Schedule

Building on Menu Matters’ President Maeve Webster’s presentation from Sunday, Vice President Mike Kostyo will dive deeper into the concrete tactics that college and university decision-makers can use to gain students’ trust and create a long-term relationship during their time on campus. Touching on topics like food and flavor trends, technology, health, global ingredients, demographic changes, and marketing, dive into the data and research that informs what students want from today’s dining programs. Take inspiration from best-in-class ideas across the food industry and beyond to create a truly student-centric dining experience that also resonates with the wider campus community.

The pressure to adopt more technology is real. So is the risk of getting it wrong. In campus dining, where the guest experience depends on human connection, cultural authenticity, and trust, the question is not whether to use AI. It is where it actually helps, and where it does not. In this keynote, Anat Baron explores how leaders can use AI and other technologies to improve operations, support growth, and elevate the dining experience without surrendering the judgment, storytelling, and human connection no algorithm can replace. She will also examine the health, economic, social, and environmental pressures reshaping the industry, and what they mean for leaders building programs that are both relevant and resilient.

A multidisciplinary discussion on the health implications of ultra-processed foods, how they are defined, and what the evidence suggests for menu development, nutrition policy and public messaging in institutional and commercial foodservice.

What does it take to build something that outlasts any single decision, any single initiative, or even any single leader? That is the question at the heart of this conversation. Stanford University’s Residential and Dining Enterprises is not merely an auxiliary operation. It is the steward of a $3 billion asset portfolio, the home for nearly 16,000 students, the source of more than 8 million nutritious meals each year, and the custodian of one-third of Stanford’s entire physical plant. It is, in every sense of the word, a living institution within an institution. Over 34 years, Dr. Shirley J. Everett has transformed this enterprise into a recognized global leader — not by managing its scale, but by imbuing it with soul. She has done so by holding two seemingly opposing forces in creative tension: the discipline of a seasoned financial steward responsible for billion-dollar capital decisions, and the conviction of a mentor who believes that developing others is the highest-leverage investment she can make. In this exclusive conversation, 2026 FE&S Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Everett shares the strategic mindset, leadership philosophy, and hard-won wisdom that have defined her legacy. She will take us behind the landmark projects — including the $1.1 billion Escondido Village Graduate Residences, the largest construction project in Stanford’s history — and beyond the accolades, into the culture she has built, the leaders she has shaped, and the ideas she has dared to institutionalize. This is a rare, candid look at what it truly means to build for the long game.

We continue to operate in a climate of uncertainty within a food ecosystem that depends on predictability, coordination, and trust. At the same time, dining leaders are being asked to do more with less while meeting rising expectations for quality, health, sustainability, innovation, and highly satisfying student experiences. As inflationary pressures, margin compression, and supply-chain complexity continue to shape the landscape, collaboration is no longer optional; it is essential. In this session, Michael Schwartz, SVP of IFMA Food Away From Home, will convene a C-suite panel of industry leaders and subject-matter experts to explore how manufacturers are planning ahead, adapting, and leveraging innovation to manage costs, and how stronger collaborative models with operators can help meet current challenges and shape a more resilient food ecosystem. Grounded in the spirit of Food for the Common Good, the conversation will examine strategic pathways for collaboration that support operational effectiveness, institutional resilience, student satisfaction, and long-term shared value.

This session equips professionals with tools to identify misinformation, respond effectively online, and communicate nuanced nutrition science in an accessible credible way amid rapidly evolving digital platforms

Join us for lunch at our Industry Showcase. Connect, eat and experience what’s new and exciting with over 50 of our conference partners.

Experience the vibrant soul of Haiti through dishes that honor tradition, celebrate wellness, and deliver bold island flavor. In this hands‑on workshop, Chef Pamela Adams guides participants through lighter, plant‑forward interpretations of classic Haitian cuisine—using citrus, herbs, and warm spices to build depth without heaviness. From bright, refreshing pikliz to nourishing bowls of soup joumou, you’ll explore how healthy can still be soulful, comforting, and joyfully bold. Discover how this cuisine’s roots in community, resilience, and shared nourishment beautifully reflect this year’s theme, Food for the Common Good. Are you ready to cook, taste, and celebrate the vibrant heart of Haiti together?

