Invited Speakers

Invited Guest of Honour
GREAT-GRANDSON OF AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER

Michel Escoffier

PRESIDENT OF THE AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER FOUNDATION
Michel Escoffier is president of the Foundation Auguste Escoffier, Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, France, where Auguste Escoffier was born and where the Escoffier Museum is located. He has published Auguste Escoffier: Memories of My Life (John Wiley & Sons, 1996), by Auguste Escoffier, an account of his great-grandfather’s life. He is actively involved in many events with culinary schools, the nonprofit organizations bearing the Escoffier name—Les Dames d’Escoffier, Les Amis d’Escoffier in the U.S. and Les Disciples d’Escoffier worldwide. In May 2010, he became ambassador for the American Institute of Wine and Food and the American Culinary Federation. In April 2010, Triumph Education Group and the Auguste Escoffier Foundation and Museum along with Michel, entered into a historic affiliation through which Triumph launched the Escoffier Schools of Culinary Arts.
Invited Chef Speakers

THE EMERGENCE OF GREEK CUISINE ON THE GLOBAL FOOD STAGE

Argiro Barbarigou

CELEBRITY CHEF & OWNER

PAPADAKIS RESTAURANT, GREECE

& ALFA PIE HOUSE, USA

Greek Celebrity chef, television host, entrepreneur, award-winning author, humanitarian Argiro Barbarigou began her culinary journey on her native Paros before studying French cuisine in London and Paris. Today the ambassador of Greek cuisine runs her wildly successful Papadakis restaurant, celebrating its 20th year in the chic enclave of Kolonaki in downtown Athens. A favorite among Greek’s elite and tourists alike, she’s cooked for Jean Paul Gaultier, Carla Bruni, Pierce Brosnan, Cat Cora, Michele Roux and Greg Gitanes. In 2015 she opened Alfa Pie House in Washington, DC, featuring her famous Greek pies.

CHAMPAGNE IN MODERN SPANISH CUISINE: TRADITION, INNOVATION AND EVOLUTION

Carlos Duran

EXECUTIVE CHEF AT RESTAURANT CHARLIE CHAMPAGNE, BOCUSE D’OR SPAIN
ROOTS & EXPERIENCES
Oscar Calleja
CHEF AT RESTAURANT ANNUA*, SPAIN
Brought to you by Charlie Champagne
Get set for the perfect pairing of two chefs!
Chef Carlos Duran, Executive Chef of Charlie Champagne, will present Champagne’s role in modern Spanish flavours over the years. His presentation is complemented by Chef Oscar Calleja, from the one-Michelin star restaurant, Annua. Chef Calleja has worked under and collaborated with maestros like Juan Mari Arzak Ferran Adria, Daniel Garcia and Pedro Larumbe. He has also cooked with Toshiro Konishi creator with Nobu of Nikkel kitchen, at the Universal Exhibition Shanghai 2010, which was a spectacular experience.
SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION - SETTING THE STANDARDS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY

Christopher Koetke

CEC CCE HAAC
VICE PRESIDENT, THE SCHOOL OF CULINARY ARTS, KENDALL COLLEGE, USA
Brought to you by Electrolux
Christopher Koetke has been a culinary instructor at The School of the Culinary Arts of Kendall College since January 1998.  He was appointed Dean of the School of Culinary Arts in 2005 and Vice President in 2010.  He is also the Vice President of the Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts for Laureate International Universities where he is responsible for culinary programs across the globe. Christopher began cooking professionally in 1982, starting at local restaurants in his hometown, Valparaiso, Indiana. His career then took him to Chicago, France, and Switzerland.  In 1992, Christopher became the Executive Chef of Chicago’s famed Les Nomades restaurant. While there, he was named Chef of the Year by the Chicago chapter of the International Food and Wine Society and attained critical acclaim. He has a B.A. degree in French literature from Valparaiso University, a Certificat de la Langue Francaise from the Sorbonne in Paris, and an MBA from Dominican University.  He serves on numerous boards, has a regular column in the Chicago Tribune, writes period articles for foodservice periodicals, is host of the Live Well Network’s Let’s Dish, and is co-author of The Culinary Professional. Christopher is a frequent presenter at different forums nationally and internally and a frequent guest on TV and radio programs.
HOW TO REACH A HIGH QUALITY
END-PRODUCT “EMULSIFICATION AND APPROPRIATE HANDLING OF CHOCOLATE”

