Chris Hylton, an immigrant from Kingston, Jamaica, began his culinary career in Los Angeles, CA at age 18 and most recently came to Raleigh from Washington, DC where he was the Executive Chef at OYA Restaurant & Lounge. Prior to making his way to the east coast, Chef Hylton held a number of culinary and management positions at various restaurants in Los Angeles including Mobay, Kas-bah, and Linq. His specialty is pairing recognizable foods with international flavors and ingredients to create unique dishes that are powerful in favor and beautiful in design. Chef Hylton uses local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible and is constantly evolving the menu to include the latest in food trends and seasonal delicacies. His culinary success has been documented and featured in magazines and newspapers from coast to coast.As the current Executive Chef and Co-Owner of ORO Restaurant & Lounge, Chef Hylton brings his experience and training to each dish that he creates.  With a strong understanding of Caribbean flavors and training in French technique coupled with the fusion of Asian flavors, each dish is recognizable, but special and powerful in its combination. 

Cara Hylton co-founded ORO in 2012 with her husband, Chris. Cara oversees all management functions of the restaurant and ensures the provision of seamless and exemplary service to all guests. A passionate entrepreneur with experience in both the private and public sectors, Cara also established and co-owns Trustwell Property Group, a property management and development company operating throughout the Triangle. Current projects include the construction of Town Hall Commons in Downtown Holly Springs, a public-private partnership aimed at creating create a brand new and thriving Downtown environment. In addition to supporting construction projects, Cara oversees franchise asset management as well as property management initiatives.  Cara holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Florida and an MBA from The George Washington University.

Talk Title: Sustainability of Culture through Food

We will be talking about the "Sustainability of Culture through Food" and how globalization and the movement of people around the world allow for the preservation of culture through food while thousands of miles from "home". Will continue with discussion about how a simple meal can tie cultures and promote understanding of worldwide flavors.