Sunday, March 03 11:00am – 4:30pm

Registration and Information Desk

Sunday, March 03 1:30pm – 3:00pm

General Session

From Noma to K-12: How a High-end Chef is Tackling Noncommercial Foodservice

Brigaid founder, and former Head Chef of Noma in Copenhagen (perennially named the best restaurant in the world), Dan Giusti discusses his transition from the restaurant world to K-12 school foodservice.

Speakers:

Peter Romeo

Editor-at-Large
Winsight Media

Dan Giusti

Founder
Brigade

Annual State of the Foodservice Industry

Technomic’s Joe Pawlak lays out the economic drivers, consumer demands and legislative landmines impacting the noncommercial segments today.

Speakers:

Joe Pawlak

Managing Principal
Technomic

Sunday, March 03 2:00pm – 6:00pm

Sponsor Set-up

Sunday, March 03 3:00pm – 3:30pm

Networking Break

Sunday, March 03 3:30pm – 4:15pm

Culinary Workshops (Choose 1 of 3)

From the latest flavors to trending preparation methods, tune up your menu with ideas, insights and inspiration from these targeted educational workshops.

Option 1: Chef Perspective: How to Run a More Sustainable Kitchen
Option 2: Making the Most of Limited Time Offers
Option 3: Incorporating Global Flavors into Everyday Bites
Sunday, March 03 5:45pm – 9:30pm

Taste of Atlanta

Location: 9-Mile Station
Monday, March 04 7:45am – 4:00pm

Registration and Information Desk

Monday, March 04 7:45am – 8:45am

Networking Breakfast

Monday, March 04 8:45am – 9:30am

Culinary Workshops (Choose 1 of 3)

From the latest flavors to trending preparation methods, tune up your menu with ideas, insights and inspiration from these targeted educational workshops.

Option 1: Prioritizing the Plant-Forward Menu
Option 2: Catering 101: From Marketing to Menus
Option 3: Menuing Breakfast Effectively
Monday, March 04 9:30am – 10:00am

Networking Break

Monday, March 04 10:00am – 12:00pm

General Session

Sustainability: Meeting the Needs of Today's Diners and Protecting the Diners of the Future

Sustainability is the responsibility of all members of the food community, from farmers and laborers to foodservice operators and consumers. How does noncommercial foodservice fit in? What is its unique responsibility and contribution to the growth of the sustainable agriculture community?

Speakers:

Ferd Hoefner

Senior Strategic Advisor | Speaker
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Sustainability in Action

Best-in-class noncommercial operators discuss how they further a sustainable mission in their operations, including strategies, return-on-investment, and innovative, outside-the-box practices. 

Speakers:

Pat Cobe

Senior Editor
Restaurant Business Magazine and FoodService Director Magazine

Monday, March 04 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Vendor Fair Lunch

Monday, March 04 1:30pm – 3:00pm

Culinary Competition

It’s not as cutthroat as Iron Chef but not quite as genteel as The Great British Bake Off. It’s MenuDirections’ 7th annual Culinary Competition, where noncommercial chefs prepare delicious dishes from a mystery basket of ingredients, all to the tune of a ticking countdown clock. Don’t miss the excitement as your peers compete for great prizes and, most importantly, bragging rights!

Presented By:
Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc.
Monday, March 04 3:15pm – 4:00pm

Culinary Workshops (Choose 1 of 3)

Option 1: Bringing the Street (Food) into the Kitchen
Presented By:
Nestlé Professional
Option 2: The Technological Future of Noncommercial Foodservice
Presented By:
Smithfield Foods
Option 3: Putting the Mock in Cocktail: A Lesson in Culinary Beverages
Monday, March 04 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Awards Reception

Monday, March 04 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Awards Dinner

Tuesday, March 05 7:45am – 12:30pm

Registration and Information Desk

Tuesday, March 05 7:45am – 9:00am

Vendor Fair Breakfast

Tuesday, March 05 9:00am – 11:00am

Sponsor Tear Down

Tuesday, March 05 9:15am – 10:00am

Culinary Workshops (Choose 1 of 3)

From the latest flavors to trending preparation methods, tune up your menu with ideas, insights and inspiration from these targeted educational workshops.

Option 1: Besting Barbeque
Option 2: Building a Better Bundle: Coffee and Snacks to Go
Option 3: Using the Underutilized Cut
Tuesday, March 05 10:15am – 11:10pm

General Session

How to Make New Menu Items Work for You
Speakers:

Pat Cobe

Senior Editor
Restaurant Business Magazine and FoodService Director Magazine