Dimitrios Chronopoulos

Pastry Chef / Consultant , GREECE
Brought to you by Valrhona
Chef Dimitrios has been awarded the winner of “Best Pastry Chef in Greece 2005–06”, by Greek newspaper Eleftherotypia. He has worked both as a pastry chef and as a pastry chef consultant in various high-end restaurants, pastry shops and hotels around Greece, in Cyprus and abroad, including Michelinstarred restaurants Spondi, Vardis and Varoulko in Athens and Alain Parodi and Le Develec in France. Since 2007 he has collaborated with Valrhona as a chocolate technical consultant in Greece, and since 2010 he has been Valrhona’s technical advisor in Kuwait. In the last few years, Dimitris has organised professional pastry seminars and workshops in Greece and abroad, while his recipes, both professional and for home use, have been published in various media, both in print and digital.
VEAL MEET AGAIN

Edgar Buhrs

Brought to you by VanDrie
As a butcher’s son he has passion for meat, especially veal. Edgar Buhrs also knew at young age that he wanted to be a cook. He has followed the classic cooking school in Amsterdam and has worked at leading restaurants in The Netherlands and even went to France to work with the renowned Chef Bernard L’Oiseau. He developed his own style of cooking during his time working on a cruise, and started his own culinary company in  Amsterdam in 2007.
TRADITIONAL GREEK INGREDIENTS & INSPIRATION

George Calombaris

CELEBRITY CHEF, AUSTRALIA
At the age of 37, George Calombaris is one of Australia's top chefs. His highly influential style of cuisine has earned him many accolades and much respect from culinary aficionados in Australia and around the globe. George Calombaris owns five restaurants in Melbourne. His flagship Melbourne restaurant The Press Club, was awarded The Age Good Food Guide "Best New Restaurant 2008" with Calombaris named 'Chef of the Year 2008'. George is a judge of the series Australian MasterChef Australia and has written many cook books including: 'Greek Cookery from the Hellenic Heart', 'The Press Club', 'Georgie Porgie' ' and his latest called ‘GREEK’.
THE FIVE FLAVOURS OF CHINESE CUISINE
五味中国

Manrong Hu

EXECUTIVE CHEF, HONOR HOTEL AND RESORT
Yibin Qian
FLAVOR FUSION
Qinlin Yin
BEIJING HUIZHENYUAN CATERING MANAGEMENT CO., LTD
Xipeng Tang
CHAIRMAN OF THE BORD & GENERAL MANAGER,
BEIJING FUTIANXIA CATERING COM., LTD AND
TANGRUILONG BEIJING CUISINE RESTAURANT
Shuangqi Li
SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF TOURISM/ SHANGHAI NORMAL UNIVERSITY
Presented by China Cuisine Association
Chinese cuisine is celebrated for many things – its history, brilliant culinary techniques, diverse regional characteristics…
To present the best of Chinese cuisine, China Cuisine Association has picked the five flavours recognised as the foundation of Chinese cuisine. In fact, there is even a Chinese saying: 五味中国 七彩生活,  which means these 5 fundamental flavours will offer a much more interesting and tasteful life. Five Chinese chefs – each specialists in their field – will demonstrate distinctive Chinese dishes. Learn about the culinary method for Kongpao Shrump Chicken, the Basi Apple, Xiefen Shizitou (lion’s head meatball), Peony Shaped  Pork and Emerald-like Smashed Beans with Fried Scallop. Be prepared to see Chinese cuisine and the amazing Chinese culinary technical skills in a brand new light!
ROLE OF YOUNG CHEFS IN TODAY’S INDUSTRY

