News / Notes

 

 

2008 All Things Organic™ Conference & Trade Show to Feature Organic Culinary Greats

 

GREENFIELD, Mass. (March 13, 2008) — The 2008 All Things Organicä Conference & Trade Show, to be held April 26-29 at McCormick Place in Chicago, will feature a new organic culinary focus, presenting the hottest trends in preparing organic foods. Keynote speaker Bobby Flay kicks off the show and numerous nationally recognized organic chefs and companies will present demonstrations throughout the three days. Attendees will be able to sample outstanding organic concoctions as top industry chefs offer inspiring culinary demonstrations.

 

Presented by the Organic Trade Association in partnership with Diversified Business Communications, this year's All Things Organic™ teams up with two other shows—the Spring Fancy Food Show™, and the U.S. Food Export Showcase—in an event billed as "The Global Food & Style Expo". This year's trade shows will all be held on one level for easy access to all exhibitors. Trade buyers will have access to an abundant array of the latest organic grocery items, specialty foods, American-made items for export, non-food products such as clothing and personal care products, ingredients for organic production, and a large selection of produce...all featured in one show over three days.

 

On Sunday, April 27, Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and Food Network personality Bobby Flay will be the opening keynote speaker for the 2008 Global Food & Style Expo. Flay will address current trends in foodservice, how to best respond to customer needs, consumer trends and what lies ahead in foodservice. His 9-10 a.m. keynote presentation will be followed by a culinary demonstration and book signing on the All Things Organic™ trade show floor from 10:30-12.

 

Beginning at the age of 17, Flay discovered his culinary identity while working in several New York restaurants then opened his own first restaurant, Mesa Grill, in New York in 1991. He attended the French Culinary Institute where he earned the first "Outstanding Graduate Award" in 1993. That same year he was voted the James Beard Foundation's Rising Chef of the Year, an award that honors the country's most accomplished chef under the age of 30. Flay currently owns two other Mesa Grills—Bahamas and Las Vegas—as well as well as Bar Americain New York and Bobby Flay Steak in Atlantic City.

 

In addition to his restaurants, Flay shares his knowledge and enthusiasm through his cookbooks. Flay is the author of six cookbooks, the later five lending a unique urban-inspired approach to grilling. He has also launched and starred in many national cooking shows on the Food Network, including the Emmy Award-winning "Boy Meets Grill" and is the food correspondent for the "Early Show" on CBS.

 

Culinary Demonstrations
New this year at All Things Organic™ will be culinary demonstrations with top industry chefs held on the show floor throughout the three days, spotlighting the industry trends in preparing organic foods. Special wine and other beverage tastings will also be conducted by All Things Organic™ exhibitors throughout the show.

 

Other celebrity chefs scheduled to appear at All Things Organic™ include:
Rick Bayless—Award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality Rick Bayless has done more than any other culinary star to introduce Americans to authentic Mexican cuisine and to change the image of Mexican food in America. In 1987, Rick, having moved to Chicago from Mexico, opened the hugely successful Frontera Grill, which specializes in contemporary regional Mexican cooking. On the heels of Frontera Grill's success, Rick opened the elegant Topolobampo in 1989. In 1988, Food & Wine Magazine selected Rick as "Best New Chef of The Year," and in 1991, he won a James Beard Award for "Best American Chef: Midwest." Topolobampo has been nominated twice by the James Beard Foundation as one of the most outstanding restaurants in our country. Rick is a restaurant consultant, teaches authentic Mexican cooking throughout the United States (he is a visiting staff member at the Culinary Institute of America), and leads cooking and cultural tours to Mexico. Mexico—"One Plate at a Time" is currently in its fifth season on PBS.

 

The initial Culinary Demonstration schedule follows, but more will be added and the up-to-date schedule can be accessed online at: http://www.organicexpo.com/08/public/Content.aspx?ID=15783&sortMenu=110005

 

Sunday, April 27
10:30 – 11:30 AM Bobby Flay Culinary Demonstration
11:30 AM– 12:00 PM Bobby Flay Book Signing
12:30 – 1:30 PM Co-author of "Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook" Myra Goodman and Earthbound Farms' Executive Chef Sarah LaCasse
3:30 – 4:00 PM Bonterra Wine tasting & presentation

Monday, April 28
12:00 – 1:00 PM Chef Al Rosas, Rosas Farms, Culinary Demonstration
1:45 – 2:45 PM Rick Bayless Culinary Demonstration

Tuesday, April 29
10:15 – 11:15 AM Patty James Facendini, Patty James Organic Cooking School – the first certified organic cooking school in the country. A presentation on diabetic/organic snacking.

