According to James Beard Foundation's 2023 Industry Report, 53% of culinary business owners experienced lowered profits this year and challenges around rising food and labor costs have severely impacted profit margins, menu and content pricing since 2022. In its third year of service, Feed the Soul Foundation, a national nonprofit that continues to provide financial relief and business development solutions for culinary businesses, will host its first-ever Global Culinary Conference.

Presented by Diageo, the two-day, in-person business development conference will be held in Houston, Texas on Monday, January 22 and Tuesday, January 23, 2024, from 8:00AM – 5:30PM CT at The Texas Tower. Stella Artois and Tito's Handmade Vodka serve as partner sponsors.

Culinary business owners from California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Washington, and New York – spanning across all experiences including bakeries, food trucks, breakfast cafes, juiceries, vegan eateries and more – are ticketholders anticipating the platform's educational offerings. Renowned chefs and thriving culinary experts including Houston restauranteur Marcus Davis, Chef Karla Hoyos, Chef Emmauel Chavez, and Chef Dayanny Delacruz will deliver an enhanced learning experience with keynote speeches and panel discussions designed to educate entrepreneurs on the art of launching and operating a prosperous culinary enterprise.

"Our goal is to create an educational experience that allows culinary business owners to step away from their business and dedicate two days to learn about resources within business development," says Falayn Ferrell, Chairwoman of Feed the Soul Foundation. "Our Restaurant Business Development Program's cohorts have witnessed several triumphs due to their engagement with small business experts and participating in peer-to-peer learning sessions with culinary professionals. We will broaden the scope of our conference to support numerous culinary businesses and the anticipated shifts faced within the industry."

Each session will impart exclusive insights into the culinary business world with a diverse range of topics tailored to the specific needs of attendees including but not limited to:

*Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub will provide a keynote address referencing the success of his hospitality group (The Breakfast Klub, Kulture, Reggae Hut)

*Chef Karla Hoyos, Best Chef of Miami 2022 and owner of Tacotomia, Chef Dayanny Delacruz, Vice President of Culinary at Levy Restaurants, Chef Emmanuel Chavez, owner of Tatemó and Food and Wine magazine's "Best New Chefs" for 2023 will speak about the growth of their culinary careers

*Levy Restaurants and Live Nation will speak about how culinary businesses can win contract bids as vendors or suppliers

*Diageo, Stella Artois, and Tito's Handmade Vodka will host happy hours

Attendees can expect in-depth keynotes focused on growing their technical skills, learning key functions of small businesses applications, understanding commercial real estate, supervising personnel, developing profitable business operations, designing bottom-line boosting marketing strategies and the future of food service businesses.

The Global Culinary Conference's 2024 full agenda is available HERE. Programming will feature panels and master classes with the following speakers:

*Will Norwood, Program Manager, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion of Live Nation

*Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose, President, National Association of Real Estate Brokers

*Michelle Ngome, President, African American Marketing Association

*Phillip Yates, Founder, Black Entrepreneurship Week & Latin Entrepreneurship Week

*Yvonne Guidry, Founder of SpoiledLatina

Interactive breakout sessions, happy hour networking events and complimentary breakfast and lunch from notable Houston restaurants including Frenchy's, Space City Birria Tacos and More, Henderson & Kane, Mo' Better Brews, Cascabel, and The Breakfast Klub will complete the experience.

The Global Culinary Conference will become an annual event that unites culinary professions from around the world to share ideas, build networks and discuss the latest business growth trends to ensure the continued success of culinary businesses.

CONFERENCE DATES

Monday, January 22, 2024

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Industry Happy Hour: 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Industry Happy Hour: 6:00 - 8:00 PM

GENERAL ADMISSION

Two (2) Day Pass | $99.00

Single Day Pass | $60.00

LOCATION

TEXAS TOWER

845 Texas Ave.

Houston, TX 77002

Since its inception in 2020, Feed The Soul Foundation has strived to create programs that provide sustainability and growth to small culinary businesses. By the first half of 2023, the foundation celebrated the following milestones:

*Invested $1,078,000 in financial and business development support to 59 marginalized culinary business across the country

*Emergency Relief Fund aided US-based culinary businesses with $46,000 in emergency funds to assist with unforeseen damages and natural disasters

*Awarded $76,000 in scholarships to high school culinary programs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions to support culinary, hospitality and business students

*Developed internship program and distributed $59,000 in student stipends in addition to providing workforce training to 15 minority college students studying small business marketing, marketing research and public relations

For more information about Feed the Soul Foundation's Global Culinary Conference and to register, please visit Global Culinary Conference | Feed the Soul Foundation