MICHAEL BADER | EXECUTIVE CHEF & OWNER - THE SPECKLED PEAR
With almost 30 years of culinary and food service management experience, Chef Michael Bader is passionate about supporting local farms and purveyors to deliver the highest quality dining experience.

Chef Bader recently opened The Speckled Pear in Fort Mill, a scratch-prepared foods market, restaurant, and wine shop. Before launching The Speckled Pear with his wife and business partner in December 2024, Chef Bader served as Executive Chef of La-Tea-Da’s Catering and provided consulting services to Universities and Corporations, traveling and supporting their culinary needs. He also offered exclusive private chef and catering services for the greater Charlotte area and Coastal Carolina.

Throughout his well-rounded career, Chef Bader has worked in countless kitchens, catered large 18,000+ person events, and worked as a private chef in the Hamptons. Other career highlights include serving as Executive Chef for Wells Fargo Corporate Dining and having the honor of hosting the Charlotte Wine & Food’s Kickoff dinner for more than 7 years. Chef Bader continues to grow and evolve his style, drawing inspiration from travel, influential experiences, and exciting events. He appreciates the importance of fostering relationships and partnering with local businesses to cultivate a long-needed food service operation within the community.

Chef Bader grew up in the US on both coasts, with his early childhood spent in New York and later years in Southern California. He and his wife Robyn live in the greater Charlotte area and have four children – three sons and one daughter.  To connect with him, follow him on Instagram: @chefmichealbader and @thespeckledpear

MCKENZIE SCHMITT | DISTRICT MANAGER NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CAROLINA - BANFI VINTNERS
McKenzie Schmitt is a dedicated wine professional with over 11 years in the industry, having held positions in restaurants, alcohol wholesale, and winery suppliers. She has achieved several industry-standard wine certifications including the Level III Award in Wines from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators, and Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas.

Beginning her career at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in California, McKenzie worked in Michelin star restaurants in San Francisco before returning to Charlotte to attend Johnson & Wales University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Restaurant, Food, and Beverage Management. She then transitioned from the restaurant industry to pursue a career in the alcohol wholesale industry, ultimately finding a position with Empire Distributors, specializing in selling their high-end fine wine portfolio to some of Charlotte’s best wine shops, restaurants, and country clubs.

McKenzie Schmitt now represents a diverse premium wine portfolio as the Banfi District Manager for North and South Carolina. Banfi has a long and storied history of not only producing world-class Brunello but also offering an array of fine wines from around the world while championing environmental responsibility. Banfi firmly believes in creating a better wine world for everyone, something that McKenzie Schmitt is extremely proud to be a part of.