Mark Moriarty

SAN PELLEGRINO WORLD YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR 2015, IRELAND
Mark Moriarty started cooking during his summer holidays aged 15 at the Chart House in Dingle, Co Kerry.  In 2013 he was named the Euro Toques Irish Young Chef of the Year at a ceremony at Google HQ in Dublin. After completing his degree in 2014 he set up the Culinary Counter pop up restaurant with fellow chef Ciaran Sweeney. In February 2015 he was crowned the San Pellegrino UK & Ireland Young chef of the Year at a ceremony in Harrods, London. Representing this region, and mentored by 3 Michelin starred Clare Smyth of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Mark went on to be crowned the San Pellegrino World Young Chef of the Year at a ceremony in Milan, Italy. He won by presenting his signature dish of 'Celeriac baked in barley and fermented hay, cured and smoked celeriac, toasted hay tea' to an esteemed jury including Massimo Bottura, Grant Achatz and Joan Rocha. Mark has cooked at events around the world in cities such as Boston, Milan, Paris, London and at Taste of Dublin and Electric Picnic in Ireland.
THE NEW NORDIC CUISINE

Titti Qvarnström

BLOOM IN THE PARK. SWEDEN
Brought to you by Duni
Titti Qvarnström is the first female chef in Sweden to receive a Michelin star and is co-owner of Bloom in the Park – recognized as the Best Restaurant in Sweden 2015. Formely a semi-finalist at Chef of the year, she has also competed on the TV show Köksmästarna.
Invited Speakers
Tarhana & Sahlep: Secret Ingredients of Turkish Cuisine

Aylin Öney Tan

FOOD WRITER & RESEARCHER
Cem Erol
EXECUTIVE INSTRUCTOR CHEF, MSA
TURKEY
Brought to you by MSA Culinary Arts Academy
Aylin Öney Tan is an architect and a restoration specialist. She is the food columnist for Hürriyet Daily News (Fork & Cork), Cumhuriyet (weekend supplement), as well as writing for gastronomy magazines Gastro and Yemek ve Kültür. Aylin is a regular participant of Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery, where she has won the Sophie Coe Award for food history in 2008. She wrote the entry for Turkey in the Food Cultures of the World Encyclopaedia. 

CHEF CEM EROL has worked at Les Ottomans Hotel, specializing in Ottoman and Turkish Cuisine, Banyan Restaurants, W Hotel Istanbul as Executive Chef and the famous Spice Market designed by Jean Georges Vongerichten. As Executive Chef Instructor at MSA since 2010, Cem Erol manages a
team of 16 chef instructors, teaches more than 750 aspiring, young chefs every year and represents the new interpretation of Turkish Cuisine at culinary seminars and academies across the world.
LET’S CHANGE THE WAY WE LOOK AT FRESH FOOD……

Bart Leemans

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR OF KOPPERT CRESS,
THE NETHERLANDS
Brought to you by Koppert Cress
As Commercial Director of Koppert Cress, Bart will show how they approach the market. As Koppert Cress, they have defined their WHY as: “Good food is the base of a healthy existence”. How they deal with the logistic lines, how they would like to cooperate with chefs and how they believe in the fact that they have to help their customers to be successful. To do so, they want to change the way the world looks at fresh food together. The answer: Dutch Cuisine.

Charlotta McAlpine

SENIOR DIRECTOR, CONSUMER JOURNEY UNDERSTANDING, ELECTROLUX

In her role as Global Head of Consumer Insights, Charlotta McAlpine is responsible for driving consumer-led business decisions across the Electrolux organization; informing business and brand strategy, innovation and product development. Her extensive work with consumers across the world has given her invaluable insight into consumers’ needs, desires and aspirations in relation to food and cooking and how this has been affected by recent trends in health, sustainability and technology.

CARNE E SPIRITO

Dario Cecchini

8TH GENERATION BUTCHER, ITALY
Brought to you by F. Dick Knives
Cecchini, on a mission to protect and promote the artisian butcher from the rise of industrially raised meat, explains that he believes butchery is an ancient art that involves a respect for the animal. According to Cecchini, there are no "premium" and "lower" cuts of meat, but rather all the parts of the animal are equally as delicious if butchered and cooked in an appropriate way. He puts his philosophy to work in his butcher shop, and two restaurants, all located within 15 meters of the room where he was born.
ΔΕΙΠΝΑ AND ΣΥΜΠΟΣΙΑ:
GASTRONOMY AND DIET IN THE ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN

