Culinary Conferences: Part Food, Part Fun, All Education
By Wendy CroixWhether they are cooking competitions staged by your local university or international events put on by professional culinary arts organizations, culinary conferences offer a taste of the cooking profession. Whether you want to sample international cuisine, browse cookbook displays, or meet working culinary artists up close and personal, you can get a quick culinary education at a cooking conference.
American Institute of Wine and Food Events
Because its stated mission is to enhance quality of life through education about what we eat and drink, the American Institute of Wind Food (AIWF) provides culinary training as entertainment. From their Greek feast in southern Florida, to a Beaujolais Nouveau celebration in Denver, to a 5-course Thanksgiving dinner prepared by noted chef Nancy Longo in Baltimore, local organizations in major American cities sponsor public events. The AIWF even promotes Days of Taste, which brings local chefs and farmers to fourth and fifth grade classes to talk about fresh food and ingredients. Best of all, you don't have to have a culinary career to join the AIWF, nor must you join the AIWF to attend its local events.
The IACP Annual Conference
The annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, which usually takes place in March or April, will be held in Denver, Colorado in 2009. The theme of this 31th annual gathering, Pioneering a Sustainable World, should attract 1,000 culinary professionals. Attendees enjoy educational sessions and training workshops, as well as tours and day trips. Because some lectures and the Gala dinner are open to the public, you don't have to be a member of the organization to participate in these events.
Because conferences are social events, they're the perfect place for recent culinary grads to network and for culinary amateurs to discover the pleasures of the cooking professions. Contact these organizations for information about upcoming public events, and remember--a conference could be the first step in your own culinary career.
Sources
American Institute of Wine and Food (http://www.aiwf.org/)
International Association of Culinary Professionals (http://www.iacp.com/)
About the AuthorWendy Croix, Ph.D. is a freelance writer, cultural critic and university professor. In her twenty years as a professional educator, Wendy has guided hundreds of students toward the careers of their dreams.
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