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Chef Jacque Pepin
InterContinental San Francisco

Jacques Pépin 90th Birthday

Celebrate Jacques Pépin with 90 Dinners Nationwide

Considered the greatest culinary educator of our time, Jacques Pépin has dedicated the majority of his career to teaching technique by authoring over 30 cookbooks and hosting 13 public television series. An iconic chef, author, teacher, television personality, and artist, his legendary impact has touched lives and kitchens across decades and generations.

In collaboration with chefs and restaurants spanning the nation, on November 15th, we will celebrate Jacques through December 2025. We are excited to launch our biggest initiative ever: the 90/90 Dinner Series. These ticketed dinners, celebrating Jacques’ 90th birthday in 2025, are designed to generate significant support to advance our mission of improving lives through culinary education. Most importantly, each chef and restaurant has pledged that proceeds from these exclusive events will directly benefit the Jacques Pépin Foundation, and directly support our community kitchen programs and educational videos, creating a cycle of support that empowers individuals and communities.

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary celebration honoring the 90th birthday of the legendary Chef Jacques Pépin. Hosted in the elegant Luce Room at Bistro 888, this exclusive evening brings together lovers of food, tradition, and excellence to pay tribute to one of the most influential chefs of our time. 

Guests will enjoy an inspired multi-course dinner highlighting the timeless techniques and signature flavors that define Chef Pépin’s remarkable legacy. The menu will be created in collaboration with some of the Intercontinental Hotel Groups most prominent Chefs including: Chef Norma Whitt, Intercontinental San Francisco; Chef Kristen Beringson, Kimpton Aertson, Nashville; Chef Massimo De Francesca, Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman Island & Kimpton Seafire; and Chef Gyo Santa, Willard Intercontinental Washington D.C. Welcome cocktails created by guest bartender Achille Moga from Library By the Sea, named one of North America's 50 Best Bars.

Details: List of chefs and bartender participating in this event: 

  • Chef Norma Whitt - Director of Food & Beverage and Culinary Operations

  • Chef Kristin - Executive Chef , Henley Nashville

  • Chef Massimo - Area Executive Chef, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa & Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman 

  • Chef Gyo- Executive Chef, The Willard 

  • Achille Moga- Lead Bartender, Library by the Sea

  • Location: InterContinental San Francisco

  • Date: Saturday, November 15th - 5PM-9PM

Reserve a Table

Meet the Chefs

Chef Norma Whitt
Director of Food & Beverage and Culinary Operations

Chef Norma Whitt

Norma Whitt brings over 20 years of culinary expertise to her role as Director of Food & Beverage and Culinary Operations at the InterContinental San Francisco, where she has been a key leader for the past three years. A native of Southern California, Norma has built an impressive career marked by leadership roles in prestigious hospitality settings across the country.

Before joining InterContinental San Francisco, Norma served as Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore. Prior to that, she was the Executive Sous Chef at Four Seasons San Francisco, where she was responsible for the hotel’s banquet and outlet culinary programs.

Her diverse experience also includes a role as Private Chef at the presidential mansion of Iowa State University, as well as serving as the opening Executive Chef at Hageman Reserve, an exclusive hunting and fishing resort in Texas.

Norma’s culinary journey has also taken her to several renowned establishments in California, including St. Clair Brown Winery in Napa, Bardessono in Yountville, and even onboard as a yacht chef during the America’s Cup in San Francisco.

With a passion for excellence and a commitment to innovation, Norma continues to elevate the culinary and beverage experience at the InterContinental San Francisco.
Bartender Achille
Lead Bartender, Library by the Sea

Achille Moga

I am a French Bartender who studied hospitality in high school in my hometown of Bordeaux. While my whole family is in the wine industry, I fell in love with the bar industry after working during summers, between my high school years, in La Corniche a 5 stars hotel by the beach next to Bordeaux.

After finishing high school I decided to start my adventure by working in this iconic Parisien bar that is La Closerie des Lilas. From there I traveled to various places like Courchevel, St Barth in Carabean to end up in this amazing world awarded bar (and school) that is Dandelyan in London.

