Capital Food Fight returns to The Anthem on November 6th! Four local top chefs will compete in a culinary battle hosted and judged by some of the biggest names in the culinary world.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Julie Cortes was Chef De Cuisine of the Michelin Bibb Gourmand recognized Kaliwa from 2019-2022. She’s currently the Executive Chef at modern Filipino restaurant KAYU, which recently moved to Dupont Circle. Her passion for traditional Filipino cuisine stems from her childhood. She knew she wanted to become a chef when she first started helping make lumpia as a 7-year-old, “I kept telling everybody that I’m my aunt’s sous chef.”
Dina Daniel, the founder and chef behind the DMV’s pioneering Egyptian restaurant Fava Pot, began her journey in 2013 with a humble food truck. Later named one of the Top 26 Food Trucks in the US by the Food Network, the restaurant has grown into multiple locations, including Falls Church, Dupont Circle, and soon, McLean. Dina‘s restaurant has been featured in Northern Virginia Magazine, named to Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants, and received a 2024 RAMMY Award for Best Fast Bite of the Year.
Matt Price began to take an interest in cooking in his early 20s and soon became known as the “go-to guy” at functions and cookouts. After more than 10 years in the corporate world, Matt left his day job to pursue his passion for food full time. He quickly cemented himself as “Mr. Make It Happen,” with over 3.7 million followers across YouTube and Instagram. He recently opened Fraiche, a cross-cultural cuisine restaurant, inspired by his childhood, travel, and favorite flavors, in Columbia Heights.
Suresh Sundas received the 2025 RAMMY Award for Rising Culinary Star of the Year for his modern Indian-inspired dishes at the MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand rated Daru. He’s also part of the team behind the recently opened Tapori, which celebrates in Indian street food. It was named one of The 20 Best New Restaurants in the D.C. Area by The Washington Post. The Nepalese-American chef first made a name for himself in Washington working at the acclaimed DC institution Rasika West End.
