Ambassadors

At Bona Furtuna, we value environmental sustainability, quality, community, education, passion and collaboration. We’ve aligned with members of our greater community to help educate about knowing where your food comes from; how it is grown, harvested, made, packaged and transported; how our food products can nurture your body; and of course, how to utilize them to prepare exquisite meals to share with those you love.

When looking for ambassadors to represent our brand, we look for motivated individuals who use their voices to uplift, inspire, educate, and above all else include. With a mission to build a healthy community through education, passion, and promotion of the highest quality organic and heirloom cuisines, we strive to empower our growing community to share in the joy that comes from connectedness to your food.

ADAM SOBEL

Adam Sobel is the award-winning chef and partner of MINA Group and New Italian CO. Sobel earned acclaim and success after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. In 2011, Sobel moved to Washington, DC to serve as executive chef at Chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak, kickstarting a lifelong partnership with Chef Mina. At MINA Group, Sobel oversees culinary direction for the group’s 40+ restaurants across the US and Dubai, including the Michelin-starred flagship in San Francisco, MICHAEL MINA.

Shaye Elliott

Nurturing her two acre farm in Washington state, Shaye Elliott and her husband Stuart have cultivated a life to live off their land. From the produce that they tend in their gardens, to the many chickens, ducks, hogs, sheep, and dairy cows that they raise on the farm, theirs is a life nurtured by their hands and hearts. An avid and talented cook, Shaye prepares stunning meals incorporating flavors cultivated on the farm and shares her recipes with her community through @shayeelliott and on her blog The Elliott Homestead.

Karen Akunowicz

Bold and expressive, Chef Karen Akunowicz’ (@chefkarenakunowicz) cooking highlights exceptional ingredients through traditional and modern mediums, introducing beloved Italian classics with a twist of contemporary innovation. The grace and finesse behind her cuisine stems from her time cooking at L’Avian Blu Enoteca in Modena, and has continued to blossom through her immersion in Italian food culture and heritage. Discovering Bona Furtuna on her journey of the exploration of heritage Italian products, she has become a loyal and enthusiastic ambassador.

Michael Colletti

Raised in a Sicilian-American household in New Jersey, Chef Michael Colletti was raised in a household where food was the focal point of family togetherness. After studying at the Culinary Education Center, Chef Colletti launched his culinary career at New York's renowned Le Cirque. In 2019, Chef Colletti co-founded PLNT Burger where he continues to shape the future and push the limits of plant-based deliciousness.