Salvatore Rizzo is the owner and CEO of the school as well as host and on-camera personality. Since April 2008, when he acquired De Gustibus, he’s continued to secure world-class chefs, wine experts, and specialty vendors season after season, whether it’s culinary icons (like David Bouley, Marcus Samuelsson, Marc Forgione, Jacques Pepin, Carla Hall, and Missy Robbins) or promoting rising star chefs at restaurants like Llama Inn, Adda, and King. He’s the mastermind behind our fundraising dinner, including the father-and-son evening with Jean-Georges and Cedric Vongerichten, which raised more than $17,000 for the Food Dreams Foundation. When he’s not hosting classes at the school, Sal can be found participating in national conversations about the restaurant industry as an authority on food, drink, and New York chefs and eateries. He’s a frequent interviewee, panelist and moderator, and has participated in the New York City Wine & Food Festival, the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, and the Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival. He’s appeared on ABC, Fox News, and Heritage Radio and has been a judge for the James Beard Awards for many years. He's also on the board of Spoons Across America, a not-for-profit dedicated to educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating.