2024 FoodTreX Global Online Summit

Monday, Apr 29, 2024 at 1:00 PM to Tuesday, Apr 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM BST

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Monday, Apr 29, 2024 at 1:00 PM to Tuesday, Apr 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM BST

Every year, the world seems to get smaller, with more big international hotels opening and more smaller businesses closing. Yet, the tenets of sustainability direct that we should be investing in our own local entrepreneurs, protecting our local businesses and within our industry, protecting our culinary heritage.

So how do we do that?

We invest in protecting our own cultural heritage. And in the case of our industry, our culinary culture and heritage.

This year's theme is "Culinary Heritage & Its Link to Tourism."

100% ONLINE - FoodTreX Global is the world's premier online summit for food & beverage tourism, culinary tourism & gastronomy tourism professionals. Taking place at the end of April every year, this is where professionals meet, connect and learn.

Please note that the event's time zone is LONDON UK (British Standard Time, or BST). You can convert the time to your own time zone here.

World Food Travel Association

https://www.worldfoodtravel.org

The World Food Travel Association (WFTA) is a global, non-profit, non-political organization whose mission is to work with destination marketers and their stakeholders to facilitate the discovery and appreciation of unique culinary cultures by travelers.. Founded in 2003, the WFTA is the world’s leading authority on gastronomy tourism and the global voice of the industry. Every year, the WFTA provides insights, resources, tools, research, and events to a network of 150,000 professionals in over 150 countries to help the industry grow. The Association's knowledge, tools, and training assist professionals, organizations, and destinations in leveraging their culinary culture and heritage to create a stronger sense of place, which increases visitor arrivals, strengthens a destination's brand equity, boosts local pride, generates export demand for the area's food and beverage products, and makes a significant local economic impact.

Contact the Organizer

John Mulcahy
Gastronomy Tourism Advisor
Formerly Failte Ireland
John has an unusual and diverse skillset from his experience in industry, public service, and academia. Originally qualified as a hotel manager, John focused on the operational facets of the international hospitality industry for twenty years. Then John utilized that experience and knowledge for two more decades as a senior public servant with Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority, where he founded the Irish Food Champions (https://www.irishfoodchampions.com/). Subsequently, John gained a PhD in 2020 based on his food tourism work in Ireland, received the World Food Travel Association Lifetime Achievement Award, and is now an independent post-doctoral researcher, activist and advisor advocating for a wider understanding of the role of food ‘in’ tourism. He is currently compiling a compendium focusing on the food and beverages of the island of Ireland, aiming to publish it eventually as a book.

About John Mulcahy

Gastronomy Tourism Advisor
Formerly Failte Ireland
Federico Pieri
Partnership Development Manager
TasteAtlas
With extensive experience in gastronomy partnerships, Federico is now in his dream job at TasteAtlas, an online compendium of food and culinary culture insights. Federico's expertise in gastronomy was built upon years of research including a degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality from the University of Gastronomic Sciences. He has worked on several gastronomy research projects and has published numerous articles on gastronomy and culinary culture. He has a particular interest in the cultural and historical aspects of cooking, and the ways in which certain foods intersect with the complex layers of human identity.
https://www.tasteatlas.com

About Federico Pieri

Partnership Development Manager
TasteAtlas
Yigal Schleifer
Co-Founder and Editor In Chief
Culinary Backstreets
Yigal Schleifer is a renowned food writer, journalist, and the co-founder of Culinary Backstreets, an online magazine focused on exploring global food cultures through in-depth reporting, storytelling, and travel experiences. Schleifer has extensively covered food and culture in his career in journalism, working for prestigious publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and the Atlantic. He is known for his intricate and detailed reportage of diverse communities and cultures, including stories about food and identity, the societal significance of food cultures, and the role of food in diplomacy. Schleifer's personal experiences traveling and tasting food from around the world have equipped him with deep knowledge and insight into global gastronomy cultures, making him a leading expert in the field. His passion for storytelling through food and travel has led him to speak at various food and travel conferences and keep writing about culinary traditions from around the world.
https://culinarybackstreets.com/

About Yigal Schleifer

Co-Founder and Editor In Chief
Culinary Backstreets
Yasmine Fofana
Founder
Afrofoodie
Yasmine Fofana is a celebrated host, culinary content creator and founder of Afrofoodie: the first food blog of Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan Restaurant Week & Co-founder of Abidjan Cocktail Week. For the past 11 years, her mission has been to shift the African narrative through its cuisines and elevate culinary tourism on the continent. Through her unique content that celebrates culinary cultures around the world, Yasmine aims at changing the global conversation around African cuisines. Some of her collaborations include international institutions such as UN Tourism, Air France, Africa No Filter, GTCO Food & Drink Festival in Nigeria to name a few.
https://www.afrofoodie.net

