Roots Chef Conference

Why travel to Peru, Copenhagen, or Mexico to attend a thought-provoking conference addressing issues critical to our food system when you can attend a conference in your own backyard that will stimulate your mind, engage you in conversation with some of the culinary industry’s most compelling thinkers and chefs, and provide you with tangible tools, ideas, and connections that will enrich your life, your mind, and your work?

On October 19-20, 2014 The Chef’s Garden is presenting TheSecondAnnual Roots Conference(www.chefs-garden.com/roots2014), at TheCulinaryVegetable Institutein Milan, Ohio. FarmerLee Jones of The Chef’s Garden,Inc.a family-run, sustainable farm inHuron, Ohio will be your host along with the star of Food Network’ Chopped emcee Ted Allen. That is best known for its specialty vegetables, microgreens andpartnerships with chefs; this year’s theme is”Roots 2014:Connect andUniteThrough Food.”

The keynote speaker is Jose Andres(ThinkFoodGroup) who will give his address on Sunday, October 9.The Topic and Presenters for Roots 2014 Conference include:

• Seed Advocacy: Policies and Actions that Promote the Growth & Success of Organic Seed Systems Glenn Roberts (Anson Mills) and Matthew Dillon (Organic Seed Alliance & CLIF BAR Family Foundation)
• Plate to Politics: Who Are the Future Generation of Farmers and What Resources Do They Need to Thrive Leigh Adcock (Women, Food & Agriculture Network)
• Waste Not, Want Not: How To Combat Food Waste & Obesity Ann Cooper (Renegade Lunch Lady)
• Vegetables: Their Power to Change The World Bob Jones, Sr. (The Chef’s Garden), Nephi Craig (Native American Culinary Association), Cortney Burns and Nic Balla (Bar Tartine)
• Taboo Foods: How Culture Convinces Us to Accept One Ingredient and Reject Another Gunnar Karl Gislason (Dill Restaurant)
• Indigenous Cuisine: Moving Forward By Remembering the Past Sean Sherman (Sioux Chef) and Richard Hetzler (Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian)
• The New Definition of Local Chris Pandel (Bristol, Balena)
• Creative Eating: How Art Inspires What We Think and Feel About Food Maxime Bilet (Modernist Cuisine), Jamie Simpson (The Culinary Vegetable Institute) and Jehangir Mehta
• Why Millennials Matter & What Are Current Restaurant Trends Alison Theureau and Brad Borchardt (Food IQ)
• Crowd Dining: Funding a Restaurant Without Investors Kevin Sousa (Sousa PGH) and Shari Bayer (Bayer Public Relations)
• The Masbia Soup Kitchen: Nourishing the Homeless Through Dignity and Respect Alexander Rapaport (Masbia Soup Kitchen)
• Insects: The Protein of the Future? Kyle Connaughton and Greg Sewitz (EXO)
• It’s Science: Examining Ancient Traditions Through the Lens of Modern Technology Matthew Accarrino (SPQR) and Ali Bouzari (Thomas Keller Restaurant Group

In addition, Roots 2014 will feature incredible meals prepared by its stellar chef lineup, including:

• Breakfast within the farm’s greenhouse, incorporating vegetables and other farm products from the farm tour to create a dynamic, interactive experience (10/19);
• A “sense of place” themed lunch with a combination of Native American and Nordic chefs drawing inspiration from their environments with an unprecedented melding of traditions, including Icelandic chef Gunnar Karl Gislason, SPQR chef Matthew Accarino, White Mountain Apache chef Nephi Craig, and Sioux chef Sean Sherman (10/19);
• A beautiful dinner in the greenhouse at a long communal table, where dishes by chefs Chris Pandel, Kyle Connaughton, Cortney Burns, Nick Balla, and Kevin Sousa will explore alternative proteins (10/19); and
• A one-of-a-kind lunch hosted by chefs Jehangir Mehta, Maxime Billet, and Jamie Simpson with the topic of art and food that will have a theater component (10/20).

Simply put, Jones believes that Roots 2014 canmake a difference.He explains,”We’rebringing together aglobal group ofpresentersto address some pretty heavy topics, but these arethe kinds ofimportant conversations that chefs can translate into an actionable approach tooperating their kitchens and businesses. We’ve seen chefs’ abilities toinfluence change by theresurgence in farmer’s markets and a reconnectionbetween farmers and consumers.Thisconference will explore new ways that chefs can make a positive difference inthe world.”

Taking place in glorious farmland in Milan,Ohio, Roots 2014 iseasily accessiblefrom Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio. KalahariResortis the official conference hotel and is holding a block of rooms. There will be complimentary shuttle service to and from the hotel.