The PCG Symposium, scheduled for Sunday, March 15 at Johnson & Wales University, has been cancelled.
JWU has been monitoring the impact of COVID-19 and assessing information shared by federal public health officials. All university events scheduled to be held on campus with an attendance of 50 or more are cancelled for the spring term.
We understand how disappointing this is for attendees, presenters and supporters of the local food movement, but we agree with their decision.
Many thanks for your understanding.
PCG Symposium Sessions
Sunday, March 15 • Johnson & Wales University • Charlotte
Premium All-Morning Session – 8:00am – 11:30am
Whole Animal Butchery & Lecture
In an extended, all-morning session, see how to break down a whole hog and learn the differences in techniques for butchering fresh cuts compared to the cuts and muscles commonly used for charcuterie and salumi. Different parts will be prepared for cures and a tasting of finished products will be provided at the end to compare the various techniques explained during the class.
In addition, there will be a discussion on whole carcass utilization as well as the issues and opportunities affecting ethical meat on your menus.
Limited to 20 registrants (no auditing).
Instructors
Steven Goff
Chef/Owner – AUX Bar | Brinehaus Meat & Provisions
Steven Goff is the Co/Owner and Executive Chef of AUX Bar as well as Brinehaus Meat and Provisions, an Asheville based food truck. Steven is responsible for day-to-day management of operations, marketing, menu design, business development and cooking classes. He is former head butcher of Standard Foods in Raleigh and former Executive Chef/Owner of the King James Public House in Asheville. Goff’s work has been mentioned in Food and Wine Magazine, Bon Appétit, Garden and Gun, as well as many local publications. Steven has worked in various aspects of the hospitality industry for over 20 years and holds degrees in Culinary Arts as well as Baking and Pastry.
Meredith Leigh
Author, Butcher, Ethical Meat Advocate
Over the past 17 years, Meredith Leigh has worked as a farmer, butcher, chef, teacher, non-profit executive director, and writer – all in pursuit of good food. She is the author of The Ethical Meat Handbook: A Complete Guide to Home Butchery, Charcuterie, and Cooking for the Conscious Omnivore, (3rd place, MFK Fisher Award 2015) and Pure Charcuterie: The Craft & Poetry of Curing Meats at Home. Meredith travels worldwide teaching charcuterie, food production, and system thinking as applied to our food future. She also pursues writing and editing, namely of poetry and nonfiction focused on the intersection of land and people, and land and the culinary sphere.
Session A – 8:00am – 9:00am
Wooing Investors The Right Way
The quickest way to get investor money? Put in the work. With words. Don’t worry — we’ll show you how. We’ll talk through how to build a pitch deck that celebrates your business while highlighting investment potential.
Instructors
Rachel Sutherland
Owner – Rachel Sutherland Communications
Before founding her public relations company, Rachel Sutherland Communications, Rachel was a journalist for more than thirteen years. She proved a quick study for assessing news value in a crowded marketplace. Simply, she knows what works. The Michigan native is a graduate of Wayne State University, and lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and two children. She is a member of the Piedmont Culinary Guild board of directors, and has served on the board of directors of Tri It For Life and RAIN. Rachel and RSC have been recognized repeatedly by the Public Relations Society of America, taking top honors in the Queen City PR Awards.
Fermentation for Flavor & Preservation
Learn how to use fermentation techniques to transform your cooking. Demonstrations include different formats of fermentation from lacto ferments, vinegars, sauerkraut and kimchi. Receive recipes and applications you can use to add unique flavors to enhance your recipes.
Instructors
Charles Gardiner
Executive Chef – The Club at Longview
Charles Gardiner comes from a family of chefs – including his father and younger brother. His resume includes stints at The Biltmore in Asheville, NC as well as some of the USA’s top country clubs.
Logan Wright
Chef De Cuisine – The Club at Longview
Piedmont Pasta
In this hands-on class participants will learn new methods for filling pasta preparations from Northern Italy using artisanal Carolina grains, including Tortellini en Brodo and Agnolotti de Plin Burro e Salvia.
Instructor
Fred Tiess
Associate Professor – JWU / Charlotte
Fred Tiess is a third-generation entrepreneur who teaches at Johnson & Wales University in the Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship Program. He is a WACS Certified Master Chef who has helped food entrepreneurs build pathways to success. He was the former Executive Chef at the Founders Inn, lead the apprenticeship program at the Greenbrier Resort, and has been behind the line for the past forty years from New York to Palm Beach.