Studies show that certain herbs and spices can increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain and trigger endorphin promoting chemicals that leave us with feelings of well-being and happiness. Promoting a healthy gut, through the use of delicious and exciting food can positively influence mood, calm the nervous system and support everyday emotional heath. In this workshop, you will explore the therapeutic, mood boosting properties of common herbs and spices you already have in your pantry, as a way to increase the mental well being of the populations you serve. You will learn to create and use global herb and spice blends popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda cooking, and other holistic modalities to create delicious meals your students and faculty will, literally, feel good about.

Afro-Peruvian cuisine is one of the most soulful and dynamic food traditions in the Americas. Born from the creativity and resilience of Africans brought to Peru during the colonial period, this cuisine blends African techniques, Indigenous Peruvian ingredients, and Spanish influences into dishes that are bold, vibrant, and deeply satisfying. In this immersive workshop, Chef Ricky Moore explores the street markets, home kitchens, and coastal flavors of Peru, teaching participants how to build layers of flavor using ají chiles, garlic, cumin, herbs, citrus, peanuts, and slow cooking techniques. Guests will experience iconic dishes that showcase the depth of Afro-Peruvian cooking—from charcoal-grilled anticuchos and crispy tacu tacu to rich stews and beloved street desserts. Expect big flavor, vibrant color, and soulful cooking traditions that celebrate one of South America’s most exciting culinary cultures.

Join Chef Hoss Zaré for a masterclass in Persian nourishment—where resourcefulness meets bold, restorative flavor. This workshop explores how to build deeply satisfying, plant-forward meals from budget-conscious staples such as legumes, fermented dairy, and aromatic herbs. Chef Hoss will demonstrate labor-efficient techniques including bulk vegetable charring, blooming dried herbs in oil (Nana Dagh), and layering textures for high-volume service. These recipes are presented as Nourishment Bowls and Hearth Dishes—complete, sustaining meals that reflect the traditional Persian philosophy of food as medicine. This session provides campus chefs with practical, cost-effective tools to support both operational efficiency and student well-being.

Food is the world’s greatest cultural common denominator. As Americans, we often limit our list of comfort foods to mac ‘n cheese, meatloaf, hamburgers, and apple pie. This could not be further from the actual growing list of American comfort foods. Our culturally diverse country is literally the ultimate melting and mixing pot of the cuisines from countries around the world. In turbulent times, we seek out stability, peace, family traditions and customs that start at dinner tables universally. The global comfort foods presented here arise from countless conversations with home cooks and professional chefs that I have had in my travels which exemplify the diversity of our world appetites. Fortunately, these dishes are replicable, plant forward and/or inclusive of animal or fish protein and can be scaled for myriad commercial applications including dining hall and retail university and college settings.

Take your baguettes to a different level.  In this hand-on workshop, Chef Lumi Cirstea dives deep into the shaping and scoring techniques that create a truly memorable baguette – crisp lines, confident cuts, and unmistakable character of artisan craft. Learn how to build dough strength for beautiful structure, shape with intention for consistency and elegance, and score with precision to achieve dramatic, signature ears and bold bloom. This session is built for bread lovers who want to bring bakery-level artistry into their kitchen using simple ingredients and approachable techniques. I hope you’ll join me for this fun and engaging hands-on session!

Don’t just serve a meal – transport your students to Bangkok.  In this high-energy, hands-on workshop, you will master the delicate balance of Thai cuisine while learning the secrets to scaling authentic flavors for high-volume service. We bridge the gap between street-food authenticity and commercial efficiency, ensuring you leave with a menu that is both operationally smart and undeniably craveable.

“Sando” or a sandwich in Japanese has been an everyday staple in Japan for many years, usually found in a “Konbini” or 24-hour Japanese convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Lawson or FamilyMart. The Japanese “Sando” originated during the Meiji Era (1868 – 1912) as a Japanese interpretation of Western sandwiches. While bread was introduced earlier, the modern sando developed while Japanese bakers adjusted recipes for Western-style loaves (pain de mie/pullman loaf) after WWII, focusing on a more soft, fluffy texture which has became the hallmark of “Shokupan” or Japanese milk bread. In the recent years, the Japanese Sando has gained much popularity in the States with a wide audience.

In this demo-driven session, we’ll explore how to turn New England’s summer abundance into wellness forward dishes students actually crave. Using corn, herbs, grains, foraged mushrooms, and peak season vegetables as our backbone, we’ll build a small family of recipes that are simple to execute, scalable for campus dining, and rich with local stories. You’ll see techniques for a scratch made chicken sausage with melted onions and foraged mushrooms, a lighter but deeply flavored summer corn chowder, and Parisian gnocchi that flexes around whatever vegetables your farms deliver that week. We’ll also fire up the pizza oven for shareable, produce packed dishes that move beyond pizza while making the most of existing equipment. Expect clear frameworks, not rigid formulas, so you can adapt these ideas to your region, your vendors, and your students.

