Related: BITE 2015: The ultimate guide to Orlando’s food scene

Photos by Rob Bartlett

Mark Berdin, Jennifer Banagale & Lordfer Lalicon Kappo If there is a common element binding the trio’s experiences, it’s simplicity – be it in ingredients, technique or execution. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Andres Corton Black Bean Deli With that, Corton had found his new obsession. He set out to make the perfect buttery fried eggs, omelets, scrambled eggs, egg sandwiches and his mom’s tortilla Española. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Asif Fazal Fresh Dabba When he settled at the tandoor station, “the heart of the kitchen,” says Fazal, he learned the ways of the tandoori marinade and the time-honored method of baking chicken in a cylindrical clay oven. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Trina Gregory-Propst Se7enbites Se7enbites regulars have taken to calling Propst the “Magical Pie Lady,” and with good reason. Her baked goods put you under a spell, and sweet surrender is but a bite away. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
John Rivers The Coop John Rivers’ path to the kitchen started with his first taste of brisket 25 years ago. “I’d never even heard of brisket until [Rivers’ wife] Monica brought me to Sugarland, Texas, to meet her family,” he says. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Kelly Shockley Ethos Vegan Kitchen “Vegan food back then was very tame and lacked any sort of flavor or creativity,” he recalls, “but this had to be the best vegan food I had ever eaten. The dish knocked it out of the park!” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Barbara Alfano Peperoncino “The aroma of the peppers when they hit the pan, and the eggplant when it gets roasted, triggers something fantastic inside my brain … it activates the love and passion I feel for cooking.” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Tim Dacey Capa It was a dish that was perfect on all levels,” recalls Dacey. “It was so rich and hearty that it made me forget about the cold outside and, more importantly, it was a dish that marked a turning point in my career.” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Thomas Ward Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa Long before opening Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa, Ward worked in the supermarket business and would visit late-night food trucks specializing in a sandwich fashioned from pan sobao (a Puerto Rican sweet bread) with churrasco, chicken, potato sticks, lettuce, tomato and mayo-ketchup. “I found the sandwich so delicious that I set out to make my version of it.” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Dustin Haney Scratch His dishes have garnered attention and set a competitive standard for restaurants in the area, but the dish that started it all for him was one he used as a 17-year-old in Virginia Beach to impress his also-17-year-old girlfriend. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Violette Haddad Maraya At Sabrina’s Restaurant “I became known in my social circle for preparing extraordinary foods,” states Haddad, “so at the urging of some friends, I started catering with foods learned from my mother and grandmother and they were an instant hit.” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Marc Kusche Hamilton’s Kitchen Being from the North, Kusche grew up on fish, and one day he had the idea to combine the two in a dish featuring olive oil–poached red snapper and caramelized cauliflower. “I love the variation of flavors,” notes Kusche. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Kevin Dundon Raglan Road Irish Pub He still looks back at that unforgettable moment in 2007 with a particular fondness: “That’s when I knew that the dedication, long hours, stress and strains of becoming a chef was all worthwhile.” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Jimmy Reyes Bluezoo “Although it’s a simple dish to make,” notes the executive chef at Todd English’s Bluezoo, “perfecting it so that it becomes something special is an art.” Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett
Laurent Hollaender The Boheme Newspapers like the Washington Times picked up on his roasted lamb creation, as did other publications. “I had this dish on my menu for many years, and it was always a top seller,” says Hollaender. Read more. Credit: Rob Bartlett