Dora Katsonopoulou

PRESIDENT OF THE HELIKE SOCIETY BASED IN ACHAEA, ARCHAEOLOGIST, GREECE
The geo-archaeological research and excavations in Ancient Helike in Achaea compose Dora Katsonopoulou’s personal lifetime scientific work. Dora Katsonopoulou serves as a consultant in international research programs and as administration member of scientific Institutes and Organizations. She is elected President of the Helike Society based in Achaea since 1985 and President of the Paros and Cyclades Institute of Archaeology in Paros since 2004. Her research and scientific work in Helike has been the subject of the BBC documentary entitled Helike- the real Atlantis, and of a series of programs by the History Channel, the Discovery Channel and ZDF TV in Germany. Relevant articles about her work were published in international newspapers including the New York Times, Herald Tribune, Independent, and Athens News.
CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF HELLENIC MEDICINAL-AROMATIC CROPS AND THEIR GASTRONOMIC VALUE

Eleni Maloupa

RESEARCH DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTE OF BREEDING & PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES, GREECE
Dr Eleni Maloupa was born in Chios, Greece. She was admitted and attended a five-year extended course, at University of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and she is bearer of the Honors Degree in Agriculture, specialized in Horticulture. In 1981 she acquired a PhD on Plant Biology and Physiology. She worked in the arboricultural Institute for one year, in the institute of species variety control for two years and then from 1988 since now she works in Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter as a Research Director of the Institute of Breeding & Plant Genetic Resources. She presents a rich activity in the area of publishing its work in international and national magazines, proceedings of Symposia, workshops and meetings. She has been undertaking successfully national and EU projects for many years and she is an official member of various co-operations and networks. Finally, she has a rich background in education.
THE ROLE OF OUT-OF-HOME FOODS IN THE DIET

ERIN GILGAN

NUTRITION, HEALTH & WELLNESS CHAMPION
NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL

Erin Gilgan has been promoting nutrition, health & wellness in the food service and greater food industry for several years around the world.  In her current role as the global Nutrition, Health & Wellness (NHW) Champion with Nestlé Professional, Erin is charged with driving the global NHW strategy within the organisation, as well as, identifying opportunities to support out-of-home operators and partners in navigating nutrition and health in the dynamic food service environment. 

Previous to her current role, Erin was the NHW Champion for Nestlé Professional, North America and an R&D Nutrition Expert in a Nestlé Product Technology Centre based in Germany focusing on global culinary foods.  Before her time with Nestlé, she has also worked in other areas of the industry in various capacities, including as a General Manager for a Canadian restaurant chain and Regulatory Affairs specialist.  Erin is passionate about food, nutrition and public health, obtaining her BSc in Nutrition Science from the University of British Columbia and her Master of Public Health from the University of Liverpool.

TEA-INSPIRED!

Merrill J. Fernando

FOUNDER, DILMAH, SRI LANKA
Dilhan Fernando
DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF TEA, SRI LANKA
Peter Kuruvita
CELEBRITY CHEF, FLYING FISH, AUSTRALIA
Merrill J Fernando founded Dilmah in 1974 by combining the first names of Fernando's sons Dilhan and Malik. It is available in over 100 countries. He is also founder of the MJF Charitable Foundation www.mjffoundation.org and Dilmah Conservation www.dilmahconservation.org, which utilizes revenue from the global sales of Dilmah in implementing humanitarian and conservation projects in Sri Lanka. The MJF Foundation is one of the largest charitable foundations in Sri Lanka and has changed the lives of thousands of underprivileged people, working in the tea sector and in the wider community. Dilmah Conservation operates on a similar principle, using revenue from Dilmah to implement conservation, environmental education, habitat restoration projects and promote sustainability.

Dilhan is the Director of the Dilmah School of Tea www.schooloftea.org, the first international school of tea, with sessions in Colombo, and in partnership with the Institute Paul Bocuse, also in Ecully, France. In addition to his responsibilities in tea, Dilhan also manages the humanitarian and environmental outcomes of Dilmah.  These are the fulfilment of his family’s commitment to making business a matter of human service.