About Yasmine Fofana

Founder
Afrofoodie
Junnie Lai
Founder
Global Cuisine Consulting
Chef Junnie’s passion for food is not limited to baking and pastry, she is a talented culinarian in many global cuisines, especially in Southeast Asian cuisines - Chinese, Indian, Malay & Thai cuisines. With 20 years experiences of Research & Development, Junnie has led many projects and excels in innovative prototyping, recipe development, commercializing products and product launches in the market. She has an MBA and has enjoyed close collaboration with marketing teams. Junnie is very insightful in culinary trends, consumer insights as well as strategizing the product-launching process. Her creativity, detail-oriented and organization skills has been a great asset on many successful products launch. Junnie is pursuing a PhD in Natural Medicine, helping her to increase her expertise in preparing delicious, fresh and healthy cuisine for proper nutrition. With her passion in natural foods, Junnie has been creating delicious, nutrition-focused recipes with organic ingredients that fit into today’s popular diets such as plant-based diet, gluten free diet, foods that heal and etc.
https://www.globalcuisineconsulting.com/

About Junnie Lai

Founder
Global Cuisine Consulting
Chef Pierre Thiam
Chef & Founder
Yolélé and Teranga
Pierre Thiam is a chef, author, and social activist best known for bringing West African cuisine to the global fine dining world. He is the executive chef and co-founder of Teranga, a fine-casual food chain from New York City that introduces healthy, casual fare directly sourced from farmers in West Africa. Pierre is also the Executive Chef of the award-winning restaurant Nok by Alara in Lagos, Nigeria and the Signature Chef of the five-star Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. His company Yolélé advocates for smallholder farmers in the Sahel by opening new markets for crops grown in Africa. The company’s signature product, Yolélé Fonio, a resilient and nutritious grain, is found in Whole Foods, Target, Amazon, and other retailers across America. Pierre has cooked for numerous government officials including the King of Morocco, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Through his devotion to advocacy, combined with his many media appearances, he has become known as a culinary ambassador. His mission is to promote West African cooking throughout the world. His TEDTalk, given at TEDGlobal 2017 in Arusha, Tanzania, has been viewed over one million times. He has authored three cookbooks, including: The Fonio Cookbook: An Ancient Grain Rediscovered (2019), Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl (2015), and Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal (2008). He has won numerous awards and accolades for his cooking and advocacy. Pierre Thiam serves on the Board of Directors for IDEO, SOS Sahel, CorpsAfrica, as well as on the African Cuisine Advisory Board from the Culinary Institute of America.
https://yolele.com/

About Chef Pierre Thiam

Chef & Founder
Yolélé and Teranga
Jermaine Jonas
Chef & Operator
Bush Bungalow Creations
Chef Jermaine Jonas (Bushbungalow) is a plant-based chef originally from the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Jonas honed his craft in New York working as the executive chef for The Juice Press. His private clients include David Yurman, Bryce Harper and Doug E Fresh. Jonas has also worked as a consulting chef for various regional, national and international brands specializing in health offerings such as Blue Print Cleanse, Tender Greens, Green House Juice in Canada, and Juice Press in the Bellagio Hotel. Jonas's work history includes helping many restaurant groups with their opening of large-scale food markets (Casa Tua Cucina in Brickell, Miami and Aster Hall in Chicago.) A key area of expertise for Jonas has been and continues to be working extensively as a consulting chef internationally developing foodservice concepts in Canada, Russia, India and Israel. Since residing in Los Angeles, Jonas was the opening executive chef for the Butchers Daughter in Venice, California. Jonas now mainly focuses on private clientele and private events.
https://uptownorganic.wixsite.com/plantbased/

About Jermaine Jonas

Chef & Operator
Bush Bungalow Creations
Stephanie Winter
Afro-Caribbean Wellness Expert
Wadadlivity
"Stephanie Winter is an entrepreneur, yoga instructor and founder of Wadadlivity - an Afro-Caribbean wellness company headquartered in Antigua and Barbuda. Stephanie curates virtual and in-person experiences that seamlessly blend culinary heritage, wellness, and travel. Wadadlivity celebrates the richness of traditional, indigenous recipes, ingredients and remedies. Stephanie firmly believes that food is a gateway to culture and Wadadlivity contributes to this dialogue by infusing Afro-Caribbean flavors into wellness experiences.
https://www.wadadlivity.com/

