EXECUTIVE CHEF
Jack Funderburg

Jack was raised in the farming community of Belvidere, Illinois, where his family still owns a farm or two. Upon completing high school at Missouri Military Academy, he attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where Jack promptly began his culinary career as a part-time dishwasher. Dishwashing led to cooking and cooking led to dropping out of college to pursue a full-time career in front of a stove.

Inspired by the bountiful farmer's market in Madison and under the tutelage of Odessa Piper of L'Etoile fame, Jack co-founded the local Slow Food USA and Chefs Collaborative chapters, both of which focused on using sustainably raised and quality local organic produce and proteins. During his stay in Madison, Jack enjoyed meeting with farmers to help plan next season's crop which he was then able to buy from them directly. Then he met Alice Waters. . .

Ms. Waters convinced Jack to move to California's Bay Area where he was fortunate enough to work with many chefs representing the "locavore" movement including individuals from Chez Panisse, the French Laundry, Manresa, the Fifth Floor, Aqua, Orson, Absinthe, Zuni Cafe and of course Citizen Cake where he spent the last three years running the savory kitchen under acclaimed pastry chef and Food Network/Top Chef regular Elizabeth Falkner.

SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT, PRASINO FOUNDING FAMILY MEMBER
Ephi Maglaris, LEED AP

Ephi Maglaris, principal of Real Energy Sustainability, LLC, advises commercial real estate owners nationally on energy and sustainability matters. She was asked by her family (the owners of prasino) to serve as sustainability consultant for the restaurant.   Ephi was able to translate her family’s vision for a modern eco-chic restaurant that is both sophisticated and relaxed, by using sustainability as the driving force behind the choice of materials in the design, menu items, and operations. She leveraged the design of the restaurant to spark conversations on prasino’s sustainable philosophy through the selection environmentally friendly well-designed products, such as light fixtures made from reclaimed cardboard boxes. As a result, prasino has received as much media coverage for its “green” design features as it has for its signature dishes.