Curtis Duffy is a Michelin-starred chef and co-owner of Ever and After in Chicago. With a career history in renowned restaurants Charlie Trotter's, Trio, Alinea, and Avenues, Duffy rose to prominence for his precision, creativity, and leadership. He opened Grace in 2012, earning three Michelin stars four years running before closing in 2017. His culinary journey was featured in the 2015 documentary For Grace.

In 2020, Duffy launched Ever, which has earned two Michelin stars annually since its opening. He later debuted After, named one of Esquire's 2023 Best Bars in America, and The Canvas by Ever, an upscale event space.

Duffy has received top honors including the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes(2016). He has appeared on Top Chef, Iron Chef, and The Bear, and serves on the advisory board of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. His memoir, Fireproof, will be released August 2025.

Jeremy Wagner is a guitarist, songwriter, and bestselling author. His debut novel The Armageddon Chord is the recipient of the Hiram Award and Barnes & Noble Top 10 paperback bestseller. His novel Rabid Heart was nominated for a Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel, received an Independent Publisher's IPPY Award for both Best Horror e-Book, and was a Next Generation Book Award finalist for Best Horror Novel. Wagner is releasing two books in 2025: including a new dark-crime novel Wretch and Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef with Chef Curtis Duffy. Living between Chicago and Miami with his wife Kym, Wagner has released several albums with his bands Broken Hope and Earthburner.