WASHINGTON, D.C.—Kendall College and the National Restaurant Association, through its Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative, have joined as co-founding sponsors of the International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium (IFSS), which will be held May 24-25, 2011 in Chicago, immediately following the NRA Show 2011.
Developed by Railing & Associates, IFFS is the first conference of its kind to focus exclusively on the more complex sustainability issues such as emerging technologies, green building and perhaps the most highly nuanced subject of all—sustainable food.
“The IFSS will provide foodservice professionals with the information and tools they need to make critical decisions about complex sustainability issues,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Assn. “We have identified sustainability as a key industry imperative in our multi-year strategic plan, and are committed to educating our members on how to increase environmental efforts and boost their bottom line. This symposium is set up to give attendees the objective information they need to find the answers that work for them.”
Giant Step in Sustainability Journey
“For the last several years, I’ve traveled the country talking about sustainability as a journey composed of baby steps,” said Christopher Koetke, Dean of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and Laureate International Universities Vice President of the Center for Culinary Excellence. “The IFSS is an opportunity to take a giant educational leap that will support your sustainability journey for years to come.”
As a sneak preview of things to come, the conference will kick off with a keynote address by Dr. Fred Kirschenmann, a pioneer in sustainable farming who served on the National Organics Standards Board and helped write the standards for certified organics. He’ll talk about sustainable agriculture and what it really means. Is it organic? Is it biodynamic? Is it local? Could it even be conventional agriculture?
The IFSS begins at 3 p.m. at Kendall College on May 24, immediately after the close of the NRA Show 2011 and it will conclude late the next afternoon. For more information, go to www.ifssymposium.org. Attendance is limited to 150 people.