Traditional Mexican cooking, exploring bold flavors from soups, salsas and entrees.

Matcha is very much on trend as a beverage growing in consumption with retail sales of Matcha in the US growing by 86% over the past three years due to its popularity as a healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and energizing coffee alternative, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. We can take advantage of this growth and popularity in our dining centers by also using Matcha in dessert recipes. Chef Masi will share 5 delicious and allergen-free dessert recipes and what is behind the Matcha trend. Chef Masi’s recipes will generate some new additions to your bakery programs and new ideas to consider when updating your menus to make them more innovative and healthier.

A gastronomic journey exploring the shared culinary heritage of Italy and Greece. Through a selection of representative dishes, the pathway highlights how history, culture, and local ingredients shape a common Mediterranean identity, where food becomes a means of preserving and transmitting knowledge, values, and traditions.

The human and planetary benefits of olive and olive oil, along with its central role in the Mediterranean diet, have been well documented in numerous studies. Dr. Tassos Kyriakides, a recognized subject matter expert and leader in this field, will guide this session. Participants will explore the world of extra virgin olive oil through a guided tasting of exceptional oils, focusing on their culinary and health attributes. Attendees will learn to evaluate quality, experience the versatile flavors of EVOO, and engage in dialogue about its role in Mediterranean cuisine, health, and wellness. Dr. Kyriakides, an Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Public Health and a certified Olive Oil Sommelier, will also connect olive oil’s impact to both human and planetary health.

College dining environments can be overwhelming for students with sensory sensitivities, ARFID, autism, ADHD, and anxiety. These students often rely on predictable textures, temperatures, and flavors to feel safe enough to eat. This session will equip campus nutrition professionals with practical strategies to design menus and dining systems that support sensory needs while maintaining culinary quality. Attendees will explore how texture, smell, temperature, and visual presentation impact food acceptance, and learn actionable techniques for developing sensory-friendly options, labeling menus effectively, collaborating with culinary teams, and supporting students in a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming way.

Interest in the gut microbiome continues to grow, but applying this science in real-world settings is complex. This session reviews key functions of the gut microbiome and its relationship to gut health, with an emphasis on how diet shapes the microbiome. Dietary patterns, particularly those rich in fiber and diverse plant-based foods, along with fermented foods, probiotics, and prebiotics, will be discussed. Practical considerations for translating this science into nutrition and foodservice settings will be highlighted, including strategies for incorporating gut health principles into menus and everyday eating patterns

We often ask individuals what they want to eat, but we rarely research how they choose to eat. By shifting our focus from nutrition education to behavioral research, we can architect dining environments that make the ‘Common Good’ the default path, rather than the difficult one. We will explore a variety of choice architecture levers that can be used to “nudge” individuals toward healthier and more sustainable options.

College students from across the United States and Canada share firsthand experiences, preferences, and expectations for on-campus foodservice, including perspectives on technology, dietary inclusivity, and the overall dining experience.

An overview of teaching kitchens and their application in campus, clinical, and community settings, highlighting collaboration between chefs and healthcare providers.

Ideas for ensuring the relevance and success of food innovation efforts amidst constant consumer and economic shifts.

This hands-on cooking workshop centers on collaborating directly with student clubs and campus organizations to develop authentic, inclusive dishes for dining hall events. Participants will work from realistic campus club scenarios including cultural organizations, sustainability groups, and social impact initiatives into event-ready recipes while focusing on flavor development, technique, and thoughtful adaptation for dining hall production. Chefs will explore how to preserve cultural integrity while building menus that are plant-forward, allergen-aware, and accessible to a broad campus audience.
Through active cooking and guided collaboration, this session demonstrates that when chefs intentionally partner with campus organizations, food becomes more than a meal— it becomes recognition, connection, and shared experience. By grounding event menus in student identity and lived experience, dining halls can evolve into spaces that foster belonging and strengthen campus community.

This session focuses on collaborative menu development for globally inspired, allergy‑inclusive, and plant‑forward campus dining experiences. Participants engage in guided activities that highlight cultural authenticity, nutrition alignment, and purposeful team‑based decision‑making. Unique menu concepts representing a wide range of culinary traditions, such as Caribbean coastal cuisine, African spice‑driven stews, Asian market bowls, and Indigenous-inspired seasonal dishes will be explored. Through communication, inclusive design, and practical strategies, chefs and RDs create menus that elevate campus culture and celebrate community through food.

