Chef Karoum attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), completing an extended externship at Michel Richard Citronelle before graduating in 1995 with his associate’s degree in culinary arts. After serving as a line cook at Gerard’s Place, Chef Karoum returned to the CIA pursue his bachelor’s degree in culinary management.

In 1998, Chef Karoum joined Restaurant Nora as Sous Chef for restaurateur Nora Poullion. Poullion’s dedication to local and organic produce greatly influenced Chef Karoum’s cooking. He developed strong relationships with farmer suppliers himself, most notably Path Valley Growers, a collective of Amish farmers located in South Central Pennsylvania dedicated to sustainable agriculture, and Tuscarora Organic Growers, a cooperative that manages 30 acres of organic grounds in Pennsylvania for fruits and vegetables.

After a two-year stint at Restaurant Nora, including a promotion to Chef de Cuisine, Chef Karoum was asked to head the kitchen at sister restaurant, Asia Nora. As Executive Chef, Chef Karoum immersed himself in Eastern flavor profiles, learning to meld Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian and Japanese influences into his seasonal, organic menu. He also developed significant seafood supplier relationships, working with Jim Chambers of Prime Seafood, with whom Chef Karoum bonded over their shared interest in fishing, and Nancy Hill of Morningstar Seafood, who supplied Chef Karoum with day boat scallops and fresh Peekytoe crab meat that she purchased directly off the docks in Stonington, Maine.

In January 2007, Chef Karoum left Asia Nora to become Executive Chef of Proof, bringing with him the passion for locally grown and organically raised produce that he has developed throughout his career. Chef Karoum’s menu at Proof features clean, balanced dishes that depend upon on fresh, seasonal ingredients, farm-raised meats and Mediterranean and Asian influences to complement the restaurant’s 1200+ bottle wine list.

In July 2010, Proof owner Mark Kuller asked Chef Karoumto to also assume the role of Executive Chef at Estadio, his new contemporary Spanish restaurant in Washington, DC. Prior to the Estadio’s opening, Chef Karoum traveled extensively throughout Spain familiarizing himself with the techniques and tastes of country’s varied cuisine. At Estadio, Chef Karoum teams with Chef de Cuisine Ruffino Bautista to offer modern interpretations of classic Spanish dishes with a focus on the cuisine of the Basque and Catalan regions of Northern Spain. Despite this international focus, Chef Karoum stays true to his goal of incorporating the finest seasonal and local ingredients into Estadio’s menu.

When Mark Kuller and Chef Karoum opened Proof they brought Ruffino along, first as a line cook and subsequently as Proof’s sous chef. At Proof, Chef Bautista honed his culinary skills, helping Haidar and the kitchen create one of DC’s culinary destinations. When Estadio opened, Ruffino was tapped to be the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine, where he works closely with Chef Karoum to fashion and execute Estadio’s contemporary but classic Spanish menu.

After a year at Citronelle, Guthrie was promoted to assistant general manger at Central where he began taking a keen interest in the operational side of a restaurant. While at Central, he teamed up with celebrated mixologists Derek Brown and Owen Thomson to open an experimental cocktail bar, Hummingbird to Mars. During that time, Guthrie became a certified distilled spirit sommelier and was a founding member of the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild.

After two years at Central, Guthrie took over as Director of Bar Concepts for the W hotel. At the W, he was in charge of developing and managing the craft cocktail program for the entire hotel, including the extremely popular rooftop bar POV.

In June 2010, Mark Kuller, owner of DC’s Proof restaurant, tapped Guthrie to be General Manager of his new contemporary Spanish restaurant – Estadio. At Estadio, Guthrie is committed to providing and upholding the excellent standards of service for which he is known.

He spent two years attempting to gain admission to Brown University. When finally accepted, he arrived in Providence, Rhode Island, created a funhouse called “telephone” and helped revolutionize the world of toy music. After Brown, Max found that none of the big philosophy companies were hiring, so he managed to scam his way into a job at Al Forno, a wonderfully innovative and delicious Mafioso hangout that reputedly invented wood-fired grilled pizza.

