Restaurateur, CEO of Garvin Food Group, Chief Culinary Advisor for SodexoMAGIC, and President of Culinary Development for Nashwood Brands. Chef Garvin started his culinary career at the age of 13 in his hometown, Atlanta, Georgia. Within 3 years, he was working at the Ritz Carlton-Downtown as the youngest line cook working with German Chef Vulker Shupp. He would later move to Palm Springs, California working under Chef Jean Pierre Dubray at the Ritz Carlton-Rancho Mirage. As his culinary career continued to show promise, Garvin relocated to Los Angeles, California, where his career evolved from Sous Chef to Executive Chef, to eventually opening his own catering & events company and signature restaurant. He continued to make a name for himself, and within a short span of time, made the leap to TV with his Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin show. After seven seasons, three books, and numerous accolades, his increasing popularity would lead to shows on the Cooking Channel, the Travel Channel, and his first James Beard Award nomination. Garvin can now be seen as a special guest on Good Morning America, or on Food Network alongside hosts such as Guy Fieri. He has also opened numerous restaurants in Atlanta through his “LowCountry Restaurants” brand and is actively working to educate and inspire the next generation of culinary professionals with his “G Garvin Culinary and Hospitality Foundation”. Through Garvin’s efforts, he hopes to aid in breaking down the diversity barriers within not only the cooking industry but in society as a whole where chefs of color are often categorized more often by race than a profession.