After the Dandelyan-Lyaness transition and during COVID I moved to Dubai and worked for Mandarin Oriental. And then the Cayman’s calling was too much of temptation. Part of the opening team of the Library as a Bartender, I now am the Lead Bartender for the Library by the Sea.
Chef Kristen
Executive Chef, Henley Nashville

Chef Kristin Beringson

Executive Chef Kristin Beringson began her culinary journey in 2009 when she made the bold decision to leave behind her career in retail management and hasn’t looked back. After graduating from The Art Institute of Tennessee-Nashville, Chef Beringson transformed the East Nashville speakeasy-style restaurant, Holland House, into an acclaimed dining destination.

She went on to sharpen her knives and skillset at Germantown’s upscale bistro, SILO, the Japanese fusion-style concept, The Green Pheasant, and Ellington’s Mid Way Bar & Grill. Chef Beringson has also flexed her culinary skills on Food Network’s “Chopped” and brought home the winning title of Chopped Champion. She also can be seen on “The Zimmern List” discussing the booming Nashville food scene, as well as her attempt to “Beat Bobby Flay”. 

At Henley’s helm, Chef Beringson weaves her appreciation for classic French technique and her fondness for fresh Mediterranean flavors into the Southern soul of our modern American brasserie.

When she’s not in the kitchen, you can catch her and hanging with her two sons, Oliver and Harvey, or tending to her garden.
Chef Gyo
Executive Chef, InterContinental Washington DC, The Willard

Chef Gyo Santa

Executive Chef Gyo Santa is a 2001 graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Paris Culinary Arts and Hotel Management Institute, where he earned diplomas in both cuisine and pastry before serving as a Chef’s Assistant at the school. He went on to spend nearly three years as Master Chef at the two-star Michelin Lasserre in Paris, followed by more than four years as Executive Sous Chef at the two-star Michelin La Table de Joël Robuchon. Chef Santa then became Chef de Cuisine at Les Tablettes de Jean-Louis Nomicos, where the restaurant earned a Michelin star under his leadership just one year after opening.

In 2011, Chef Santa moved to Washington, D.C., joining The St. Regis Washington, D.C., where he worked with Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse as Executive Sous Chef at Adour. He later led the transition of Adour into Decanter as Chef de Cuisine. From 2016 to 2018, he served as Executive Chef of iCi Urban Bistro at the Sofitel Washington, D.C., Lafayette Square, before joining Willard InterContinental as Chef de Cuisine in 2018. In 2023, he was promoted to Executive Chef, overseeing all culinary operations at the historic hotel.

Born in Japan and fluent in Japanese, French, and English, Chef Santa began his culinary journey with traditional Japanese cuisine. His distinctive style reflects a blending of cultures, with a focus on quality ingredients, freshness, and balance in both flavor and presentation
Chef Massimo De Francesca
Area Executive Chef, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa & Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman

Chef Massimo De Francesca

Chef Massimo De Francesca is a Toronto-born culinary leader with over 25 years of international experience across Michelin-starred restaurants, Forbes-rated hotels, and AAA Five-Diamond resorts. Known for expert team leadership and a meticulous eye for detail, Chef Massimo has led culinary programming in major U.S. markets including Washington, D.C., New York City, and Arizona.

Currently the Area Executive Chef at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa / Seafire Residences and, Hotel Indigo, Grand Cayman, Massimo oversees culinary operations at 2 of the Caribbean’s top luxury properties — recognized by Forbes, Condé Nast Traveler, CNN Traveler, and Travel + Leisure. Signature restaurant accolades include CNN’s “Best New Restaurants” and Travel + Leisure’s, “IT List.”

Massimo has been a featured guest on national TV and radio and has been profiled in USA Today, The New York Post, Huffington Post, and more. 

Chef De Francesca, has participated in prestigious culinary events such as the James Beard House, New York Food & Wine Festival, and Cayman Cookout.