* The brands above are the sponsors for the 2023 FIT symposium. The Ecolab Center for Culinary Science is also a sponsor *
The 2023 FIT Symposium is back in Providence March, 6-7. Join us for this annual gathering of innovators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders to inspire change toward a better food system.
This year's event has both in-person and virtual ticketing options.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Monday, March 6, 2023
4:15–5:15 pm
Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence: In-Person & Virtual
Welcome Address and Keynote Speaker
Cuisine as an Academic Subject
In his autobiography “The Apprentice,” Chef Jacques Pépin describes the reaction of his graduate advisor at Columbia to the suggestion of a dissertation topic on cuisine in French literature: “That is not an intellectually serious topic.” While the history of famine, nutrition or living standards in the past (what the French call “alimentation”) was always regarded as important, taste preferences or cuisine were usually considered trifling — a bit like the shifts of fashion in clothing or porcelain. This session discusses the reasons for this attitude (stronger in Western culture than in Chinese or medieval Islamic societies) and how it has changed in recent decades.
Keynote
Speakers:
Jason R. Evans, Ph.D., dean, College of Food Innovation & Technology, JWU
Paul H. Freedman, Ph.D., professor of history, Yale University
5:15–7:00 pm
Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence, 4th Floor
Opening Reception
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
7:00 – 7:45 am
Harborside Academic Center, Cintas Dining Room
Breakfast
8:00 – 8:10 am
Harborside Academic Center Amphitheater: In-Person & Virtual
Welcome Remarks
Speaker:
Jason R. Evans, Ph.D., dean, College of Food Innovation & Technology, JWU
8:10 – 9:10 am
Harborside Academic Center Amphitheater: In-Person & Virtual
Growing Something Greater
Since its founding, Green Bronx Machine has never sought handouts. Instead, Green Bronx Machine has forged unique partnerships with non-profits, local businesses, institutions, and corporations, and set a new standard for how a non-profit organization can offer value to their partners and supporters in addition to the communities and people they serve. Stephen Ritz discusses case studies that demonstrate the collective impact Green Bronx Machine and its partners have had on communities around the world. From one opportune moment to a worldwide movement, you, too, can make epic happen and grow something greater!
Presentation
Speaker:
Stephen Ritz, educator, urban farmer and author of “The Power of a Plant”
9:20 –10:50 am
Harborside Academic Center Amphitheater: In-Person & Virtual
Sorry We’re Closed: How Chefs in the Restaurant Business Deal and Evolve in Crisis
Enjoy a screening of “Sorry, We’re Closed.” Following the film, join Chef Elizabeth Falkner for a conversation of perseverance and resiliency in how restaurants leveraged their ability to adjust on the fly and survive the COVID 19 pandemic’s impact.
Movie Screening and Conversation
Speaker:
Elizabeth Falkner, chef, restaurateur, author and alum of Bravo’s “Top Chef”
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Harborside Academic Center Amphitheater: In-Person & Virtual
Unreasonable Hospitality: Giving People More than they Expect
Will Guidara was twenty-six when he took the helm of Eleven Madison Park, a struggling two-star brasserie that had never quite lived up to its majestic room. Eleven years later, EMP was named the best restaurant in the world.
How did Guidara pull off this unprecedented transformation? Radical reinvention, a true partnership between the kitchen and the dining room—and memorable, over-the-top, bespoke hospitality. Guidara’s team surprised a family who had never seen snow with a magical sledding trip to Central Park after their dinner; they filled a private dining room with sand, complete with mai-tais and beach chairs, to console a couple with a cancelled vacation. And his hospitality extended beyond those dining at the restaurant to his own team, who learned to deliver praise and criticism with intention; why the answer to some of the most pernicious business dilemmas is to give more—not less; and the magic that can happen when a busser starts thinking like an owner.
Today, every business can choose to be a hospitality business—and we can all transform ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences. Featuring sparkling stories of his journey through restaurants, with the industry’s most famous players like Daniel Boulud and Danny Meyer, Guidara urges us all to find the magic in what we do—for ourselves, the people we work with, and the people we serve.
Presentation
Speaker:
Will Guidara, American restaurateur
12:05 – 1:10 pm
Culinary Arts Museum, Food Innovation Design Lab
Lunch / Networking / Book Signing
1:20 – 2:20 pm
Harborside Academic Center Amphitheater: In-Person & Virtual
From Canapés to PB&Js: Redefining What It Means to Be a Professional Chef
What if the world’s best chefs worked in institutional kitchens? That’s what Dan Giusti, Founder and CEO of Brigaid, is on a mission to make happen. Former Head Chef of Noma, Dan and his team use their culinary expertise to help institutional food service programs thrive. Drawing on his experiences in fine dining and school kitchens, he shares what being a professional chef means to him. From mentoring food service staff to perfecting the art of a PB&J, the role of a professional chef is changing and creating seismic impact on the food industry.
Presentation
Speaker:
Dan Giusti, founder/chef, Brigaid
2:30 - 3:30 pm
Breakout Sessions — Not streamed
A. Functional Nutrition for Production Kitchens
As the nation craves healthier options in our foodservice operations, how do we provide the best, freshest and most sustainable ingredients while still maintaining costs? This session discusses the ways we can implement more nutrition into our food services without necessarily promoting health. Since healthy food doesn’t sell well, you’ll learn how to train staff with cooking techniques that make food both desirable and healthy.
Demonstration and Interactive Discussion
Speaker:
Jennifer Welper ’06, wellness executive chef, Mayo Clinic
B. East Coast Rising
The number of wineries on the East Coast has been rapidly expanding since 2000, surpassing California. Many changes and innovations have contributed to this expansion from Virginia to Maine and as far west as Michigan. Discover the factors contributing to the growth and sustainability of this region; taste familiar varieties and rising stars. All providing good reasons why the wines and wine tourism of the East Coast should be supported.
Presentation / Tasting
Speaker:
Elisa Wybraniec, DWS, CS, CWS, wine educator and director, Coast Guard House
3:45- 4:45 pm
Breakout Sessions — Not streamed
A. Cultivating a Compassionate Culinary Community
Oftentimes people within the culinary industry face many adversities that leave them feeling burnt out, unseen and burdened. Creating opportunities to provide emotional and tangible support for people within the culinary industry is incredibly meaningful and deeply impactful. Learn how providing helpful resources, having meaningful conversations, and building authentic community can bring empowerment, encouragement and hope to a challenging yet incredibly fulfilling career in the culinary industry.
Presentation and Discussion
Speaker:
Destiny Antommarchi ’15, manager of product and quality, Copa Vida
B. Boneless Nation: An Attempt to Answer the Question of the Chicken or the Egg
Remember eating nuggets as a child or feeding nuggets to your own children? The popularity of these pop-able, tasty little morsels has influenced our relationship with food since their creation and generated multimillion-dollar industries. We’ll explore the evolution of the nugget, the “ick” factor of animals having bones, and the perpetual innovation around this indubitable mainstay.
Presentation
Speaker:
Noy Phoumivong ’96, director of product innovation, Simmons Foods; restaurateur
5:00 – 5:10 pm
Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence, Atrium: In-Person & Virtual
Closing Remarks
Jason R. Evans, Ph.D., dean, College of Food Innovation & Technology, JWU
5:10 – 6:00 pm
Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence, Atrium
Closing Reception / Networking