In 2005 Max relocated to DC to not quite finish a masters degree in “art” and elevate his disc golf game to the professional level. Out of financial desperation, Max started waiting tables at Proof, figuring since his pops owned it he could get away with almost anything. To his chagrin, that was not the case.

At Proof, Max enhanced his already burgeoning wine knowledge and developed a love for and expertise in craft beer. When Estadio was opening, Max was tapped to be Assistant General Manager and resident Beermolier.

Someday Max hopes to integrate his many passions into a mega (or Max) theme park to include disc golf, a hops garden and brewery, waterfalls, yummy vegetarian food, a beer and wine store, a junkyard, catacombs, treehouse lounges, and much more. Till then you can find him most nights smiling, directing staff, and greeting guests at Estadio.

At age 14, during a student summer trip to Australia with her twin brother, she caught the travel bug and has since visited over 20 countries. In 2007, she lived in Valencia, Spain and traveled intensively throughout the country, devouring its history and its tapas. Visits to towns and cities that once were home to her ancestors cultivated a love and borderline obsession for all things Spanish and Basque.

After moving to DC, these passions drew her to Estadio, where she started as a hostess. Management recognized her hard work and dedication and soon promoted her to manager and private events coordinator.

Virginia’s appetite for travel hasn’t waned, but she has discovered that D.C.’s blossoming restaurant scene can provide similarly satisfying journeys for her palate. And though she has eaten everything from kangaroo soup to Tunisian molokhia, her passion is still Spanish food, wine, and culture. At Estadio she warmly shares that enthusiasm with our guests, ensuring that every one has the best taste of Spain.

Zutant next assumed the role of food and beverage director at the Sports Club LA, and then continued to hone his hospitality skills at Nectar, a fine-dining restaurant known for its eclectic wine list and progressive American cuisine. It was during his tenure as a waiter at Nectar that Zutant chose to concentrate his career on wine.

In November 2003, Zutant joined acclaimed chef Johnny Monis to open Komi, ranked one of Washingtonian magazine’s “100 Best” restaurants. During their second month, Sebastian Zutant was put in charge of Komi’s international wine list, selecting bottles to complement the wide array ofMediterranean flavors found on Chef Monis’ menu.

In December 2005, at just 28 years of age, Ashok Bajaj tapped Zutant to serve as sommelier of Rasika, the modern Indian refuge in DC’s Penn Quarter. At Rasika, Zutant developed a distinctive wine and beverage program meant to pair with both sweet and spice; the cocktails he developed featured premium ingredients and creative touches, while his wine list focused on unusually hearty choices, including big Chardonnays and Rhone whites as well as powerful Zinfandels and Australian Shirazes. For his forward thinking and unique wine list selections, Zutant was nominated for the StarChefs’ Rising Star Sommelier Award.

Prior to joining the team at Proof in 2007, Zutant spent three months in California working at Deloach Vineyards under Greg Laffollet to learn the ins and outs of wine making: working the fields, grape tasting, production and bottle blending. His work in making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley continues to inspire him in his wine selections for Proof’s clean, balanced cuisine.

As the Wine Director at Proof, Zutant has tasted his way through literally thousands of wines in order to develop and maintain the restaurant’s list of over 1,200 selections. He also coordinates the wine and beverage education and training for all front-of-the-house staff, including daily staff wine tastings. Along with Executive Chef Haidar Karoum, Zutant designs special food and wine dinners with visiting wine makers, vineyard owners and notable wine professionals for interested guests.

Now, Zutant has teamed up with familiar faces to also serve as Wine Director at Estadio, where he’s put together a wine list of over 250 labels, more than 90% of which are Spanish, to complement the contemporary Spanish cuisine of Executive Chef Karoum and Chef de Cuisine Ruffino Bautista.

