Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Eli Jackson is a young, driven and passionate chef with notable experience. Jackson started his culinary journey while in high school at age 16, where he worked as a fry master at the infamous Bern’s Steakhouse. It was there that he discovered his love for cooking and fueled by this newfound passion, Jackson strived to work every station at Bern’s before graduating high school. Upon graduation, he moved to Miami, Florida where he attended Johnson and Wales University, working alongside some of Miami’s greatest culinary talent.

Jackson worked full-time with Chef Sean Brasel at Touch Catering, and his career began to thrive. He was recognized for his dependability, creativity, innovation and skill, resulting in continual promotions and eventually landing him the title of Chef de Partie. At the same time, Chef Brasel hired Jackson to join his kitchen staff as the Crudo Cook at Meat Market on Lincoln Road, where he was promoted to A.M. Sous Chef.

Jackson continued his culinary career path with stints at notable Miami restaurants including Hogzillas, Yardbird and Tikl Raw Bar & Grill. Months later, Chef Brasel asked him to return to Meat Market as the P.M. Sous Chef, a position that provided the opportunity to cook a five-course dinner at the James Beard House in New York City. Jackson’s success as P.M. Sous Chef eventually helped him move up to Chef de Cuisine, a position where he helmed the bustling kitchen at Meat Market for one and a half years.

After joining The ONE Group family in 2014, Chef Jackson has held Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef positions at STK in Miami Beach. Recently appointed & relocated in early 2019, Chef Jackson opened STK Nashville, a vibe-dining steakhouse, located in the Gulch between Nashville’s Music Row and Downtown.

Chef Croy has been cooking professionally for over 30 years and draws from his culinary influence from Mexican, Caribbean, Italian, French, Asian Fusion and Southern American cuisines. He lived in Hawaii, New England and St. Thomas in the U.S.V.I before coming to Nashville to be the head chef at UP.

Standing 6’ 9”, Chef Kevin Belton is a self-taught cook of French, English, Native American and African heritage. He hosts the PBS show “Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen,” which is syndicated to 97% of all public TV stations nationwide. Chef Belton is also a culinary educator who has led more than 7,000 cooking classes, and he has been featured on numerous national food programs, including Emeril Live, Ready Set Cook, Food Fighters, and Taste of America.

At Bacon & Barrel in Nashville this year, Chef Belton will serve as the official spokesperson for McCormick Grill Mates Marinated Bacon. He will host a bacon bar where attendees can sample all four varieties of the new, innovative McCormick Grill Mates bacon product line that is flavored through a special 3-step process – it’s marinated with McCormick Grill Mates marinade, smoked and seasoned with McCormick Grill Mates spices. Flavors include Brown Sugar Bourbon, Montreal Steak, Smoky Applewood and Ultimate Bacon.

Also known as Boss Hog for his love of bacon – Chef Belton is excited to attend Bacon & Barrel and looking forward to spreading a love for a bacon that’s better than any other bacon that’s come before it! See you in Nashville!