This hands-on workshop explores humanity’s long-standing love affair with noodles through the lens of culture, history, and well-being. From “Neolithic noodles” to modern-day bowls, participants will trace how noodle traditions around the world have nourished communities and supported balance, comfort, and longevity. Through preparing cultural dishes from East Asia, attendees will examine how ingredients, techniques, and culinary traditions shape both flavor and perceptions of health. Participants will leave with practical skills, cultural insight, and fresh inspiration for using noodles on their menus as a bridge between past and present.

Breakfast sets the metabolic tone for the entire day, yet many common morning staples can trigger blood sugar spikes followed by mid-morning crashes. What appears energizing on the surface often undermines focus, performance, and overall wellbeing. In this hands-on workshop, participants will examine common breakfast formats and identify where fast-digesting carbohydrates and added sugars may be contributing to unstable energy patterns on campus. Through recipe development and menu redesign, chefs will learn how to re-engineer familiar breakfast favorites into balanced, healthier options that support sustained energy, cognitive focus, and student satisfaction. Participants will leave with scalable strategies for transforming campus breakfast from a quick sugar boost into a foundation for resilience, proving that cooking for the common good begins with how we start the day.

This collaborative, hands-on workshop explores how the principles of the New Food Pyramid can be translated into culturally authentic, protein-forward menus that support the health, performance, and values of a diverse campus community. Designed for chefs and registered dietitians working side by side, the session focuses on aligning nutrition science with culinary tradition using global foodways to naturally deliver high-quality protein, balance, and inclusivity. Participants will work in small groups to prepare globally inspired savory dishes representing underrepresented culinary traditions from around the world. Each menu set integrates animal and plant-based proteins, whole grains, and culturally grounded techniques while accommodating common food allergies and dietary preferences. Through guided collaboration, attendees will gain practical strategies for building menus that are nutritionally aligned, culturally respectful, operationally feasible, and genuinely appealing. This session demonstrates how chef–RD partnerships can translate evidence-based nutrition into food that resonates across the campus table.

As foodservice organizations face increasing pressure to operate with greater efficiency, adaptability, and accountability, technology is becoming essential not only as a tool for innovation but also as a driver of resource resilience. At its best, technology should reduce the time, labor, effort, and friction required while improving output, connectivity, decision-making, and the overall customer experience. This panel brings together technology leaders to explore how integration, interoperability, AI, and smarter system design are shaping a more connected and customer-centered food ecosystem. The conversation will examine how technology can help reduce the operational burden, strengthen performance, support more resilient use of resources, and enable organizations to better respond to rising expectations across service, quality, and experience. Grounded in the spirit of the common good, the session will consider how innovation can support foodservice models that are not only more efficient but also more responsive, sustainable, and human-centered.

During this presentation you will learn about the importance of employee wellbeing, which translates in superior Employee as well as Guest (customer) engagement.

The lowest bid is not a strategy. It is a cost you will meet and never see on a spreadsheet. The most resilient dining programs in the country are not built on the best contracts alone — they are built on the best relationships. And yet, procurement remains one of the most transactional, price-obsessed functions in our industry. Are you ready for a different conversation? This session introduces TVR — Total Value of Relationships — a framework that fundamentally challenges the way campus dining leaders measure procurement success. TVR moves beyond price and compliance to ask the question that actually predicts long-term performance: what is the full value created when operators, manufacturers, and distributors are genuinely invested in each other’s success? “It is not about the product. It is about the solution — and the relationship that makes it
possible.” Four seats at the table. One powerful truth. One framework that will change how you think about every vendor relationship you have. Come ready to be challenged.

Award-winning campus dining directors share perspectives on elevating programs, navigating rising costs, and addressing food insecurity.

An interactive session focusing on self-evaluation and strategies for the four emotional intelligence domains: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.

This chef-driven cooking workshop explores how campus dining teams can transform everyday service into immersive, high-impact events that extend beyond simply serving food. Participants will examine how to design the in-house menu that anchors and supports student groups, local restaurants, vendors, performers, and campus partners while maintaining authenticity, scalability, and operational flow. Through hands-on cooking, chefs will develop bold, event-ready dishes built for high-volume service, plant-forward balance, and allergen-aware inclusion across multiple stations. The session highlights how thoughtfully executed food combined with regional partnerships, cultural representation, and experiential elements can elevate a dining hall into a dynamic space that reflects identity, celebrates place, and fosters belonging. By positioning cooking as the foundation of these immersive events, chefs will learn practical strategies for moving beyond the menu to create shared campus experiences that leave a lasting impact.

