining establishments to large and small-scale catering, private events, personal chef work and years in the baking and pastry arts. She teaches at Mesa Kids Cooking School as well as through Southern Indiana’s inaugural professional culinary training program, a collaboration sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College, Prosser Career Education Center and Caesars Foundation of Floyd County.