Culinary Focused Conference Sessions
Monday, April 28, 10:30 AM – Noon Organic 101: Organic on the Menu - Definitions for you and your customers. This session is geared to those new to the organic foodservice sector. This session will include a clear explanation of organic so that foodservice personnel can better communicate with their employees and customers. Foodservice representatives from different size businesses will give real-life examples that make it easy to learn and apply organic practices in the kitchen and on the menu.
Speakers:
Jim Tripp, ARAMARK
Michael Altenberg, Crust
Patty James, Patty James Cooking School and Nutrition Center
Moderator:
Sonya Dagovitz Kugler, Natural Needs, LLC

Monday, April 28, 2:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Sourcing Tips for Organic Foodservice: From fine dining to the cafeteria
Sourcing organic for foodservice can be different than sourcing for other sectors. This session will discuss the challenges and present solutions specifically for foodservice operations. The panel will be made up of speakers from fine dining establishments, casual restaurant chains, and caterers. The discussion of sourcing will range from scale issues to working with local organic farms.
Speakers:
Carrie Nahabedian, NAHA
Haddon Reines, PFG
Vaughan Lazar, Pizza Fusion
Moderator:
Greg Christian, Chicago's Conscious Caterer

Tuesday, April 29, 10:30 AM – Noon
Getting Started: Menu building trends for restaurants
Restaurateurs looking to incorporate organic ingredients into their dishes can learn about trends in organic food, menu building, beverage pairing, and some of the easiest entry points for those new to working with organic products and ingredients. This panel will include a variety of foodservice perspectives, from beginners to pros.
Speakers:
Mark Crowell, CuliNex
Nora Pouillon, Nora's
Rebecca A. Bishop, The Organic Wine Journal
Moderator:
Brian Canfield, Organic Sales Solutions

All Things Organic™ Parties Feature Guest Chefs

Greg Christian, Chicago's Conscious Caterer™ will cater the Welcome Party to be held Sunday, April 27 at the River East Art Center, 435 East Illinois Street from 6:00-10:00 PM. Greg seeks out the finest natural and organic ingredients from local farmers, who nurture their treasures with a deep regard for the earth. As an expression of his mindful commitment and concern about our environment, all purchases made through Greg's companies will contribute positively to the community and the environment by donating proceeds to the Organic School Project which seeks to transform Chicago-area children into healthier, more mindful eaters, one school and one child at a time.

 

OTA's Annual Dinner and Organic Leadership Awards Ceremony, held Monday, April 28, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago from 6:30pm –midnight will start with a cocktail hour featuring delectable hors d'oeuvres created by special guest Chef Domenica Catelli. Chef Domenica Catelli is the author of the recently released cookbook Mom-A-Licious: Fresh, Fast Family Food. Domenica grew up in Sonoma County and has been a lifelong advocate for organic foods. She has recently been named as the national spokesperson for Go Organic! for Earth Day Campaign and is committed to helping families eat better.

 

All Things Organicä is the only conference and trade show in North America focusing exclusively on the organic business community, giving chain and independent retailers, manufacturers, distributors, chefs and foodservice establishments access to more organic companies and more certified organic products than any other industry trade event. Attendees can preview and source the hottest products and discover the latest trends in the fastest-growing segment in the food industry.

 

Visitor and Media Registration for the 2008 conference and trade show are available at www.organicexpo.com. All attendees registered for the All Things Organic™ Trade Show will have access to all three Global Food & Style Expo events and keynotes (All Things Organic™, Fancy Food Show and the U.S. Food Export Showcase). Conference packages and select events are sold separately for each show in addition to trade show passes.

 

Working media representatives can register to attend the All Things Organic™ Conference & Trade Show at no charge. Those with valid media credentials can register once for admittance to all three trade shows. Please check the site often as details concerning the conference, trade show, and special events will be posted on the website as they become available. For press passes please visit: https://www5.compusystems.com/servlet/AttendeeRegLoginServlet?evt_uid=524&site=PRESS

 

The mission of the Organic Trade Association is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy. OTA envisions organic products becoming a significant part of everyday life, enhancing people's lives and the environment. As a membership-based business association, the Organic Trade Association focuses on the organic business community in North America. OTA's 1,600 members include farmers, processors, importers, exporters, distributors, retailers, certifiers, and more.

 

One hundred percent (100%) of all revenue the Organic Trade Association receives from All Things Organic™ is reinvested in programs that support the organic business community. For further information, visit OTA's web site at www.ota.com.

 

Diversified Business Communications provides information and market access through trade exhibitions, magazine publishing, and online resources on five continents. In addition to serving the natural products/organic market, DBC produces over 15 food exhibitions organized throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia (www.divbusiness.com).