Culinology Conference Dishes Up Innovation

The Research Chefs Association (RCA) is cooking up a Southern-style culinary arts experience as it brings its Annual Conference & Culinology Expo to Savannah, Ga. From keynote presentations to general sessions and breakout sessions, the conference infuses innovation into every aspect of the event, which takes place March 26–28 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

Among the keynote presenters are Sharon Lykins, senior director of production innovation at Denny’s, who will share her thoughts on the responsibility to understand, respect, and master the fundamentals of the research and development process; Ethan Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Beyond Meat, who will introduce and explore the concept of building a piece of meat from plants; and Gerry Ludwig, corporate consulting chef for Gordon Food Service, who will highlight the best and brightest new concepts in restaurants.

Breakout sessions will cover a wide variety of topics, including the following:

• Creating a Buzz with Insects
• Innovating “Around” the Fountain
• The Current Food Labeling Landscape
• The Evolution of Sous Vide: Inception to Commercialization
• Squeezing Out a Living in South Georgia and Prospecting for Liquid Gold in the Southeast
• Tour of Chocolate: A Guided Tasting
• White Paper Session
• Women Leaders: Taking Charge of Your Career
• Design Thinking: Contemporary Pork Loin and Rib Fabrication
• Labeling and the Law
• PeasOnMoss Podcast Live
• The Seafood Terroir of the Low Country—Shrimp and Oysters
• Beef’s Sustaining Role on the Menu
• How to Become a Better Trend Spotter
• The Playbook for Creating Delicious, Plant-Based Foods That Consumers Love
• Culinology Degree Programs: Today and Beyond
• Trash is Cash—Food Waste Solutions
• White Paper Session

A variety of preconference activities will take place on March 25, including the RCA Foundation golf outing; “Joy of Sustainable Soy Tour,” a tour of Live Oak Farms; “Spirits, Stories, Savannah,” a tour of Savannah’s first distillery since Prohibition; “Creating Cultivation,” a day-long excursion to a 20-acre sustainable, organic farming project; and “Wild About Shrimp!” a trawl aboard the famous R/V Georgia Bulldog and visit to a small, local seafood processing plant.

Rounding out the conference will be several competitions, including the National Savory Culinology Competition and the National Student Savory Culinology Competition. In addition, the Evolution of Food Waste Product Development Competition will provide an opportunity for students to develop a food product using waste by-products commonly produced within the industry. Finally, a mixology competition will allow culinologists to go head-to-head to earn the title of ‘Star of the Bar’.

To learn more about the Research Chefs Association and register for the Annual Conference & Culinology Expo, visit culinology.org.

Culinology Expo Floor Hours
Tuesday, March 27, noon–5 p.m.