Yajan Upadhyaya, Chef/Owner: Cumin Indian Fusion Cuisine

3520 Erie Ave.

Cincinnati, Ohio 45208

513-871-8714

www.cuminrestaurant.com  

Cumin brings together dishes and techniques from all over the world flavored with an Indian perspective. Yajan travels to India for 6-8 weeks at a time every 1 – 2 years to visit friends and family and for culinary ideas and inspiration.

Training/Restaurants: 

Johnson and Wales Culinary School, Providence Rhode Island.

With four partners, he opened Jaipur Café in Norwood, Mass; the Bombay Bar and Grill in Westport CT. Then came Chola, in New York City in 1997

and another Chola in Greenwich, CT in 1998.

In 2000, Yajan came to Cincinnati because a friend in Bombay, had a brother in Cincinnati. They needed help opening Sitar, in Blue Ash. Yajan worked there for a few months and fell in love with the city and people of greater Cincinnati.

He literally happened upon the location for Cumin at 3514 Erie Avenue and opened Cumin January 1, 2003. In late summer 2006, Yajan partnered with Alex McHaikhi to open Cumin Indian Fusion Cuisine, taking Cumin to the next level.

Honors/Awards:

Cincinnati’s Best Ethnic Restaurant: 2003 Cincinnati Magazine

Best Indian Comfort Food: City Beat 2003

Zagat score: 25

Proudest achievements:  Yajan spearheaded the Tsunami Relief Effort of Greater Cincinnati. With less than three weeks planning, on January 19, 2005, the effort brought together over 50 restaurants and businesses along with 700 attendees to raise more than $60,000 for Tsunami victims in Southeast Asia. Our group was honored in June, 2005 by Kasit Piromya, the Thai ambassador to the United States for our fundraising efforts. For the Thai Ambassador and the Tsunami Relief committee, Cumin hosted a five-course Indian-Thai fusion dinner.

Yajan has also volunteered his time and talent for 7 Days for SIDS, participating in Chefapalooza, HOMEARAMA Cooks for a Cause, and the Father’s Day Brunch, Zoofari, the Council on Child Abuse, Tennis for Charity, Inc., Hurricane Katrina Relief and the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Michelle Brown - Jag’s Steak & Seafood

5980 West Chester Road

West Chester, OH 45069

Jan 19, 2005              Tsunami Relief, American Red Cross, Hilton Cincinnati 
                                   Netherlands

March 10, 2005          Cincinnati Wine Festival, Beneficiaries picked by Cincinnati
                                    Wine Festival

June 7, 2005              Dave Thomas Celebrity Cookoff, A Tri-State Adoption Benefit, 
                                     Benihana

June 14, 2005            Homearama Cooks for a Cause, SID Network of Ohio

Sept. 17, 2005           The Key Event, The Community Foundation of West Chester, 
                                    Liberty

Oct. 12, 2005             “Bring Back the Big Easy”, Katrina Relief, Hilton Cincinnati 
                                      Netherlands

Oct. 14, 2005           “The Wine Opener”, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Pendleton Art
                                     Gallery

March 4, 2006            “Cooking with the Stars”,  Wetherington Country Club, Lift 
                                      Foundation

March 23, 2006           Cincinnati Wine Festival, Beneficiaries picked by Cincinnati 
                                      Wine Festival

April 10, 2006            “Embers Steak & Seafood Guest Bartenders”, Leukemia 
                                      Lymphoma Society

April 30, 2006            “One Night, Twelve Kitchens”, Student Scholarship, Midwest 
                                      Culinary Institute

June 13, 2006            “Chefapalooza”, SID Network of Ohio, Midwest Culinary 
                                     Institute

June 14, 2006            Homearama Cooks for a Cause, SID Network of Ohio

June 15, 2006            “Bengals Taste of the NFL”, Freestore Foodbank, 
                                     Paul Brown  Stadium

Sept. 30, 2006           “The Key Event”, The Community Foundation of 
                                     West Chester, Liberty

Jag’s Steak and Seafood opened its doors in January of 2003 to a much needed community for a fine dining establishment.  As the original Executive Chef, Michelle Brown and her team have awed not only the city of West Chester but also Cincinnati and Dayton. Originally from Cincinnati, Brown, 32, was trained under Executive Chef Jon York, formally of the Banker’s Club.  Brown proceeded to spend three years in San Francisco honing her skills before returning to Cincinnati to become the Executive Chef of Beckett Ridge Country Club.  Currently the Executive Chef of Jag’s Steak and Seafood, Brown is excited to make a name for herself in her hometown.


David Falk, Boca
3200 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45209
513-542-2022
www.boca-restaurant.com
 
Community Service:
Zoofari
7 Days for SIDS
One Night 12 Kitchens @ Cincinnati State
Taste of the NFL to benefit the United Way
American Red Cross Annual Bikers Ball
Any and All American Red Cross Benefits
Numerous Gift Certificates for Local Auctions
Cancer Family Care Foundation
Washington Park Elementary School in OTR
BOCA Restaurant Group Foundation


Sean C. Kagy, Proprietor/Executive Chef:  One Restaurant & Lounge
202 West Main Street
Mason, OH 45040
513-336-0042
www.onedining.com

Training/Restaurants:
New England Culinary Institute, Essex, VT, 1992-1994
The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, VA, 1994-1995
Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago, IL, 1995
Maisonette Restaurant, Cincinnati, OH 1995-1996
The Cincinnatian Hotel, Cincinnati, OH 1996-2000
Tournament Players Club, Maineville, OH 2000-2005
One Restaurant & Lounge, Mason, OH 2005-present

Honors/Awards:
Best New Restaurant 2005, 4 Stars Cincinnati Enquirer
Best TPC opening ever / Club of the Year 2002

Community Service/ Charity Service:
Cincinnati International Wine Festival
7 Days for SIDS
ALzheimers Chef 2004
Make-A-Wish Foundation Auction
Gourmet Sensation Board Member
Women Helping Women
Rape Crisis Abuse Center
Anthony Munoz Foundation
Childrens Hospital
Northeast Chamber
AVOC
Findlay Market
Cystic Fibrosis
Junior League
Kindervelt
Mason in Bloom  
Marvin Lewis Foundation