CFBN’s most popular Annual Event! Get ready for an evening featuring up-to-the-minute culinary and industry trends from the experts at Datassential.
Join us* to walk through the kitchens, meet the chefs, and sample a variety of tasty new culinary trends. You’ll taste an amazing array of chef-created bites and a true insider’s perspective on the tastes and forces that will influence eating and drinking in the coming year.
Block your calendar and enjoy the latest cocktails, and fabulous foods from an amazing group of talented local chefs.
There’s much more to come! Don't miss this!
*Please note, refunds will not be processed for registrations cancelled within 24 hours of the event.
AGENDA
5:00PM Welcome / Check In
5:30PM Datassential Trends Report
6:15PM Q&As
6:30PM Tasting and Networking
8:00PM Event Ends
SPEAKER
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BRIDGET HEGG, MBD, RDN
Associate Director
Datassential
As a food enthusiast and dietitian, Bridget brings a unique point of view to the foodservice industry. Having worked in restaurants, colleges & universities, hospitals, and in foodservice sourcing she loves working with clients to develop creative foodservice solutions. She holds a degree in Nutritional Science and Dietetics from Cornell University and an MBA from Dominican University.
Datassential makes the food industry smarter, providing trend software, predictive analytics, and consumer and operator insights that help manufacturers, food retailers, and chain restaurants innovate and sell more intelligently.
PARTICIPATING CHEFS
CHEF CAROL BUCKANTZ
Corporate Chef
McCain Foods
Chef Carol has worked for McCain Foods for 1 year and 10 months as one of their corporate chefs. She enjoys working with their customers through presentations and ideations, to show them exciting ways to use McCain Foods' vast array of potato and appetizer products. Before starting with McCain, Chef Carol had her own catering business and worked as Executive Chef/ Partner for Capital Grille. She has been an Executive Chef for 28 years. She is originally from Cleveland, OH, and has lived in the Chicagoland area for 27 years. She is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University.
CHEF ANNE DRUSCHITZ
Corporate Research Chef
Edlong
Anne Druschitz earned her CRC® (Certified Research Chef) designation from the RCA in 2005 and also holds a BS in Food Studies from NYU as well as an AAS in Culinary Arts from the Culinary School of Kendall College (which is now a part of National Louis university). She has worked in flavor applications for the last 20 years and has been a part of the Edlong team for 16 years. Prior to joining the R&D side of the food industry, Anne cooked in fine dining French restaurants and institutional foodservice kitchens in the Chicago area.
CHEF DANIEL ESPINOZA
Corporate Chef
Olam Food Ingredients (ofi)
Chef Danny is the chef for Latin American cuisine at ofi. His love and extensive experience with Mexican and Latin cuisine drives his unique ability to connect with trends that are current and developing throughout the US and his desire to introduce consumers to tradition and technique. Most recently, Chef Espinoza and team won the prestige pork competition “cochon 555” crowning him the prince of pork in Chicago. In 2017, Espinoza was nominated as a finalist for “eater young guns”. In 2016, he participated in “Top Chef Mexico,” during which he tested his Chicano cooking style to high praise by finishing in the top 4 out of 15 competitors. Also in 2016, Espinoza consulted on Lincoln Park’s Holy Taco! that earned his barbacoa recipe “one of 100 best things we ate” by Timeout Chicago and earned a place among Zagat’s “30 Under 30” in 2015. He resides in Chicago’s West Humboldt neighborhood with his wife, Chef Jhoana Ruiz, in his free time, enjoys sketching, hanging out with his gentle giant of a goldendoodle benny, reading, and keeping up with this food industry.
CHEF JARED GOLDSTEIN
Research Chef
Bell Flavors & Fragrances
Jared Goldstein is a Research Chef at Bell Flavors & Fragrances on the Savory Application Team where he focuses on flavor usage within CPG and food service products. Prior to his work at Bell, Jared was working with green tech start-ups with a focus on cell-cultured meat and cryogenic cooking. Jared started his career working at the three Michelin star restaurant Alinea in Chicago, it was there he developed the passion and skills of experimental cooking and culinary R&D. He holds an associate degree in culinary arts, and a bachelor's degree in culinary science from the culinary institute of America. He has a passion for trying new and novel ingredients and processes within his cooking.
CHEF DAVE HISTED
Executive Research Chef
Ed Miniat
Chef Dave Histed is the Executive Research Chef of Ed Miniat, a family-owned custom sous-vide protein manufacturer located on Chicago’s South Side. He earned his associate’s degree in Culinary Arts Management from The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY) where he was also elected to serve as his class leader during his time there.
Chef Dave loves to volunteer his talents with our wonderful community having taught cooking classes with Share our Strength’s “No Kid Hungry” initiative while working in Chicago, serving as the keynote speaker on meal kits in the grocery industry during the 2019 Progressive Grocer Meals Solution Conference, and serving as a keynote speaker with the Research Chef’s Association National Conference in 2020.
CHEF PETER KOLAVO
Associate Research Chef, Oils
South Chicago Packing
Peter is the Research and Development Chef at South Chicago Packing, a 5th generation family owned edible oils facility in the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago. Having previously worked as an options and futures trader in New York and Chicago, Peter went back to school at Kendall Culinary graduating in 2018, while working at Ed Miniat as a R&D pilot plant manager. Peter moved over to South Chicago Packing 5 years ago and helped develop, market and sell shortenings and oils for baking, frying and general purpose cooking like SCP Wagyu Beef Tallow. He now lives in Valparaiso Indiana with his wife and two young boys who are also avid hobby farmers and gardeners.
CHEF CASEY SCHALLERT
Sr. Corporate Chef / Manager of Savory Applications
Bell Flavors & Fragrances
Casey is the Senior Corporate Chef/ Manager of Savory Applications at Bell flavors and Fragrances where she has held multiple positions focusing on flavor trends, Culinary sales demonstrations, and strategy for the savory flavor division. Prior to her time at Bell Casey worked at Nutek Food Science where she focused on sodium reduction across a wide range of applications, building her technical background. Casey started her career at McCormick as an intern learning the ins and outs of the consumer products and food service side of the food industry. She holds an associate degree in culinary arts and a bachelor’s degree in culinary science from the Culinary Institute of America. She is currently finishing up her Master’s Degree in Food Science at Kansas State University with an anticipated graduation of December 2023. Casey is a member of the Research Chef’s Association and the Institute of Food Technologists. She has a passion for food and creating winning customer experiences.
MAURICE SHELTON a.ka. CHEF BLAQUE
Sugar Artist
Black Rose Pastries / Steel City Bakery
Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Maurice Shelton, who would later become commonly known as “Chef Blāque”, always had a passion for food and an eye for creativity. In 2007, he decided to take his passion to the next level and started his bakery, Black Rose Pastries! A skilled baker and sugar artist, Chef Blāque, has traveled the world teaching and training, showcasing his award-winning signature style - in over 42 states and 4 countries - blending realism and modern techniques to create show stopping masterpieces.
Since, Chef Blāque, has been featured in several publications and media outlets including American Cake Decorating Magazine, The Northwest Indiana Times, The Miami New Times, Something Sweet (UK Based Magazine), Modern Luxury Chicago, and WCIU The Jam just to name a few. Most recently, he and his partner were crowned Season 1 Champions for the Netflix Original Series: Sugar Rush with judges Candace Nelson. Adriano Zumbo, and Betsey Johnson.
This event is in collaboration with:
We thank the following companies for participating in this event:
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