2022 Chef Culinary Conference Back on UMass Amherst Campus, Welcomes Alice Waters, Jacques Pepin and Martin Yan

AMHERST, Mass. ­­– The 28th annual Chef Culinary Conference is back in person and on the UMass Amherst campus June 5-10 after two years of virtual programing due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Hosted by UMass Dining, the Chef Culinary Conference delivers industry-expert talks, culinary demonstrations, live workshops and exclusive brand sneak peeks. This year’s iteration features a comprehensive group of culinarians, scientists, doctors, directors, CEOs and Gen Z students.

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The theme this year—Innovate, Elevate, Celebrate—throws homage to the determination and steadfastness of the food service industry during the trying times of the global pandemic.

Ken Toong, UMass Amherst executive director of auxiliary enterprises and chair of the event, is looking forward to reconnecting with colleagues from across the United States and Canada in person. “We’re excited to be able to present the best conference experience to date,” he said. “We’re thrilled to welcome back old colleagues and those new to the industry. This year we’re focusing on how we innovate with solutions, elevate actions and celebrate our accomplishments while providing positive impacts for our customers.”

Highlights of the event include:

• A discussion with three professors from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health plus two UMass food scientists about human and planetary health plus the future of food.
   
• A culinary conversation with culinary icons Alice Waters, Jacques Pepin and Martin Yan about the state of food.
   
• 30 interactive, hands-on workshops with 15 accomplished chefs and faculty from Johnson & Wales covering a variety of cuisines from Mediterranean, African, Latin, Indian and Thai, to plant-forward and plant-based, as well as media training.
   
• A leadership symposium, exclusively for food service/auxiliary directors will feature lively discussions with solutions on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing collegiate dining and auxiliary programs today.
   
• An American Culinary Federation-sanctioned team competition for 12 teams across the nation.
   
• Tournament of Champions competition with celebrity chef Jet Tila.

The Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference is regarded as the premier gathering for high-volume food service operators and campus chefs, for both in-class teaching and hands-on workshops. For more information regarding the conference, including registration for both in person and virtual, visit: www.chefculinaryconference.com or @UMassChefConference on Instagram and Facebook.