About Stephanie Winter

Afro-Caribbean Wellness Expert
Wadadlivity
Charity Dublin
Community Nutrition Officer
Government of Antigua and Barbuda-Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation & Environment
Charity Dublin is a vibrant Public Health Nutritionist. She holds a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics and an MSc. in Public Health Nutrition. She is employed as a Community Nutrition Officer in the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation and the Environment. She also enjoys providing a range of nutrition consultation services to organizations and individuals. Her passion lies in empowering people to use their available knowledge and resources to make the best nutrition and lifestyle choices for themselves and their families.
https://health.gov.ag/

About Charity Dublin

Community Nutrition Officer
Government of Antigua and Barbuda-Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation & Environment
Donyelle Bird-Browne
Sr. Business Development Manager
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
Donyelle Bird-Browne, based in Miami, Florida USA, works as a Senior Business Development Manager, Partnerships for the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), with extensive experience in business development, public relations, partnerships, and special projects. She is also a successful tourism, trade, and investment sector connector of people, and a popular hospitality maven in the luxury bespoke micro-event space. Donyelle sits on several pillar marketing strategy committees within the ABTA, that are focused on promoting heritage and culture, yachting and sailing, wellness, and romance destination products, inclusive of its Wellness Month, Art Week, and Restaurant Week initiatives. She is particularly passionate about sharing her unique Caribbean lifestyle experience of Antigua and Barbuda where “the beach is just the beginning…”
https://www.visitantiguabarbuda.com/

About Donyelle Bird-Browne

Sr. Business Development Manager
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
Petra Barišic
Assistant Professor
Department of Tourism University of Zagreb, Croatia
Dr. Petra Barišic has been working at the Department of Tourism Faculty of Economics & Business Zagreb University of Zagreb for the last 15 years. There she educates more than 600 students each year. Her research interests include social media in tourism, gastronomy, sustainability in tourism, tourism marketing and promotion, transportation economics and behavioural economics in tourism. She has lectured in more than 20 countries, and published dozens of articles and books. She is also a mom to three, yoga teacher and in her copious free time, she runs a private consulting company.

About Petra Barišic

Assistant Professor
Department of Tourism University of Zagreb, Croatia
Erik Wolf
Executive Director & Founder
World Food Travel Association
Erik is the founder of the culinary travel trade industry, and Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, the world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism. He is the publisher of Have Fork Will Travel (a practical handbook for our industry - find it on Amazon), author of Culinary Tourism: The Hidden Harvest, and is also a highly sought strategist and speaker around the world on gastronomy tourism. He has been featured in The New York Times, Newsweek, and Forbes, and on CNN, Sky TV, the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, PeterGreenberg.com, and other leading media outlets.
https://www.worldfoodtravel.org

About Erik Wolf

Executive Director & Founder
World Food Travel Association
Niclas Fjellstrom
Global Coordinator
Culinary Heritage Network
Niclas lives in Sweden but considers himself a global citizen. Since early childhood brought up in the spirit of hard work, good smells and tasty food from family's restaurants. He has travelled to most the world, tasting new experiences as he went. Niclas has been the coordinator for the Culinary Heritage Network since 2012. In this capacity, he works on a daily basis with the network activities and in different projects related to food and culture with a contact surface to more than 25 countries. He has been a speaker at various events and conferences within the fields of tourism, culinary culture, economy and local food production. He has inspired audiences in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey & Ukraine.
https://www.culinaryheritage.net/

About Niclas Fjellstrom

Global Coordinator
Culinary Heritage Network

About Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority

https://www.visitantiguabarbuda.com/ Sponsor Logo

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Sessions on Apr 29, 2024

01:00 PM

Culinary Heritage as the Basis of Culinary Tourism

01:00 PM - 01:45 PM
    Niclas Fjellstrom
    Global CoordinatorCulinary Heritage Network
    Niclas lives in Sweden but considers himself a global citizen. Since early childhood brought up in the spirit of hard work, good smells and tasty food from family's restaurants. He has travelled to most the world, tasting new experiences as he went. Niclas has been the coordinator for the Culinary Heritage Network since 2012. In this capacity, he works on a daily basis with the network activities and in different projects related to food and culture with a contact surface to more than 25 countries. He has been a speaker at various events and conferences within the fields of tourism, culinary culture, economy and local food production. He has inspired audiences in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey & Ukraine.
    02:00 PM

    The Importance of Gastronomy in Creating Intangible Cultural Heritage-Based Tourism Products: Croatia Case Study

