Shawn Niles is the Founder, Director & Executive Chef of Urban Kitchen and founder of The Red Beard Foundation and Fat Pastor Global. He is also an accomplished chef, having been named one of the top 40 home chefs in America on Gordon Ramsay's "MasterChef." He was also featured on Netflix's Best Leftovers Ever. Shawn has lived in various parts of the country, living with people from all over the world who also love to create spectacular food. In 2022, he was invited to stay with Massimo Bottura for a week at his home in Modena, Italy. You can find out more information about Fat Pastor Productions at www.thefatpastor.com  

Chef Julie Kirchhoff is the Assistant Culinary Director of Urban Kitchen. She is a graduate of Western Culinary Institute (Le Cordon Bleu - French). She also holds a B.A. in health & wellness. She has interned at the incredible Skamania Lodge, specializing in restaurant and banquet service. She has also worked in German and Mediterranean Restaurants, as well as serving as the Kitchen Manager for a country club in Oregon. She moved to Yakima in 2016 to work on a farm, and hone her skills and knowledge of sustainable living. She and Chef Shawn have worked together and cooked together for many years. She is incredibly passionate about helping and serving others, along with listening and teaching. She has led 5 of our graduating classes to success, and loves serving the students of Urban Kitchen. It allows her to unite her passion for cooking, serving and instructing.

David Allan is the founding director of the business class facet of Urban Kitchen. Along with his family, he has a significant history here in the valley, as one of the legacy family members of Allan Brothers Incorporated. But his love for the valley is not just relegated to farms and orchards. He cares deeply for the furthering of our valley, especially as it pertains to young people. He has worked hard to find the right leaders and business men and women to help students learn to be successful in every area of life.