After stints bartending at a pool hall, a jazz club, and an art-house movie theater, Adam became the Bar Manager at Café Saint-Ex. At Saint-Ex, in addition to building an extensive whisk(e)y list, he took the opportunity to share in his employers’ interests and begin an education in wine and beer. In 2006, Adam became the opening Bar Manager at PS7s Restaurant. There, working under ChefOwner Peter Smith, Adam was able to experiment with unusual ingredients and preparations in crafting a constantly evolving cocktail list. Later, Adam’s portfolio expanded to include wine, as well.

In 2007, Adam returned to the Saint-Ex family as General Manager of their sister establishment, Bar Pilar. At Pilar, Adam worked with Executive Chef Justin Bittner to maintain a level of constant creativity. It was in this process that Adam created the Tuesday Cocktail Sessions, gaining through it a reputation for obsessive experimentation.

In 2009, Adam assumed the position of Bar Manager at Proof where he once again had the good fortune of working with respected colleagues who were already good friends. Adam works closely with Executive Chef Haidar Karoum to craft drinks that mesh well with Proof’s cuisine and uphold Chef Karoum’s strong tradition of seasonality.

In June 2010, Proof owner Mark Kuller asked Adam to also lead the spirits program at his new contemporary Spanish restaurant, Estadio. Adam is in familiar company at Estadio, working alongside his Proof colleagues Executive Chef Karoum, Chef de Cuisine Ruffino Bautista, and Wine Director Sebastian Zutant. His cocktail program at Estadio complements the restaurant’s contemporary Spanish theme and includes refreshing claritas, frozen alcoholic slushitos and inventive takes on Sangria.

In 2003, Joe left the states for a six month stay in Spain, but didn’t return for two years. While teaching English to pay the bills, he steeped himself in the food and wine culture of the country, learning how the cuisine and the wine of a place evolve in tandem and influence one another. He left Spain with a powerful appreciation for its diverse wine landscape and a strong belief that wine and food belong together on the table as partners.

Upon returning to Washington, Joe spent two years developing a high-end wine retailer’s Web business and online content. Tasting and writing about dozens of wines a week, he honed his ability to communicate, translating wine’s elusive qualities into useful vocabulary. When Proof began looking for staff in anticipation of its 2007 opening, Joe jumped at a new challenge. The restaurant environment offered an opportunity to work with wine and food together, helping guests to find that perfect wine for the dish in front of them.

The varied influences and vivid flavors of Chef Haidar Karoum’s menus at Proof and Estadio present an exciting world of opportunities for wine pairing; there is always a chance for a surprise combination. Joe loves the challenge of guiding guests to a new experience. And with the restaurants’ massive array of wines offerings, there’s always a new discovery to be made.

Until his mid-20s, Mark’s interest in wine was limited to Manischewitz and Mateus. After graduating from UCLA Law School, Mark started experimenting with California cabernet, largely as a means of getting his girlfriend drunk. After taking a job at the Treasury Department, he became friends with Bill McKee, who would become his mentor in tax law and in wine. One evening, Mark discovered a treasure trove of old Bordeaux in a DC liquor store. Upon learning of this cache from Mark, Bill promptly bought all of it. Bill opened a bottle of 1966 Latour to reward Mark and a passion was born. That passion grew, along with Mark’s cellar, as he started smuggling bottles into his home in much the same way Sol would smuggle prosciutto into Millie’s kitchen.

As a lawyer with a diverse international client base, Mark had the opportunity to visit the world’s great cities, where he made it his business to seek out the finest restaurants and wine shops. Before long, the fantasy of opening a wine-centric restaurant in Washington, DC took hold. That fantasy became a reality with the opening of Proof in July 2007.

With Proof firmly established as one of DC’s premier restaurants, and the top wine destination in the city, Mark next turned his attention towards his love for Spanish cuisine and wine. In June, 2010, Mark opened Estadio in DC’s fashionable Logan Circle neighborhood offering a casual but stunning environment to enjoy contemporary Spanish cuisine . It also provides Mark a haven to satisfy his relentless appetite for pork and shellfish, without having to give up his somewhat dusty yamulke.

His next goal is to make sure that none of the 7,000 bottles that reside in his private cellar are left for his two beautiful children, Max and Candace.