ACF/KY Chapter present the 4th Annual "Menu Trends" seminar

ACF Kentucky Chapter presents the 4th Annual Menu Trends Event

"The Casualization Megatrend"

The Kentucky Chapter, American Culinary Federation and Gordon Food Service cordially invite you to enjoy an evening of food, fellowship and idea sharing on Tuesday, November 9th, 2010, featuring an educational seminar with Corporate Consulting Chef Gerry Ludwig, CEC.
Reception 6:00 PM, Presentation 6:30 PM at
Gordon Food Service
Distribution Center
342 Gordon Industrial Drive
Shepherdsville, KY 40165

The Casualization Megatrend
Menu parts are blurring. Humble ingredients are getting big flavor treatments. Long menus are growing scarce. And restaurant tables are covered with sharing plates. These are just a few of the aspects of the Casualization Trend, and all segments of the foodservice industry are being affected.

Join Chef Gerry as he takes you on a whirlwind street-level journey through leading edge restaurants in New York, Chicago, and the West Coast. Along the way he will cite dozens of best examples of the increasingly casual cuisine that is satisfying consumer demand for flavor and value.

Prior to the seminar, local chefs will be serving a buffet dinner featuring a wide assortment of dishes from Gerry's presentation.
As a bonus R&D tool, all attendees will receive a CD containing the plate photos from the presentation with complete descriptions, as well as menu scans from the highlighted restaurants.
Additionally, all ACF members will receive a certificate for one Continuing Education Hour at the completion of the seminar.

Please RSVP now!

Seating for this annual event is limited, and always fills fast! To ensure your seat, please RSVP to robert.granberg@gfs.com as soon as possible.

This event is open to ACF members, students, non-members, and anyone interested in learning more about the ACF and the hottest trends in the culinary arts. Again, membership is not required to attend, but an RSVP is. Don't delay!

Chef Gerry's Menu for the Evening:

Appetizer Table

Pork Fried Almonds
Roasted Garlic, Fried Rosemary

House Made Pickle Display
Italian Sour Mix, Southern Style Sweet Mix, Barrel Cured, Pickled Grapes

Mortadella Smear
Cracked Pistachios, Balsamic Syrup, Sourdough Toast

Sloppy Bao
Red Curry Pork, Pickled Green Mango, Thai Basil


Dinner Buffet

Sage Wrapped Lamb Polpetti
Cucumber Lemon Labneh

Crispy Pig Tails
Soy Mirin Mop, Asian Red Pepper Glaze

Fried Smoked Pork Shoulder
Spicy Paprika Sauce

Beef, Prosciutto, Carrot and Rapini Meatballs
Sharp Provolone Cream

Calabrese Potatoes
Roasted Garlic Aioli

Braised Black Kale
Butter Beans, Cured Chorizo

That's a sexy little menu there...

Hmmm . . . pickles and potatoes. After 30 years of eating vegetarian all over this city and many others, and really never having a serious problem, I find it really hard to believe that at a chef event there is so little food diversity.

::steps down off soapbox::

Hehe...

(does the pork dance)

Hmmm . . . pickles and potatoes. After 30 years of eating vegetarian all over this city and many others, and really never having a serious problem, I find it really hard to believe that at a chef event there is so little food diversity.

::steps down off soapbox::

I'll get in touch with Chef Gerry so we can accommodate you if you come again this year, If you RSVP, Make a note to Rob who is coordinating the event. Because of what happened last year is the big reason why I posted the menu.

I'm not trying to be a wet blanket; but "All Things Pig", Meatballs and simplified Spanish food are really hot right now. And while your it's choice to eat vegetarian, the overwhelming majority of the dining public isn't. Most chefs will be happy to prepare something for the random vegetarian that dines at their establishment, but any vegetarian item I've ever put on a menu just kind of languished. There's a big reason why 732 Social and the Blind Pig are doing really well and the Swan Dive went out of business.
This is a seminar about what is current for the majority of dining public. I'm sure that if there is a big wave of vegetarian cuisine that becomes trendy and the next big thing, then that will be a subject of discussion at one of the future programs.
All things considered, I really hope that you come anyway as your ideas on this subject are always welcome and I enjoy your company

What is the cost and how long is the presentation? I'm assuming dinner is after the presentation.

Reception 6:00 PM
Presentation 6:30 PM

Prior to the seminar, local chefs will be serving a buffet dinner featuring a wide assortment of dishes from Gerry's presentation.

None of the timing is adding up to me.


ACF Kentucky Chapter Meeting – November 9th, 2010
Reception and Welcome at 6:30 PM
Program Begins at 7:00 PM

http://www.acfkentucky.org/acfkentucky. ... rends.html

Fair enough, Dan.

PS the owner of the Swan Dive has other career interests. The place was doing quite well.

None of the timing is adding up to me.

Sorry for the confusion. Firstly there is no charge for this event.

As far as the start times...Here's a little less vague idea of what will happen.
We will start the reception with meet and greet and a pretty impressive spread of snacks when people start arriving around sixish. The buffet dinner will start around sevenish or so; when hopefully, the majority of the attendants have arrived. After everyone goes through the line then we will have a brief chapter business meeting followed by Chef Gerry's presentation which usually lasts about an hour. Then there will be the opportunity to tour the GFS Distribution Center which is a very impressive operation as it's largely automated.
Here's a link to pictures from last year's event....

http://www.acfkentucky.org/acfkentucky. ... 009.html#9
I hope this helps.

I hope this helps.

Very much so. Just sent my RSVP.

To clarify the time issue:

6:00 Reception
6:30 program begins (ACF related)
7:00 Menu Trends Presentation begins. (Approx. 1 hour)

I have not corrected the time typo on the ACF Kentucky website - will add it to my to-do list for the morning!

I was just wondering if anyone else who sent an RSVP has heard back yet. I am highly interested in bringing one or two of my chefs to this event. Wasn't sure what my chances were with the limited seating, but I did RSVP as soon as the post went up. Let me know if any of you have gotten response yet.

I was just wondering if anyone else who sent an RSVP has heard back yet. I am highly interested in bringing one or two of my chefs to this event. Wasn't sure what my chances were with the limited seating, but I did RSVP as soon as the post went up. Let me know if any of you have gotten response yet.

I didn't hear back and Dan told me I wouldn't. The RSVP is for food quantity more than anything.

Thanks for the heads up Justin. I assume we just show up and and sign in when we get there then?

I will get with Robert Granberg, who is coordinating the RSVP's for this event, and make sure we get some sort of confirmation sent out. I am glad to see forum members interested in attending. Please, bring your chefs! If we fill up quickly, we'll make more room. It's the last-minute burst of 20-30 people that really gums up the works.

Anyone with further questions or thoughts on this event can contact:
Robert Granberg, robrert.granberg@gfs.com
or myself,
Bret Donaldson, bret.donaldson@acfkentucky.org

Looking forward to seeing everyone out!