to dine for

US Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Allyson Felix knows a thing or two about competition at the highest levels. Her incredible track and field career has lead her to be the “winningest athlete of all time” and a champion for Mothers everywhere. But her athletic career is just the beginning of her tremendous story of “creating something out of nothing”. Over the flavors of her favorite childhood restaurant Harold and Belle’s in LA, Allyson shares her tale of turning a setback into a setup for an entirely different kind of success. When Nike wouldn’t support her pregnancy during her athletic career, Allyson decided to create her own footwear company that would put Mothers’ first. Allyson is now the CEO of Founder of Saysh where she is marrying her competitive spirit and her fierce advocacy of maternal rights.

Richard Branson is a life-long serial entrepreneur, Founder, CEO and philanthropist. His story of creating Virgin Records then Virgin Airways is an incredible one. Over a plate of carefully seared salmon at Everdene in NYC, Richard shares his journey in entrepreneurship, the obstacles along the way and how he is now motivated by an overwhelming desire to serve and to help in whatever way he can for as long as he can.

Bozoma Saint John has been called one of the most powerful voices in American business. She was the Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix. The Chief Brand Officer at Uber. The Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavor. Bozoma’s journey from Ghana to Colorado to Connecticut is a wow story of cultural identity and staying true to who you really are. Over a hearty plate of lasagna at Hollywood’s oldest Italian restaurant, Miceli’s, Bozoma shares her extraordinary journey full of intense challenges and heartbreaking tragedy. She shares what it’s like to hold true to her Ghanian roots all the while rising to the challenge of the American business landscape. Bozoma’s career path has been carefully constructed and created through an indomitable work ethic and a one of a kind brand of authenticity and courage. She drops a few bread crumbs of knowledge and wisdom during this lunch as well as a fierce rallying cry for other women looking to emulate her impressive career.

Ken Burns is one of the most prolific documentarians of our time. Spanning more than five decades of work, Ken has brought “the dead to life” in his award winning documentaries that have covered expansive subjects like: The Vietnam War, Jazz, Baseball and many others. Over “Ken’s salad” at Burdick’s restaurant in Walpole NH, Ken shares the small town that means so much to him and how he credits this small town for fostering the environment that allowed him to be so successful in filmmaking. From his creative process, to his inspiration for his subjects to the advice he would give any young filmmaker, Ken shares his wisdom generously from his beloved home base in New Hampshire.

Jeni Britton is an ice cream scientist and visionary artist…and Founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice cream. 20 years ago from a stall at her local farmer’s market, Jeni began making artisanal ice cream in an array of unique flavors like salted caramel and the Darkest chocolate Her work gained a passionate and devoted following. Fast forward 20 plus years, and Jeni’s Ice Cream is found in stores nationwide as well as 70 plus brick and mortar locations. From a table at her favorite Japanese restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, Akai Hana, Jenis shares her hard working journey to dream up and create a business from scratch. She details the secrets to her success, how she navigated her darkest hour and how her passion now has shifted to helping other female entrepreneurs survive and thrive.

Jewel Kilcher, known simply as Jewel, is a musician and songwriter who has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Born in Homer, Alaska, Jewel grew up without indoor plumbing and living off the land. Her story of creating “something out of nothing” is an incredible one that amplifies her talent and tenacity. Over a meal at Tavern on the Green in NYC, Jewel shares her incredible journey from Alaska to doing gigs with her Dad at hotel bars to her journey to singing professionally. She shares her hard-earned wisdom on a life in the spotlight and what she wishes she had done differently now that she has the gift of perspective and insight.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates is a Professor, Historian, and Television Host. He is currently a Harvard Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African American research. Since 2012, he has been the Host of the national program Finding Your Roots which researches the genealogy of high-profile guests. His work as a scholar and an educator has had profound implications. Over a warm and comforting plate of pasta at Caffe Delfini in Santa Monica, Dr. Gates shares more about the story behind his story of creating such a resonant and impactful program that inspires people to discover who they really are.

Jamie Kern Lima is a New York Times bestselling author of Believe IT, guest teacher of the Life You Want class live with OprahWinfrey, and Founder of IT Cosmetics, a company she started in her living room and grew to the largest luxury makeup brand in the country. She sold the company to L’Oréal in a billion-dollar deal and became the first female CEO of a brand in its 100+ year history. Over a delicious mushroom tostada at Oliver’s in Montecito, California, Jamie shares her journey to create a life beyond her wildest dreams and the inner-work she’s done to know in her heart she is worthy of her success and how to help other women they are worthy of all they dream of as well.

Sean Sherman known simply as “The Sioux Chef” is a Minneapolis-based Chef and Activist who is known for showcasing the cuisine and forgotten history of Native American culture. A James Beard Award Winning Author and Chef, Sean brings out the flavor of what it means to live a truly authentic life. From a table on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Dhamaka, Chef Sean shares a restaurant that is emblematic of what he loves about American cuisine and a philosophy that he embodies with his own cooking. Sean shares how he uses cooking as a storytelling vehicle to educate and inform the world about the traumatic history of the Native American people and what we can all do moving forward to make the world a more tolerant and inclusive place for all people.

Miguel Garza and his sister Veronica Garza began an entrepreneurial journey by filling a need and solving a problem that was deeply personal to them. Plagued with several auto-immune diseases, Veronica was diagnosed with a gluten allergy while in high school and that lead her to experiment with her family’s beloved Mexican recipes. Veronica created Siete Foods to create non-traditional versions of Mexican-American staples like almond flour tortillas and gluten free chips. The result: Siete Foods is the fastest growing Hispanic owned brand in the US. Over the delicious flavors of a family owned Mexican restaurant, Miguel shares their journey to ideate and create and scale Siete Foods into the powerhouse it is today. Miguel reveals why this mission has been so powerful for her and why ultimately everything has always come back to honoring the family.