The event, hosted by Drexel University's Food and Hospitality Management Department, helps students engage with leaders in the restaurant and hospitality industry through panels, demonstrations and educational discussions. It delves not only into the Philadelphia food scene, but the industry nationwide.
Conference founder Mike Traud said there’s a full lineup of interesting presentations planned.
“You can see everything between amazing demos with some of the top pastry chefs in the U.S., but also see panels where they're talking about current issues in the restaurant industry,” he said. “You know everything from public relations to how food and beverage is changing the whole real estate market.”
New this year: The conference allotted time dedicated to restaurant podcasting.
“We have live podcast interviews being conducted on Sunday, March 1, and highlight what's going on nationally, the top issues, but also have Philadelphia as a backdrop in our thriving food and beverage scene,” Traud explained.
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He’s also looking forward to one of the conference’s standout panels, called “Restaurant Roundup.”
“We have some of the top food critics nationally coming in to talk about their work and what they see that's standing out throughout the United States,” he said. “These are professionals from Food & Wine magazine, GQ, Eater. Their job is to travel the United States and find the best restaurants, so to have all these people sitting on one panel and kind of giving their insight to what's working is an amazing opportunity.”
Special guests also include executive chefs and restaurant owners from around the world, plus a few local names like Greg Vernick of Vernick Food & Drink, and Jean-George Vongerichten, who most recently opened his Comcast Technology Center restaurant 60 stories above the city.