    02:00 PM - 02:45 PM
      Petra Barišic
      Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Tourism University of Zagreb, Croatia
      Dr. Petra Barišic has been working at the Department of Tourism Faculty of Economics & Business Zagreb University of Zagreb for the last 15 years. There she educates more than 600 students each year. Her research interests include social media in tourism, gastronomy, sustainability in tourism, tourism marketing and promotion, transportation economics and behavioural economics in tourism. She has lectured in more than 20 countries, and published dozens of articles and books. She is also a mom to three, yoga teacher and in her copious free time, she runs a private consulting company.
      03:30 PM

      A Caribbean Wellness Journey Draws on Agri-Cultural Heritage

      03:30 PM - 04:45 PM
        Jermaine Jonas
        Chef & OperatorBush Bungalow Creations
        Chef Jermaine Jonas (Bushbungalow) is a plant-based chef originally from the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Jonas honed his craft in New York working as the executive chef for The Juice Press. His private clients include David Yurman, Bryce Harper and Doug E Fresh. Jonas has also worked as a consulting chef for various regional, national and international brands specializing in health offerings such as Blue Print Cleanse, Tender Greens, Green House Juice in Canada, and Juice Press in the Bellagio Hotel. Jonas's work history includes helping many restaurant groups with their opening of large-scale food markets (Casa Tua Cucina in Brickell, Miami and Aster Hall in Chicago.) A key area of expertise for Jonas has been and continues to be working extensively as a consulting chef internationally developing foodservice concepts in Canada, Russia, India and Israel. Since residing in Los Angeles, Jonas was the opening executive chef for the Butchers Daughter in Venice, California. Jonas now mainly focuses on private clientele and private events.
        Stephanie Winter
        Afro-Caribbean Wellness ExpertWadadlivity
        "Stephanie Winter is an entrepreneur, yoga instructor and founder of Wadadlivity - an Afro-Caribbean wellness company headquartered in Antigua and Barbuda. Stephanie curates virtual and in-person experiences that seamlessly blend culinary heritage, wellness, and travel. Wadadlivity celebrates the richness of traditional, indigenous recipes, ingredients and remedies. Stephanie firmly believes that food is a gateway to culture and Wadadlivity contributes to this dialogue by infusing Afro-Caribbean flavors into wellness experiences.
        Charity Dublin
        Community Nutrition OfficerGovernment of Antigua and Barbuda-Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation & Environment
        Charity Dublin is a vibrant Public Health Nutritionist. She holds a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics and an MSc. in Public Health Nutrition. She is employed as a Community Nutrition Officer in the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation and the Environment. She also enjoys providing a range of nutrition consultation services to organizations and individuals. Her passion lies in empowering people to use their available knowledge and resources to make the best nutrition and lifestyle choices for themselves and their families.
        Donyelle Bird-Browne
        Sr. Business Development ManagerAntigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
        Donyelle Bird-Browne, based in Miami, Florida USA, works as a Senior Business Development Manager, Partnerships for the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), with extensive experience in business development, public relations, partnerships, and special projects. She is also a successful tourism, trade, and investment sector connector of people, and a popular hospitality maven in the luxury bespoke micro-event space. Donyelle sits on several pillar marketing strategy committees within the ABTA, that are focused on promoting heritage and culture, yachting and sailing, wellness, and romance destination products, inclusive of its Wellness Month, Art Week, and Restaurant Week initiatives. She is particularly passionate about sharing her unique Caribbean lifestyle experience of Antigua and Barbuda where “the beach is just the beginning…”

        Sponsors

        05:00 PM

        From Local Gems to Global Foodie Experiences: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Authenticity

        05:00 PM - 05:45 PM
          Junnie Lai
          FounderGlobal Cuisine Consulting
          Chef Junnie’s passion for food is not limited to baking and pastry, she is a talented culinarian in many global cuisines, especially in Southeast Asian cuisines - Chinese, Indian, Malay & Thai cuisines. With 20 years experiences of Research & Development, Junnie has led many projects and excels in innovative prototyping, recipe development, commercializing products and product launches in the market. She has an MBA and has enjoyed close collaboration with marketing teams. Junnie is very insightful in culinary trends, consumer insights as well as strategizing the product-launching process. Her creativity, detail-oriented and organization skills has been a great asset on many successful products launch. Junnie is pursuing a PhD in Natural Medicine, helping her to increase her expertise in preparing delicious, fresh and healthy cuisine for proper nutrition. With her passion in natural foods, Junnie has been creating delicious, nutrition-focused recipes with organic ingredients that fit into today’s popular diets such as plant-based diet, gluten free diet, foods that heal and etc.