Organic Farming through Community Supported Agriculture
Learn how Wild Hope Farm uses regenerative agriculture and permaculture design in their diversified vegetable, laying hen, and flower farm in Chester, SC, to build soil health and turn the land into a productive operation through Community Supported Agriculture. The session covers how the land was transformed into a working farm – from the early stages of planning and design work, to the day-to-day harvesting and field work.
Instructor
Katherine Belk
Farmer/Owner – Wild Hope Farm
Katherine Belk has a background in marketing, business development and design research, tackling the finance and operations side of the farm, while also building the brand, hosting events, digging in the dirt, and selling products in local markets.
Totally Wasted: Reassessing Your Waste Stream
In a wasteful, fast paced, quick service culture, what can we all do to divert food and materials from the waste stream that end up in a landfill? It all starts in the kitchen and ends in community efforts to repurpose food. Hear from an expert chef, a social entrepreneur, a regenerative farmer, and waste stream experts as we explore ways to limit food waste while making a difference in our community and for the environment.
Moderator
Julia Simon
Chef/Owner – Nourish
Chef Julia fell in love with food while living and studying art in New York City. Constantly broke as an art student, she often innovated creative vegan dishes in her tiny apartment’s kitchen after being inspired by the vibrant culinary scene in the city. When she and partner Erik moved to Charlotte in 2009, she found work quickly as a vegan/vegetarian/farm to table-focused personal chef. Flash forward to 2012, she met then-business partner Laura Neff, who put a fulfillment system to Chef Julia’s culinary creations – and Nourish was born. In 2014,
Nourish now ships over 1000 servings of vegan, organic, healthy fare a week to homes and offices all over the county and southeast United States, is heavily involved in the regional vegan community, and sponsors Charlotte Vegfest, of which Chef Julia is board president.
Panelists:
Walker Spruill / The Green Assistant
Kristopher Steele / Crown Town Compost
Eric Mathis / Miracle Grounds Network
Shawn Jadrnicek / Wild Hope Farm
James Yoder / Not Just Coffee
Kim Aprill / Feeding Charlotte
Session B – 9:10am – 10:10am
Story Telling Through Social Media
Social Media is one of the best ways to promote your business, but not everyone can hire a firm to manage this. Learn how to build a successful strategy on your own. Topics include: Curating Content; Posting Strategies; Social Media Profiles; The Importance of responding to comments and messages; and Helpful Tools: Canva, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Falcon, etc.
Instructors
Callie Wamsley
Account Director – M-Squared Public Relations
Callie Langhorne she leads day-to-day communications efforts for a handful of the city’s top restaurants and lifestyle brands. She has been recognized by Charlotte Agenda as a “top 30 under 30” professional in the Queen City and a “Phenom” by The Mecklenburg Times for her work with local brands. Inspired by the hospitality and marketing industries, Langhorne brings gumption, creativity and a passion for people to her role as Account Director.
Allie Papajohn
Founder – Eatdrinkclt
What started as a way to share her photos of food without flooding her personal feed has turned into a passion project and “full-time hobby,” Allie Papajohn is the creator of the Instagram account EatDrinkCLT. She works with local restaurants to promote food and drink offerings and ultimately uses the account to share her obsession with eating. Her Instagram account has accumulated over 52,000 followers in just over five years.
Seafood Efficiency & Cost Analysis
Buying whole fish is a great cost savings. Learn how and where to buy whole fish, how to break it down and cook it.
Instructor
Rodney Roden
General Manager – Saltwater Markets
Rodney has been working in the restaurant industry for over 22 years. From the kitchen as a chef to the front of the house as a general manager. In 2009, Rodney made the jump into seafood sales, and then species information specialist after a 4 year stint as a seafood butcher for restaurants in Charlotte. In 2011 Rodney opened Lucky Fish with a partner, serving farmers markets around the region.
Today, Rodney is the general manager of Saltwater Markets which is a retail seafood market serving Gaston and York Counties.
Baking on Fire
Learn how to make a standard dough and create two different types of breads using The Big Green Egg.
Instructor
Shai Fargian
Executive Chef/Partner – Yafo Kitchen
Originally from Israel, Chef Shai Fargian focuses on authentic, thoughtfully-crafted Mediterranean cuisine and is widely recognized for his creativity and amazing flavor profiles.
