Chef Conference Cooks Up Conversations From Coast to Coast

A new gathering for culinary professionals has been freshly prepared: The Chef Conference, a bicoastal event that debuted in April in Philadelphia, led by hospitality law expert and chef Mike Traud, JD, Ed.D. In October, chefs, restaurant professionals, hospitality-related public relations firms, and food journalists will descend on L.A. for the West Coast version. They will meet at the headquarters of online food ordering platform ChowNow, which has “a beautiful space,” Traud said, where many events celebrating and educating the restaurant industry — in line with the conference’s mission — have been held, he told Convene via email.

The Chef Conference, Traud said, was inspired by his previous, decade-long tenure serving as chair and founder of the Philly Chef Conference, hosted by Drexel University’s Food and Hospitality Management department. “It represents the growth of the conference, and its goal to connect chefs and restaurant industry professionals in all regions through conversation and education.”

The one-day L.A. program — capped at 150 participants “to really focus on the experience and the connection between attendees,” Traud said — is overflowing with educational opportunities. Moderators and panelists include food journalists from Food & Wine, Esquire, and The New York Times, as well as a diverse lineup of California- and Mexico-based chefs. But conversations at the event, Traud said, go far beyond just talking shop. Sessions will dive into more serious topics such as mental health issues, which studies — like a 2018 report from the Oregon Health & Science University — have shown disproportionately impact individuals in the service industry.

“I think our keynote panel addressing mental health in the restaurant industry and the support systems in place is crucial to the future of the industry,” Traud said. “These discussions need to be public to remove the stigma.”

A Taste of Philadelphia

At The Chef Conference’s launch in Philadelphia last April, legendary French chef Alain Ducasse sat down with food journalist Jeff Gordinier to discuss his memoir, Good Taste: A Life of Food and Passion. The standout session, according to Traud, was a keynote conversation on the difficulties of motherhood for women working in the restaurant industry — Ducasse is known for his efforts to support female chefs. “It highlighted the importance of that issue,” Traud said, “and the work that needs to be done.”

Casey Gale is managing editor of Convene. Illustration by Carmen Segovia

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