Eric Werner owns and operates Hartwood with his wife, Mya Henry, in Tulum, Mexico, where they live with their daughter, Charlie. Werner, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, began his career as a pastry chef at Payard in New York City. He has also cooked at Wylie Dufresne’s 71 Clinton Fresh Food, Peasant, and Vinegar Hill House.
Alex Stupak earned recognition as one of the world's most innovative pastry chefs while leading teams at progressive cuisine icons Clio, Alinea, and wd-50. But innovation only counts, he figured, if you push yourself out of your comfort zone, and so he left that world to cook Mexican food, a cuisine that captured his head and his heart. His restaurant Empellón Cocina earned him a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant in the country, and Food & Wine magazine named him a Best New Chef in 2013.
Dr. Julie Kunen is a writer, anthropologist, and consultant. She was formerly the Vice President for the Americas at WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society).
