The Art of Cheese

As a skilled culinary, product development, and brand marketing leader, Tim expertly guides Vertage in pursuit of deliciousness. He previously oversaw culinary development, menu innovation, and concept development at Chipotle and has years of experience spanning chef-driven fine dining, hotel, CPG, and fast-casual. He’s a fast thinker. 

A nationally-recognized plant-based chef and restaurateur, Chef Margaux serves as Vertage cheesemaker-in-chief. In 2005, she acquired a severe dairy allergy which led her to develop plant-based foods she could enjoy. She heads DC-area restaurants Bubbie’s Plant Burgers and Fizz, Plant Food Lab, and Pow Pow and is also a recipient of PETA’s Compassionate Business Award. Can we get a oui, chef?

A true food industry veteran, Mark brings an unparalleled level of knowledge and experience to Vertage. Formerly the Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at Chipotle, he is now the Founder of Cultivas, a PE-backed infrastructure platform for sustainable foods. He serves as a senior advisor to Impossible Foods and MasterClass. For good measure, he is a board member at GridPoint and board chair at Creator.

A senior finance leader with deep experience in fundraising efforts (more than $400M raised), Eric oversees the green at Vertage. He developed the business case for Just Foods’ launch of their Just Egg product and has extensive industry experience with alternative protein and sustainable food companies. That’s green times two. 

A James Beard Award-winning chef and Julia Child Award-winning cookbook author, Chef Nate is a pizza icon – one of the few American pizzaiolos certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association. He is a Food Network regular and prolific restaurateur whose soulful cooking has garnered him national praise.

A man of many talents, JJ is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV personality and author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ recently founded FIELDTRIP which utilizes sustainable ingredients and ethically sourced vegetables and proteins, creating a flavorful and diverse dining experience. The brand’s motto, “Rice is Culture,” was born out of Chef JJ’s belief that rice is the universal ingredient that connects us all and can be found at the center of the table in almost every community. FIELDTRIP was the only fast casual restaurant on Esquire’s “America’s Best New Restaurants” list in 2020.

Nilou has been shaping the conversation around food for more than 20 years and was named one of AdWeek’s 30 Most Influential People in Food. She is an Emmy-nominated TV personality appearing on preeminent food TV franchises including Bravo’s Top Chef and Food Network’s Chopped. Nilou has served as Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine and as Editor-in-Chief of Epicurious.com, and is the co-founder of Story Collective, a brand and storytelling consultancy.