Kenny Holmes
Kenny Holmes is a former defensive end in the NFL and is a native to Indian River County. After graduating from Vero Beach High School, Kenny was awarded an athletic scholarship by the University of Miami where he served two consecutive terms as the captain for the football program. Kenny was a first-round draft in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Oilers where he helped lead the Titans to the Super Bowl XXXIV. In 2001, Kenny signed as a free agent with the New York Giants before retiring in 2003. These days Kenny enjoys spending time with family, friends, and being involved in the community.
Lisa Hastings
Lisa Hastings is a retired Public School Teacher, a Level Two Executive Wine Sommelier, and a Food Blogger for the Treasure Coast Foodies Group. She hosts fun and engaging monthly wine education classes and tastings at various locations around Vero Beach. She has a deep appreciation for food and wine, and can easily be found writing restaurant reviews, boating, cooking, acting at the Vero Beach Theater Guild, volunteering at Meals On Wheels and Riverside Theater, or serving at her church, Trinity Episcopal. She lives in Vero Beach with her husband, Curt, and they have two grown boys who live in California and Colorado.
Chef Jared Young
Jared Young was born in New York and raised in South Florida. He has held almost every job in the hospitality industry, working his way up starting as food runner at the age of 17 to Executive Chef by 22. He has worked in numerous restaurants in South Florida and Martha's Vinyard before joining the American Icon team in 2020. As co-owner of the team he is in charge of operations and has expanded the food operations. The way he sees it is in the world of craft food, it's not about creating new flavors, it's about perfecting the classics and putting your own twist on it.
Chef Scott Varricchio
Over the last decade, Chef Scott Varricchio has established himself as the premier
culinary force in the Treasure Coast. As in cooking, timing is everything. After a
12-year “civilian” career with a New Jersey-based manufacturing and engineering
firm, Mr. Varricchio reunited with his childhood friend and acclaimed
chef/cookbook author Tom Valenti. Recognizing an opportunity to pursue what had
previously been a hobby, Mr. Varricchio took an internship at Valenti's restaurant,
Cascabel.
His passion for creating approachable dishes with bold flavors in an unpretentious
yet refined presentation quickly emerged, and his career path was clear. Chef
Varricchio became assistant pastry chef at the legendary New York French eatery,
La Cote Basque. There, he learned invaluable skills under the tutelage of famed
Jean-Jacques Rachou and Pastry Chef Lincoln Carson.
Varricchio rejoined Valenti at Butterfield 81 on New York's Upper East Side where
he spent eighteen months before being summoned to the nation's new culinary
mecca - Las Vegas. There he studied under James Beard Award Nominee for
Outstanding Pastry Chef Lincoln Carson and internationally revered Chef Julian
Serrano at the Bellagio's 5-star, 5-diamond jewel, Picasso.
Returning to New York City, Varricchio took on the simultaneous role of executive
sous chef at two highly acclaimed restaurants: Ouest and 'Cesca. Both restaurants
are credited with establishing the Upper West Side as a leading destination for
dining experiences. During its first year, 'Cesca was nominated by the James
Beard Society as one of the best new restaurants in the country.
Prior to reopening Citrus in 2019, Chef Varricchio spent time honing his skills
through several culinary internships including work at Thomas Keller’s The French
Laundry (3 Michelin stars) in Napa Valley, Eleven Madison Park (3 Michelin stars)
in New York City and “L’ecole Valrhona” chocolate academy in lower Manhattan.
Chef Varricchio has given back to the local community and beyond through
fundraising event participation, support and volunteerism with such non-profit
organizations as No Kid Hungry, Saint Edward’s School, McKee Botanical Garden
and Quail Valley Charities, to name a few.
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