The president of the ICCA is Keith Brunell, Director Food and Beverage for Nordstrom Restaurant Division, delivery of our keynote talk at the final general session during the ICCA Summit in Providence in June 2021. We are so pleased to be one of the first national foodservice events in the country and certainly one of the first major events in the city and maybe the state. Keith started by saying, ” Matt McMillen, Vice President of Culinary & Beverage Innovation for Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, is the resident recap expert so hoping I can live up to his expectations.” First here is a video from the event:
Darren Tristano, Foodservice Results CEO and Founder provided thoughtful insights into the impacts and opps facing restaurants and painting a picture and glimpse into the future on how technology and convenience continues to drive customer demand. We also learned we have three months to deal with price changes and customer reactions, but I am sure we all know it is more like a year of complaints. Here is Darren’s PowerPoint: Navigating Today’s New Normal
David Dadekian, President and primary writer/editor of Eat Drink RI, inspired us with a true insider’s guide to what makes the food, products, and people of RI special and showed us that cultural diversity still influences menus today. I am sure the state is proud to have him as a true ambassador. I am hooked. Here is David’s PowerPoint: David Dadekian Eat Drink RI
Rick Simone, president of the Federal Hill Commerce Association, and Chef Armando Bisceglia, chef owner of Bacco Vino and Contorini, demonstrated in word and action how they helped revitalize this market and what they had to do to sustain and grow the hospitality industry back in the area—keeping it alive and how quickly the tourism scene is coming back. Seeing federal hill in action is the result of their efforts. Their association is so respected in the state that they helped change the regulations and standards for COVID in the restaurant and tourism industry.
Alissa Crow gave us a high-level overview of Unox, an upscale Italian equipment company, and it’s capabilities, technologies, and functionality. Thanks for your tribal knowledge and welcome again to ICCA!
Dr. Darryl Mickler, DBA, MBA, Vice President for Food and Beverage Innovation at Golden Corral enlightened us on his doctorial dissertation and why is was about how the decisions (accept or reject) we make as consumers is based on the influences we grew up with and how we have been trained subconsciously to think and act. Philosopher Lin Yutang (1938) observed: “we are, in the end, loyal to the food of our youth: perhaps this is what patriotism means.” In researching topics for his doctoral dissertation, he noticed that little academic research had been done on the question of whether one’s underlying political views might play a role in the acceptance or rejection of certain types of menu terminology. Here is Darryl’s PowerPoint presentation: Darryl Mickler New Menu Terminology Presentation
Professor Robert Danhi illuminated the fact we can improve our innovation process by using a more systemically approval by using a common language around quality identifiers and then find alignment and value at each step of the supply chain and RD process. Here is Robert’s PowerPoint presentation: Danhi @ 2021 ICCA Summit- Building Blocks of Flavor
Simon Majumdar and Justin Warner, Food Network stars and co-hosts for “The Tournament of Champions” with Guy Fieri shared with us their magic in person by sharing their personal experiences behind the scenes, but more importantly that innovation and creativity is not a one-way path. Thanks for the comparative and fun conversation on trends and good ole cooking with some modern technological twists. Here is Simon’s PowerPoint: Culinary Trends Simon Majumdar with Justin Warner
DR. Judson Brewer, MD PhD, associate professor in Behavioral and Social Sciences and Psychiatry at the Schools of Public Health & Medicine and the Director of Research & Innovation for the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, “Dr. Jud” gave us a quick dissertation on how the science and psychology of fear, stress and uncertainty weakens the brain and causes anxiety and panic. How to identify the habits that can retrain us to learn how to unwind and reduce anxiety through curiosity and rewards. We all need to take him up on some more meaningful mediation time. Here is Dr. Brewer’s PowerPoint presentation: Brewer Working with Anxiety & Uncertainty
Thank you, Kevin Gaudreau; owner of KG Kitchen Bar and chef & F & B Manager at Bonnet Shores Beach Club, and Corey Wheeler Forrest, one of the last generation family trap fisherman in Rhode island for more than 100 years, talked about the symbiotic relationship between women and fisherman and the chefs and community they serve. The video shows the commitment she has and her kids will hopefully continue in an industry our nation needs to survive. They both make Rhode Island proud as their stewards of the land and sea.
ICCA benefits – we share the problems supplier/sponsors, and our members have been dealing with recently and the learnings on how sowing relationships can be successful for all of us makes during these times makes this association unique and on-of-a-kind. Thank you sponsors, new members, the team at the Graduate Hotel for this awesome experience. RJ Harvey, your attention to detail for our innovative food offerings at the ICCA Summit, utilizing the quality sponsor ingredients, was amazing. Thanks again to the staff of the ICCA and everyone here. We look forward to seeing you at our ICCA Culinary Immersions this year and our ICCA Summit next June.