Kikkoman explores merging traditional flavors and techniques to cultivate globally inspired cuisines. Wafu is a Japanese word meaning “Japanese-Style.” Thus creating the powerful culinary method of Wafu Italian. This style of cooking reimagines Italian dishes through a Japanese lens to seamlessly blend flavors in a perfect melody so you can't distinguish if the dish is Japanese or if it's Italian. You get the best of both worlds with the combination of two cuisines that continue to grow in popularity within the Foodservice industry. 

Join us for a culinary tour through California using dried fruits! Chef will paint a new way of thinking using these fabulous ingredients in an interactive literal “Painters Palette” of flavor. From the ever important where does my food come from to a fun sweet and savory experience, you will never look at dried fruit the same again.

Disjointed systems and hard-to-use tools have left a bad taste in the mouths of food teams who are looking to embrace technology in their operations. Today, it’s a combination of old school systems for recipes, another platform to manage nutrition/allergens, the latest financial platform for accounting, and perhaps a clipboard to keep track of inventory. It begs the question: What’s the recipe for great technology that culinary teams will love? Who should lead the charge on adopting new technology in your operation, and why is it so hard to find the right tools without breaking the bank? 

During this engaging workshop, Galley will discuss:
-    What does the tech landscape look like for food teams?
-    How to overcome company concerns about adopting technology
-    Who needs to be involved in decision making and what’s the right time to buy?

Embark on a culinary journey around the world from the comfort of your own kitchen with our workshop. Explore diverse global flavors and learn how to infuse them into your cooking. Join us for a flavorful adventure!

Watermelon, America’s favorite melon, is more than picnics and feta salads! Learn how watermelon is growing on U.S. menus and consumers are thinking of it as on-trend more than nostalgic. Watermelon is available year-round¬–in multiple types and formats–making it an approachable ingredient for your staff and guests. Explore opportunities with watermelon’s flesh, juice and rind. Taste how watermelon makes global flavors more approachable and be inspired to explore the world of watermelon.

In this workshop, Chef Alexandra Ceribelli will demonstrate strategies to reduce waste in your kitchen by cross utilizing ingredients and up-cycling product to create deliciously fun menus that will support environmental sustainability and your bottom dollar.  

Dean Cathann Kress, Ph.D. examines the current trends, challenges, and opportunities facing the agricultural industry in the US. She explores the forces shaping the future of farming and how farmers are adapting to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the State of Farming in the US.

During this session, Technomic’s Director of Menu Research & Insights Lizzy Freier will cover off on consumer and menu trends to watch. We’ll delve into current data around consumers, including the behaviors and preferences of various demographics (gender, generation, and region), followed with the menu trends that relate to those consumers.

Campus dining at Ohio State has been ahead of the curve for some time, and it’s smart to watch what they’re doing. Tara Fitzpatrick will guide an in-depth discussion with leaders from the dining team focusing on projects they’re currently working on, from menu development to training to sustainability to student engagement and plans for the future.

As a supplier of 100% grass-fed beef, veal, and Halal lamb, Strauss Brands will lead you through an educational and interactive stroll exploring the versatile and simple ways to incorporate claims-based proteins into your daily menu and across multiple day parts. We will demonstrate easy to prepare and repeatable time saving applications on some of today’s viral food trends, using some of our most popular items including our grass-fed, organic, Halal ground beef and our Halal ground lamb.

Culinary innovator Pam Smith, RDN will demo easy to execute (even at large volume!) produce-forward menu items that are built on the pillars of 1) Craveable, 2) Flexible/Versatile and 3) Portable (hold and travel well!). Discover the power of 'shrooms to make every dish more delicious, more nutritious and more sustainable.

Supply chain, labor and inflation challenges will continue but operators have adopted a multi-prong approach to address it while delivering an enjoyable experience for their guests.   In this session Entegra will cover best practices for more transparency, efficiency, and savings taken from food service and culinary leaders on how can create a better food service or auxiliary services by combining tactics around purchasing, cost savings, culinary, and operational efficiency. 
1.    List to examples of how foodservice and hospitality leaders are addressing challenges to keep their operations growing.
2.    How gaining greater control of your food and non-food purchasing can improve your operations. 
3.    Understand how culinary trends and practices can prepare your businesses for the challenges ahead.