          Sessions on Apr 30, 2024

          01:00 PM

          Your culinary heritage: romanticising the past or embracing the present?

          01:00 PM - 02:00 AMVirtual
            John Mulcahy
            Gastronomy Tourism AdvisorFormerly Failte Ireland
            John has an unusual and diverse skillset from his experience in industry, public service, and academia. Originally qualified as a hotel manager, John focused on the operational facets of the international hospitality industry for twenty years. Then John utilized that experience and knowledge for two more decades as a senior public servant with Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority, where he founded the Irish Food Champions (https://www.irishfoodchampions.com/). Subsequently, John gained a PhD in 2020 based on his food tourism work in Ireland, received the World Food Travel Association Lifetime Achievement Award, and is now an independent post-doctoral researcher, activist and advisor advocating for a wider understanding of the role of food ‘in’ tourism. He is currently compiling a compendium focusing on the food and beverages of the island of Ireland, aiming to publish it eventually as a book.
            02:00 PM

            Culinary Heritage: A Pivotal Cultural Asset

            02:00 PM - 02:45 PM
              Federico Pieri
              Partnership Development ManagerTasteAtlas
              With extensive experience in gastronomy partnerships, Federico is now in his dream job at TasteAtlas, an online compendium of food and culinary culture insights. Federico's expertise in gastronomy was built upon years of research including a degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality from the University of Gastronomic Sciences. He has worked on several gastronomy research projects and has published numerous articles on gastronomy and culinary culture. He has a particular interest in the cultural and historical aspects of cooking, and the ways in which certain foods intersect with the complex layers of human identity.
              03:30 PM

              Interview with Senegal's Chef Pierre Thiam: Preserving & Promoting West African Culinary Cultures

              03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
                Yasmine Fofana
                FounderAfrofoodie
                Yasmine Fofana is a celebrated host, culinary content creator and founder of Afrofoodie: the first food blog of Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan Restaurant Week & Co-founder of Abidjan Cocktail Week. For the past 11 years, her mission has been to shift the African narrative through its cuisines and elevate culinary tourism on the continent. Through her unique content that celebrates culinary cultures around the world, Yasmine aims at changing the global conversation around African cuisines. Some of her collaborations include international institutions such as UN Tourism, Air France, Africa No Filter, GTCO Food & Drink Festival in Nigeria to name a few.
                Chef Pierre Thiam
                Chef & FounderYolélé and Teranga
                Pierre Thiam is a chef, author, and social activist best known for bringing West African cuisine to the global fine dining world. He is the executive chef and co-founder of Teranga, a fine-casual food chain from New York City that introduces healthy, casual fare directly sourced from farmers in West Africa. Pierre is also the Executive Chef of the award-winning restaurant Nok by Alara in Lagos, Nigeria and the Signature Chef of the five-star Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. His company Yolélé advocates for smallholder farmers in the Sahel by opening new markets for crops grown in Africa. The company’s signature product, Yolélé Fonio, a resilient and nutritious grain, is found in Whole Foods, Target, Amazon, and other retailers across America. Pierre has cooked for numerous government officials including the King of Morocco, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Through his devotion to advocacy, combined with his many media appearances, he has become known as a culinary ambassador. His mission is to promote West African cooking throughout the world. His TEDTalk, given at TEDGlobal 2017 in Arusha, Tanzania, has been viewed over one million times. He has authored three cookbooks, including: The Fonio Cookbook: An Ancient Grain Rediscovered (2019), Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl (2015), and Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal (2008). He has won numerous awards and accolades for his cooking and advocacy. Pierre Thiam serves on the Board of Directors for IDEO, SOS Sahel, CorpsAfrica, as well as on the African Cuisine Advisory Board from the Culinary Institute of America.
                05:00 PM

                Walking Back in Time: Bite by Bite

                05:00 PM - 05:45 PM
                  Yigal Schleifer
                  Co-Founder and Editor In ChiefCulinary Backstreets
                  Yigal Schleifer is a renowned food writer, journalist, and the co-founder of Culinary Backstreets, an online magazine focused on exploring global food cultures through in-depth reporting, storytelling, and travel experiences. Schleifer has extensively covered food and culture in his career in journalism, working for prestigious publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and the Atlantic. He is known for his intricate and detailed reportage of diverse communities and cultures, including stories about food and identity, the societal significance of food cultures, and the role of food in diplomacy. Schleifer's personal experiences traveling and tasting food from around the world have equipped him with deep knowledge and insight into global gastronomy cultures, making him a leading expert in the field. His passion for storytelling through food and travel has led him to speak at various food and travel conferences and keep writing about culinary traditions from around the world.