What if the very first bite a student takes on campus could make them feel at home, while also opening the door to new culinary experiences? This session invites chefs to create student‑centered menus for those first bites on campus. By examining what incoming students typically eat at home—from comfort dishes and cultural staples to long‑standing routines, participants translate those patterns into welcoming, accessible offerings that resonate on day one. Through hands‑on tasting, recipe adaptation, and collaborative discussion, chefs will create dishes that meet students where they are, reduce transition anxiety, celebrate cultural identity, and spark an immediate sense of belonging within their new dining community.

This fast-paced, hands-on workshop helps chefs build confidence and creativity in on-the-spot cooking through a practical framework for tackling mystery basket and surprise service challenges. Participants will practice thinking quickly, adapting to unfamiliar ingredients, and developing smart culinary strategies while responding to dietary restrictions and food preferences. Using a guided planning process and collaborative problem-solving, attendees will sharpen skills in competition readiness, seasonal cooking, and flexible menu development—leaving with tools they can immediately apply in professional kitchens and culinary competitions.

Students crave comfort food, and for good reason. Familiar dishes anchor campus life. But what if those same classics could also support sustained energy, inclusion, and long-term wellbeing? In this hands-on workshop, chef’s will transform beloved desserts and savory favorites into nutrient-dense versions designed to satifsy the masses. Through technique-driven adjustments and smart ingredient strategies, chefs will learn how to increase nutritional impact, and accommodate diverse dietary needs without sacrificing flavor, texture, or nostalgia.

This chef-driven workshop examines how global culinary traditions naturally deliver balanced, protein-rich meals that are inclusive, scalable, and culturally relevant for today’s campus communities. Moving beyond familiar interpretations, the session highlights lesser-known regional dishes that showcase how diverse cultures approach protein, grains, and vegetables in ways that foster connection and belonging. Through hands-on cooking and applied menu design strategies, participants will explore how chefs can build flexible, modular menus that support evolving nutrition guidance while maintaining operational efficiency. Emphasis will be placed on flavor development, ingredient cross-utilization, allergen adaptability, and real-world dining hall execution. Attendees will leave with practical tools to translate global food traditions into campus-ready menus that increase participation, strengthen community, and position foodservice as a meaningful driver of the common good.

College and university dining programs can foster belonging, equity, and well-being by embedding inclusivity into everyday food service rather than treating it as a reactive accommodation, as demonstrated by University of Michigan Dining. This session highlights UM Dining’s multifaceted approach to inclusive dining through culturally authentic programming, allergen awareness, and consistent menu offerings that support diverse dietary needs, illustrated by initiatives such as Heritage Month meals, the Global Chef Series, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium meals. Attendees will gain practical, replicable strategies for balancing cultural celebration, nutrition standards, operational feasibility, and student satisfaction while creating dining environments where all students feel fully included.

Cornell Dining began pilot testing a centralized production model for accommodated meals in 2023 and fully launched INDIGO Kitchen in Fall 2025. In this session, Cornell’s team will share key insights from the program’s development, highlight the student experience, and outline best practices that contributed to its success. The session will conclude with practical considerations for evaluating your own program and approaching new initiatives.

If you’d like to be considered to play in the tournament, please reach out to CCC Golf Tournament Director, Christopher Howland [email protected]

Join fellow dietitians for a dynamic, interactive working session focused on elevating the impact of our profession. The first hour invites all interested RDs to share insights, challenges, and opportunities across campus dining. The following two hours will engage participants in collaborative discussions and activities to begin shaping best practices, mentorship models, and practical tools that reflect the full scope of what campus dietitians are capable of.

This event is one of the most anticipated during the conference. Twelve teams of four will compete in a hot food competition. Each team will be given a mystery basket of products with which they will have three hours to prepare 10 servings. We will crown the best culinary team in the nation. More details will be provided at Thursday’s mandatory afternoon meeting. The competition is evaluated by a panel of national judges. This is a serious but fun event.

This event is one of the most anticipated during the conference. Twelve teams of four will compete in a hot food competition. Each team will be given a mystery basket of products with which they will have three hours to prepare 10 servings. We will crown the best culinary team in the nation. More details will be provided at Thursday’s mandatory afternoon meeting. The competition is evaluated by a panel of national judges. This is a serious but fun event.