Max Sussman (age 29) is the chef de cuisine at Roberta's in Brooklyn. He was recently named one of the 30 under 30 food and wine stars to watch in 2012 by
Forbes magazine. During his tenure at Roberta's, the restaurant has received 2 stars from the
New York Times and prompted critic Sam Sifton to write in his review that [Roberta's is] one of the more extraordinary restaurants in the United States. Max was previously was the chef de cuisine at Eve, a beloved restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and worked under chef April Bloomfield at the Michelin starred Breslin in New York City.
Eli Sussman (age 26) is a line cook at Mile End Deli in Brooklyn, which has been featured on several "best of" lists, including Time Out, GQ, and Village Voice. He is also the marketing director for Taste of the Nation NYC, an annual tasting event to benefit the national hunger charity Share Our Strength. He has MC'd events, such as the Los Angeles Times Taste and Taste of the Nation LA, and has written for several websites including LAist.com and WilliamsSonoma.com.
Max and Eli's first cookbook, Freshman in the Kitchen, was released immediately after they graduated from college. They have cooked with Hoda and Kathie Lee on The Today Show and have appeared on WGN and ABC-Chicago morning programs.