Explore the key steps and best practices for developing a successful fast-casual model from the ground up, from defining your concept and menu to designing an efficient kitchen layout and implementing effective marketing strategies. This session will provide valuable insights and actionable tips to help you achieve your goals.

In this session, Chef Alexandra Ceribelli will discuss the importance of positive management strategies that create harmony and collaboration within your team. From the lense of social sustainability, she will share practices to engage and motivate your talent in order to see your companies’ visions of success prosper from the inside out.

Fierce competition means students face tough decisions when it comes to dining out. How can college & universities attract new patrons, increase student retention, and innovate with brands? During this forum, we’ll discuss how colleges like Rutgers & The University of Kansas have become sought-out dining destinations by pioneering on the culinary front. We’ll also discuss how universities can leverage familiar products & trends to differentiate themselves from competitors outside of our segment.  

Pulses - dry beans, dry peas, lentils and chickpeas are top of mind for plant forward consumers. They meet the on-trend demands of being nutrient dense and a sustainable source of plant-based protein. Let’s talk fiber. During the session, Dr. Rumney will present a practical review of "Why Pulses are Sustainable". Professional chefs from the pulse industry will demo - EGGLESS breakfast, dessert and breads. The workshop will be very useful for any organization wanting to easily introduce simple and institution friendly plant-based solutions.

Amid the labor crunch and cost pressures, technology is moving front and center in the front and back of house. From AI and smart vending to robot servers, hear how foodservice operators are capitalizing on changing technology
and using it to enhance the employee and customer experience. 

As noncommercial operators reinvent their retail options, many are looking to other industries for inspiration. Former Senior Editor of CSP (the largest media brand for convenience stores) and onetime Editor-in-Chief of FoodService Director Abbey Lewis will share what’s happening now in the world of convenience stores and other retail businesses.

Step up your game with one simple, beloved ingredient - blueberries! This informative and delicious demo and tasting will show you how to elevate pantry staples into menu all-stars with everyone's favorite berry. From sweet to savory, sauces to dressings and even center of plate workhorses, blueberries add an innovative but approachable twist your guests are sure to love. 

Mark will take you on a journey combining his passion for numbers and data with your passion for every aspect of your food and beverage operation.  Learn how to apply his unique methodology to discover what producing your menu items for the guest experience really costs you.  Develop a new way to view and manage every cost to run your business: ingredients, labor, and overhead.  Understand why post-COVID, the menu engineering process has changed and how you need to respond to ensure greater profitability and growth.