Tastemakers | INVERSE Performance Dinner

Ben Edwards

Born in Louisiana, he has spent the majority of his life in Arkansas, residing in Benton,Benton County, and Bentonville. Each work of art Ben Edwards creates, its scale, textures, and material composition is originated by the discovery of found materials. An insatiable recycler and scavenger, the foundation of his practice involves using materials that have lived at least one life, including recycling, found artworks, and his own creations. He is also an artist who uses the body as medium in live performance.

Matthew Cooper

Matthew Cooper was born and raised in Arkansas with a family steeped in food and community building. His mother’s side of the family were food technologists and educators, his grandfather was one of the founders of the food technology program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Matthew attended Le Cordon Bleu in the Pacific Northwest, learning the importance of farm-to-table dining in the region. He then returned to Arkansas to connect with local farmers and dive into teaching and building restaurants.

Some of Matthew’s projects have been was creating the atmosphere, food, and relationships with local farmers while at The Preacher’s Son and most recently, opening Conifer in 2022. Since opening, Conifer has been recognized as a 2024 James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef South and listed as #2 on Southern Living‘s “The South’s Best New Restaurants.”. Matthew prioritizes his family both in and out of work, where he spends time with his wife of over 20 years, Priscilla, their daughter, and two dogs.

Micah Klasky

Raised in Northeast Arkansas, Micah Klasky discovered his passion for food in his grannie’s kitchen.  He would spend his days watching her cook traditional southern fare. His grandmothers’ southern charm ignited an interest in the kitchen that would stay with him throughout the years.

At the age of 18 Micah moved to Louisville, KY, where he briefly attended culinary school at Sullivan University.  After his time at Sullivan, he bounced back and forth across the country working in an assortment of kitchens which would eventually bring him back home to his native Arkansas.  Micah took a position at the James Beard nominated Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel where he worked under and alongside a talented team of chefs which included Lee Richardson, Matthew McClure, Tandra Watkins, and Cassidee Dabney. Upon leaving the Capital he went on to be the executive sous chef for a smaller and more focused property, Maddie’s Place which centered on traditional Cajun and creole cooking in a more casual setting.  Deciding he was ready to refocus his efforts into a more fine-dining atmosphere, Micah reached out to his former teammate Matthew McClure who had since opened The Hive at 21c to much acclaim.  He joined the team in Bentonville, AR. as sous chef and quickly worked his way up to chef de cuisine, a position he would hold for the next six years.  Chef Matthew Mcclure would be nominated for James beard’s best chef south a total of 7 times during Klasky’s 8 years at the restaurant. Micah is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and an avid supporter of No Kid Hungry with whom he has organized and executed fundraising events at The Hive since 2015.

In the fall of 2022, Micah was named Executive Chef of The Hive at 21c in Bentonville, Arkansas where he continues to offer guests a taste of the unique culinary identity of the ‘high south’ cuisine that Arkansas is known for.  He is continuously striving to build upon his vision of cultivating an exemplary experience for guests, maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment for his staff, and creating unique and sustainable dishes for The Hive.

Kristine Irwin

Chef Kristine Irwin is the Sous Chef at Conifer Restaurant, where she emphasizes community-driven, farm-to-table cuisine. Kristine is dedicated to empowering women in the culinary arts and fostering connections within local food ecosystem, all while championing sustainable cooking practices.

Elliot Hunt

Owner and Executive Chef of Atlas, Elliot first started cooking at age fifteen in Northwest Arkansas. He went on to study in France, where he worked under a Michelin-starred chef in Paris, then honed his skills in kitchens in Australia, India, Colorado, and Chicago. Throughout his travels, one dream has persisted–to share his art with his hometown community, from the finer points of service and hospitality to the intricate aspects of culinary craft.

Elliot has absorbed his Italian-French-American heritage along with the traditions of the chefs with whom he trained, and now follows his intuition in the kitchen. By interpreting the ingredients and techniques he has encountered in his journeys, Elliot has forged a style of his own. Drawing on numerous culinary traditions, Elliot invents colorful, pictorial dishes that play with textures, flavors, and bold contrasts.

Elliot’s meticulous attention to the smallest detail is evident in every aspect of Atlas. For each dish, the provenance of each ingredient and the selection of every serving plate is carefully considered and crafted for its role in the dining experience. The creative process for Elliot relies heavily on the farmers who cultivate produce and the artisans who create serving pieces exclusively for Atlas. Elliot has successfully assembled an expert staff that shares his culinary philosophy and his vision to raise the standard of cuisine, service, and hospitality in Northwest Arkansas.

Miranda Kohout

Miranda Kohout’s formative years were spent building milk crate forts, cadging French fries, and belting out Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” upon request in the restaurant and lounge her parents owned outside Chicago, IL. While you could say she “grew up in the restaurant industry,” that would imply that she did something other than play hide-n-seek in the walk-in cooler and beg the bartender for maraschino cherries.

Something must have stuck with her, though. Fast-forward to 2005, when she graduated with honors from The French Pastry School in downtown Chicago, electing to stay on as an intern for an extra six months. Her pastry career began at NoMI, an award-winning restaurant in Park Hyatt’s flagship property on Michigan Avenue. It continued at Goddess & Grocer, Hoosier Mama Pie Company, and The Bristol.

In 2015, she and her family relocated to Northwest Arkansas. Her introduction to the NWA culinary scene was at The Farmer’s Table in Fayetteville, where Rob & Adrienne Shaunfeld’s passion for local products and support of area farmers shaped her perspective on food and cooking in her adopted home.