Peter Kuruvita began his love affair with food and passion for cooking in the traditional kitchen of his ancestral home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. After 3 decades as an award-winning chef and restaurateur, Peter has now diversified his career to encompass the roles of TV presenter, author, industry speaker and restaurant consultant.
NOTE BY NOTE COOKING.
A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW CULINARY TREND.

Hervé This

DIRECTOR OF THE AGROPARISTECH-INRA
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR MOLECULAR
GASTRONOMY, FRANCE
Hervé This is  Director of the AgroParisTech-INRA International Centre for Molecular Gastronomy, in Paris. As early as 1980, Hervé This proposed a modernization of culinary activities (“Molecular Cooking”), and created the scientific discipline to be called Molecular and Physical Gastronomy in 1988, with Nicholas Kurti (1908-1998).
MASTER OF CEREMONIES  & HOST FOR THE WORLDCHEFS CONGRESS & EXPO

Jonathan Phang

TV CELEBRITY HOST, UK
Phang is celebrity TV host who has hosted a ten part gastronomic journey through the Caribbean for Food Network UK called “Jonathan Phang’s Caribbean Cookbook”. He is a published cookbook author, of ‘The Pepperot Club’ published by Hardie Grant and Rizzoli. Jonathan’s latest project “Jonathan Phang’s Gourmet Trains”, sees him climb aboard some of the world’s most iconic trains, in a mouthwatering journey across the globe, combined with the romance of train travel.
OLIVE PRODUCTS AND HUMAN NUTRITION – PAST AND PRESENT

Kostas S. Chartzoulakis

RESEARCH CONSULTANT, GREECE
Kostas S. Chartzoulakis is the Ex-Director of Institute for Olive Tree and Subtropical Plants of Chania and international consultant on olive growing. He has organized many international conferences and workshops related to olive growing and olive products, like OLIVEBIOTEQ 2011-Οlive culture, Biotechnology and Quality of Olive Tree Products, ‘Promotion of olive oil to national and international media’, ‘Promotional workshops for extra virgin olive oil: quality and health aspects’, ‘Olive products in Mediterranean diet: Taste, health and quality of life’ etc. He has published more than 56 research papers in SCI international journals, about 160 papers in conference and workshops proceedings and 16 review papers and book chapters with more than 2000 citations. He has participated in 32 competitive projects funded by national agencies, IOC and E.U. He is also reviewer in international scientific journals and invited speaker in many national and international conferences and workshops. Kostas Chartzoulakis is also co-editor of the book ‘Following Olive Footprints: Cultivation and Culture, Folklore and History, Traditions and Uses’.
MONASTIC CUISINE AND MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Monk Epifanios of Mount Athos

GREECE
Today, Monk Epifanios is one of the most coveted cooks in Greece. In Mylopotamos, he took charge of the laborious restoration effort to revive the Monastery, giving Mylopotamos a new beginning. In the same time, with absolute respect to the long time tradition and according to the moral of the elders, he revived the vineyards and built a state of the art winery. Today, he produces the biological wines of "Mylopotamos", which are recognized in international wine contests all over the world. In addition, he continues to cook and he is the writer of the book "The cuisine of the Holy Mountain Athos". His book, is published in Greek, English, German, Russian and Bulgarian language and it is translated in Romanian, Spanish and Italian.
THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE KITCHEN

Thomas Keslinke & Frans van der Lee

FOUNDERS OF CHEF’S ROLL & SOMMS’ LIST, USA
Thomas Keslinke is the CEO and Co-Founder of Chef’s Roll and Somms’s List – global online communities of culinary, industry and wine professionals. These platforms provide members, brands and companies with opportunities to gain both national and international exposure while enhancing brand awareness across the culinary and wine spectrums. Thomas is a veteran hospitality professional with more than 15 years’ experience. He was tapped to help run a $42 Million dollar catering and events operation at Deloitte and Touche’s largest North American office. 

Frans van der Lee is the co-founder and president of Chef's Roll and Somm's Listglobal online networks for wine and culinary professionals. A technology veteran, he cofounded Chef's Roll less than two years ago and has overseen the growth of the platform to include chefs from over 120 countries and a social media following of over 250,000.