Foodservice Leaders to Address Health, Sustainability, and Business Imperatives
Media contact:
Jan Smyth
Marketing Manager
845-451-1457
j_smyth@culinary.edu
Cambridge, MA – Forward-looking foodservice executives and culinary professionals will
convene at the second annual national leadership
summit, which takes place in Cambridge, MA June 9–11. They are gathering to gain
the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed at a time when the industry is being
shaped by the convergence of public health, nutrition, and environmental concerns
like climate change and drought, which have moved from future worries to current
risks and costs for food companies.
"Change is in the air. Diners increasingly care and know more
about their food choices while environmental challenges bring mounting unpredictability
to the farms, ranches, and fisheries we rely upon," said Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America,
which co-presents the initiative with Harvard School of Public Health–Department
of Nutrition. "Our industry's future looks to be a more complicated one in
which to navigate. From antibiotic resistance and new diseases in the livestock
industry to persistent droughts and still-stubbornly high rates of obesity, we may
very well be witnessing something of a 'perfect storm' that will demand not merely
small changes around the edges, but entire paradigm shifts over time."
The summit offers unique opportunities for business and culinary
leaders to collaborate, as well as hear practical advice on key issues such as rethinking
the role of proteins, fruits, and vegetables and developing menu strategies to address
climate change. Scientists and industry experts will provide insights and advice
that integrate the latest scientific findings from the fields of nutrition, food
systems, and environmental sustainability.
"This year, the scientific community reached significant agreement
on the public health impacts of sodium and sugar-sweetened beverage
consumption,
for example," said Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, chair of
Harvard School of Public Health–Department of Nutrition. "While
scientific research
and debate about details of magnitude and timing continue in these and
other areas,
there is movement towards greater certainty. Menus of Change provides a
valuable opportunity for foodservice industry leaders to understand
that process
better and recognize when it is time to change and not wait longer, as
well as the
practical business benefits of timely action."
"The culinary profession is no longer just that of a white toque,
but also a white collar, where knowledge and decision-making create
value," added Arlin Wasserman, chair of the Menus of Change Sustainable
Business Leadership Council. "The foodservice industry is providing a
greater share
of our meals than ever before, both winning in the marketplace and
also facing an
increasingly complex and challenging set of choices. The Menus of
Change initiative
shares unique guidance on how to make better choices and run better
businesses."
The second edition of the Menus of Change Annual Report will be released today at the summit. It includes a dashboard showing the past year's
progress on a set of critical issues at the intersection of public health and nutrition,
environmental sustainability, and business. The report also includes analyses of
those issues and case studies featuring companies that have successfully combined
sustainability and profit. The Menus of Change
Annual Report was developed in collaboration with leading scientists and business
experts who sit on the initiative's and councils. Its Principles of Healthy, Sustainable Menus provide chefs and foodservice
leaders with groundbreaking guidance on menu and recipe design and business operations
that integrates both environmental and nutrition science imperatives.
A full version of the report, along with supporting visuals and
additional information about the Menus of Change initiative, is available at . The 2014 summit's presentations
will be available there in July, and in the meantime, anyone can follow news from
the conference on Twitter with the hashtag #CIAMOC.
The 2015 Menus of Change conference will be held June 17–19 at
the Marriott Pavilion on The Culinary Institute of America's Hyde Park, NY campus.
Registration opens September 2, 2014.
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image
The 2014 Menus of Change Annual Report provides restaurant operators with a review of the health and sustainability issues
that face the industry today, inspiring case studies, and practical guidelines for
future business success. (Photo credit:
CIA/Jason Wright)
About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit
college offering associate and bachelor's degrees with majors in culinary arts,
baking and pastry arts, and culinary science, as well as certificate programs in
culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. As the world's premier culinary college,
the CIA has a network of more than 46,000 alumni that includes many industry greats.
The college has campuses in New York (Hyde Park), California (St. Helena), Texas
(San Antonio), and Singapore. In addition to its degree programs, the CIA offers
programs for professionals and food enthusiasts, as well as consulting services
in support of innovation for the foodservice and hospitality industry. The Industry
Leadership Division organizes nearly a dozen programs and initiatives annually on
the subjects of flavor, world cuisines, and health and wellness.
About the Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the public's health through
learning, discovery, and communication. More than 400 faculty members are engaged
in teaching and training the 1,000-plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines
crucial to the health and well being of individuals and
populations around the world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology
of AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer, from risk analysis to violence prevention,
from maternal and children's health to quality of care measurement, and from health
care management to international health and human rights.
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