Jillian Raap is a Purdue University Hospitality & Tourism graduate that has worked in the hospitality industry for the past 12 years. Currently she is the Sales and Operations Manager for Meraki Hospitality Group in Crown Point, IN.

As part of the leadership team at Meraki Hospitality, Jillian has worked hard to grow the leads generated and the event bookings for Meraki Hospitality's restaurants and events space. She has a passion for She resides in Winfield, Indiana with her husband Keith and their two boys - Cole & Weston.

Chris Pappas was raised in the restaurant business. He grew up watching his father prepare food in the kitchen of the restaurant his family-owned and eventually involved himself in every aspect and position as he grew older. From a young age, Chris knew that he wanted to be in the restaurant business and chose a path in higher education to prepare himself for the journey. Chris attended Purdue University, one of the top restaurant management schools in the country, and partook in some unforgettable internships during his time there. It was during this time that he fell in love with the kitchen and decided to continue his education experience and follow his true passion of the kitchen to receive his degree in culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park New York).

While in New York, Chris spent time at two Michelin rated restaurants, including Per Se in New York City with Chef Thomas Keller, and was there presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the world-renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California with food activist Alice Waters. Chris’ entire outlook on life and food was transformed while working alongside some of the most brilliant minds and passionate individuals in the industry at Chez Panisse. Before leaving California Chris spent time in Napa Valley studying, tasting, and working with wine allowing him to achieve his first certification of The Court of Master Sommeliers.

Chris returned to New York to finish his degree in culinary arts and then returned home, to the place where it all began, to relieve his father of his duties at their family-owned restaurant. Shortly after he decided to open Provecho in 2017, a fine dining experience with a unique mixture of exquisite Latin American and Spanish culinary specialties, paired with expertly handcrafted drinks. In 2020, Chris and his team began operations as Grand Events in our historic downtown Court House to provide a facility for catering weddings, social, and corporate events.