Darren Gest

Darren Gest serves as Deloitte's Human Capital Practice Leader across the firm's Consumer industry portfolio, a role in which he advises some of the industry's largest companies on what's next for their organizations, workforce, and capabilities. 

Darren is a Guest Instructor with MasterClass Executive, Co-Author of the James Beard Foundation's Independent Restaurant Report, and Co-Creator of the Obama Presidential Center's first culinary program, part of its You Are America series. He also serves as a Board Member at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management and Co-Founder of Chicago Chefs Cook, a 501(c)(3) that has raised over $2M for humanitarian causes important to food and beverage professionals. 

Darren lives in Chicago with his wife and two young sons, where he enjoys coaching youth basketball and savoring the city's local restaurants with his family, friends, and colleagues.