Culinology Conference Adds Caribbean Flavor

The Research Chefs Assoc. (RCA) is stirring things up by bringing its Annual Conference & Culinology Expo to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and focusing its event activities on the rich culinary history of this exciting locale. The 2017 show will be held Tuesday–Friday, March 14–17, at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel, just minutes from the airport and Old San Juan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 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 and is expected to draw nearly 1,000 food product development professionals.

There will be three keynote sessions at the 2017 Annual Conference & Culinology Expo. On Wednesday, March 15, Puerto Rican father and son duo Augusto Schreiner, instructor at the Art of Cooking School, and Andreas Schreiner, principal of The Pubbelly Hospitality Group, will shed light on how generations are influenced by food and share the story of their paths together through the restaurant business. On Thursday, March 16, Ali Bouzari, a culinary scientist, author, educator, and cofounder of Pilot R+D, will explore ways to find a bridge between the worlds of food science and foodservice to more easily solve problems and maintain the relationship with the complex, tactile realities of food. On Friday, March 17, Neville Craw, corporate executive chef of Arby’s, will provide a first preview of two new innovative products for Arby’s and reveal which prototypes worked and which failed.

A general session will also be held each day. On Wednesday, March 15, Scott Walnofer from Kerry will lead “Culinology in Our Business,” a session designed to show attendees how companies are implementing culinology into their organizations, from product development to staffing and beyond. On Thursday, March 16, in “Home Kit Deliveries: Developing for the Convenience of Portions for Consumers,” Mario Valdivinos of Tyson Foods will explore why home kit delivery systems are becoming so popular for consumers. On Friday, March 17, Mintel’s Lynn Dornblaser will explore the new rules for snacking, including some of the newest snacks on the market in the United States, as well as offer observations on where snacking is going in the future and how attendees can capitalize on those trends.

In addition, attendees can take part in a range of breakout sessions scheduled between Wednesday and Friday. Sessions include “Stirring It Up! Why Developing GMO Labeling is Harder than it Looks,” which will provide background and information on the regulations the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service must develop for labeling GM foods; “The Science Behind Value Added Meats,” which will focus on the processing technologies and innovative functional ingredients that can transform raw meat materials into end products consumers desire; and “Sous Vide,” a cooking demonstration and talk about the advantages the sous vide cooking method can provide. In “Where HPP Meets Formulation & Food Safety: Chilled Prepared Foods At Sandridge Food Corp.,” Sandridge executives will discuss how high pressure processing helps the company create safer foods with more ingredients, better color and texture, and no preservatives. Other breakout session topics include fresh foods, snacking, FDA label changes, and the evolution of desserts.

Preconference workshops to be held Tuesday, March 14, include “Flavors 101”; “From Bean to Bar,” a full-day excursion to visit a cocoa plantation in a coastal town near San Juan; “Super Charge Your Day,” a day-long journey to Adjuntas to visit a coffee plantation; “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” a full-day excursion to Serralles Distilleries to learn about Puerto Rico’s unique rums; and “Wrapped Up in Local Fare,” a tour of Productos Tere, a farm-to-shelf manufacturing plant.

The culinology conference will also host several competitions, including the National Savory Culinology Competition and the National Pastry Culinology Competition for both professionals and students. A mixology competition will be decided by attendee votes, and a poster presentation and food waste competition will also take place; the latter challenges students to create a food product using common waste byproducts produced by the industry and reduce wastage within the industry.

Conference attendees can participate in a variety of additional activities planned by the RCA, including postconference offsite tours on Saturday, March 18. The 5K Foundation Fun Run will take place on Wednesday, March 15, and the conference will conclude on Friday, March 17, with an awards reception.

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

Culinology Expo Hours
Thursday, March 16, 11 a.m. –5 p.m.