Today’s Special: A Blend of Culinary Arts and Food Technology

Portland, Oregon—home of the Food Innovation Center and trendy food carts and restaurants serving seasonal ingredients—is the setting for the Annual Conference & Culinology Expo of the Research Chefs Association, March 11–14, 2014. Focused on the blending of culinary arts and food technology (i.e., culinology), the conference offers educational and social opportunities for professionals in the culinary arts industry.

Culinary professionals, food scientists, food technologists, and trend analysts converge annually at this conference to share their expert knowledge on consumer and menu trends, new product development, ingredient innovations, health and wellness issues, leadership strategies, and other topics of interest. As a consequence, educational sessions at the conference are diverse and informative with three general sessions Wednesday through Friday (March 12–14) interspersed between breakout sessions each day.

Wednesday’s general session, “How Artisanal European Baking Methods Co-mingle with Today’s Science in the Pastry Kitchen,” will feature a demonstration of how European baking science and artisanal methods can be combined to facilitate high-level production of pastry. Thursday’s general session, “How Campbell Leverages Culinary Trends to Inspire New Products,” will focus on Campbell Soup Co.’s new methodology to gain insight into emerging culinary trends. Emphasizing the effect of culinary trends on product development, the session will provide a tutorial on how chefs at Campbell’s  Culinary & Baking Institute use culinary arts and food science to create new varieties and flavors of Campbell products. A case study highlighting Campbell’s Culinary TrendScape Program will also be showcased during this session.

Friday’s general session, “Heavenly Cuisine with the Pig in Mind: From Cajun to Mediterranean Cuisine, Classical Technique Meets Science,” will feature cooking demonstrations by chefs Jimmy Bannos and Jimmy Bannos Jr., owners of restaurants Heaven on Seven and The Purple Pig in Chicago, Ill. The chefs will prepare some of the most popular dishes on their menus and discuss their use of classical cooking techniques to build flavor. The session will focus primarily on developing Cajun and Mediterranean cuisine.

The keynote speaker for the 2014 Annual Conference & Culinology Expo is Jon Luther, Chairman of Dunkin’ Brands, the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. Luther will provide insight into the competitive restaurant environment, where culinary skills and creativity have become the catalysts for menus that contain high-quality, innovative new products. He will discuss how CEOs of modern restaurants have culinary development skills and how this expertise translates to successful leadership strategies and trends. The keynote address will take place on Thursday, March 13.

Other highlights of the conference include breakout sessions on sauce preparation, the art of pairing cheeses with beverages, trends in global flavors, applications of resistant starch and other functional ingredients, and much more. The conference will also include workshops on food safety, strategic thinking and applications, food trends, product development, and career guidance. Among the notable presenters and instructors at this year’s conference are Amy Proulx of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College, Dave Zino of The Beef Checkoff, Anna Colonna and Sara Masoni of the Food Innovation Center, Greg Grisanti of Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants, Jacquy Pfeiffer of the French Pastry School, Christopher Koetke of Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, Walter Potenza of The Culinary Council Consulting Group, and Steve Solomon of The Mushroom Council. All conference sessions and workshops are designed to address various levels of topical expertise from little or no prior knowledge to advanced knowledge with years of professional experience.

As in previous years, the Research Chefs Association has planned fun networking events and social outings for conference attendees. Participants will be able to sample Oregon wines, explore a microbrewery, take an eating tour of Portland’s street food scene, or partake in a golf tournament and fundraiser at the Reserve Winery and Golf Club on Tuesday, March 11. A 5k race and fun run will take place on Wednesday, March 12, and the conference will conclude on Friday, March 14, with an awards ceremony and celebration at a location overlooking the Portland skyline.

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