Send your team, send yourself, and experience first-hand what makes AOCF the ultimate destination for catering professionals who want to grow, thrive, and ignite their creativity.”
Day one On day one, Chef Jeremy Langemann’s (Bingemans) Exploring Canada’s Bounty Beyond Poutine & Beaver Trails had everyone thinking differently about Canadian cuisine. Chefs Jenny Bast (Catering Creations) and Jonadel Tarrayo’s (Daniel et Daniel) Creating Culinary Flavor Bombs in Bulk sparked serious excitement, the kind that has you scribbling notes in your notebook like your life depends on it. Chef Jorden Dolan’s (Savory Events) Beautiful Stations for Catered Occasions presentation showcased stunning, thoughtful buffet displays that took food styling to the next level; and let’s not forget the cherry on top of day one: the high- energy, wildly entertaining Reverse Engineering: Unraveling the Secret Structure of Wedding Cakes session by none other than Food Network star and cake extraordinaire Ron Ben-Israel. His innovative take on deconstructing a cake gave us a peek behind the curtain on how this master crafts his cakes … and we got to taste them too. This year’s lineup was nothing short of phenomenal. Day one’s Lunch & Learn was an innovative spin on Southern comfort food by chefs Boris Seymore and Keyon Hammond. Picture rich, soulful dishes reimagined with surprising twists. I mean those coconut grits with oxtail and jackfruit were outrageous! The food was creative and crave-worthy. Day two Day two’s lunch took it up another notch with ICA (International Caterers Association) CATIE Award- winning dishes presented by the chefs who created them. These were more than just pretty plates; they were masterclasses in flavor, technique, and artistry and oh-so-
Wedding cake extraordinaire Ron Ben-Israel presented Reverse Engineering: Unraveling the Secret Structure of Wedding Cakes during this year’s conference.
inspiring! The short ribs, vegetable wellingtons, and the delicious desserts were SO YUM!!! Day two was equally memorable. Chef Eric LeVine was super inspiring as our AOCF Keynote, and it was nice to see him back on stage at the conference. Chefs Karen O’Connor (Daniel et Daniel) and Alicia Smith (Cru Catering) dove deep into menu development, breaking down the art (and science) of crafting compelling yet strategic menus. Duce Raymond (Sweet Baby Rays Catering) and Chef Charles Haracz (Blue Plate Catering) delivered a flavorful masterclass in modern barbecue trends and collaborations, and Chef Nettie Frank wrapped things up as our sweet conclusion with her session, Let Them Eat Cake: 10 New Sweet & Savory
Dessert Ideas , which was as sweet and satisfying as the title suggests. Oh, and did I mention the book signings? Many of these talented chefs are also authors, and attendees had the opportunity to snag signed copies of their books, which was a fantastic way to keep the inspiration flowing long after the conference ended. I wish I could mention every single session, as the education was top-notch and curated for our audience in such a masterful way, but you’ll have to take my word for it and come see for yourself next year. Every catering company needs to be in that room! I’ll say it loud and clear: if you’re in the catering industry, you need to be at AOCF. Period. It’s
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