Who's Judging the Competition

Published on May 17, 2025

Our Healthy Chef competitors have been announced, but who are the judges that have the difficult yet delicious say in the 2025 winner? Get to know the judges:

David Manilow

David Manilow is the Creator & Executive Producer of the award winning television series Check, Please!, and the host of The Dining Table with David Manilow Podcast. He's a lifelong Chicagoan.

Monica Eng

Monica Eng is a veteran Chicago journalist who covered food and health and the environment for the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, and WBEZ for three decades before launching the Axios Chicago newsletter in 2021. Today she co-authors the daily newsletter with Justin Kaufmann and co-hosts the Chewing podcast about food, health and the environment.

Chef James Roth

Chef James Roth, CEC, has over 30 years of experience as a Certified Executive Chef and 15 years as an Adjunct Culinary Instructor in the Chicagoland area. He has led diverse culinary teams at renowned establishments including The Palmer House, Grand Victoria Casino, and Sodexo USA, and has consulted nationwide on restaurant and hospitality projects. Today, Chef JR and his wife Rosario run Smoking Globe Hot Sauce, selling their fiery creations at local farmers markets and online.