The Brain of the Gut: A Lesson in the Neurology of Poop
Your brain controls your digestive system, but what impacts how your brain controls it?
Instructor
Dr. Grant Lisetor
Greater Life Chiropractic
Dr. Lisetor is an expert of upper cervical, Thompson, and Gonstead adjusting techniques. These techniques are some of the oldest in the chiropractic profession, which through years of research have become the most effective and reproducible techniques. They are all gentle, low force, high speed techniques. He also has advanced training in neurology, adjusting children, and pregnant women. His dedication and expertise allow him to deliver the highest quality of care – allowing the sick to become well and the well to stay well from the inside out.
Session C – 10:20am – 11:20pm
Say Grace: How The Restaurant Business Saved My Life
An intimate insight into Steve Palmer’s descent into substance abuse, the journey back to sobriety, and his passion for the industry that broke him and then ultimately saved his life. Don’t miss this an inspiring hour as he shares his story and his further commitment to combating the elevated rates of addiction within the restaurant industry – a conversation that has come to the forefront in recent years as part of the call for a new, more sustainable hospitality culture.
Instructor
Steve Palmer
Managing Partner – The Indigo Road Hospitality Group
Owner of O-Ku, Oak Steahouse, Indaco, and other restaurants in Charlotte, Charleston, and Altanta, Steve Palmer has been recognized by the New York Times, L.A. Times, NPR, Southern Living, Food & Wine, the James Beard Foundation, and Forbes Small Business Giants for his growing presence in the hospitality industry, as well as his charitable and community efforts – most recently been named a 2020 James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalist in the “Restauranteur” category. In 2016, Palmer cofounded Ben’s Friends, the food-and-beverage industry support group offering hope, fellowship, and a path forward to industry professionals struggling with substance abuse and addiction. He has presented on addiction in the industry at TEDx Charleston and various culinary events.
Botanical Beverages: A Taste through History
This session covers the history of vinegar based drinks – as well as the components, methods, health benefits, and brewing techniques. A recipe will be created and brewed using wild and cultivated local ingredients of the area. Attendees will leave this session with the knowledge to feel confident about making their own Shrubs, Switchels, or Oxymels at home.
Instructor
James Swofford
Owner – Old North Shrub
Known as The Chef’s Farmer, Jamie Swofford grows heirloom produce and boutique ingredients on his family’s farm in Cleveland County for chefs in the Piedmont and foothills of North Carolina. Before he became a farmer, Swofford spent nearly two decades as a chef throughout the Southeast and abroad. Equipped with a wealth of experience, a deep culinary understanding and a desire to preserve traditions rooted in Appalachian culture, he continues to explore food in all of its facets; from the field to special events and his own line of artisanal products under the name Old North. His love of food extends far and wide.
Determining The Price of Food
Everything has a price and good food is no exception. How do farmers determine the price of their products and what factors are considered? Regardless of regenerative or sustainability based goals and practices, if your business spends more than it makes, eventually it will not be around to achieve those goals. Explore the variables that help determine how much customers need to pay in order for that crop to pay you!
Instructor
Emma Hendel
Farmer/Owner – Fair Share Farm
Originally from Prince George’s County Maryland, Emma Hendel has lived and worked in states from Connecticut to Texas and even spent a year in Hong Kong teaching English as a second language. While attending college at Elizabethtown in Pennsylvania pursuing a degree in Social Studies Education, Emma started to become aware of food system and agricultural issues and has been hooked ever since. Along with her husband, Elliot Seldner, Emma runs Fair Share Farm, LLC growing and distributing produce for Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Charlotte.
Financial Sustainability for You and Your Business
Do these questions keep you up at night? “When will I be able to retire? I want to expand, but can we afford it? Will I qualify for the credit needed to open another location? What happens to my business if something happens and I have to take time off, or if I lose my key employee?” In this session, you will learn strategies to protect, grow, and maximize the business you have worked so hard to build.
Instructors
Deidra Willis, CFP, CLU
Financial Advisor – Northwestern Mutual
A Mississippi native, Deidra Willis started her financial services practice in 2012. Prior to Northwestern Mutual, Deidra held various roles with International Paper, including Financial Analyst, Internal Auditor, and Business Development Manager. With her true passion of financial literacy and appetite to equip others in building wealth never escaping, Deidra’s practice is in constant growth mode and values working with professionals on the move.
Mikaela Frederick
Financial Advisor – Northwestern Mutual
Since moving to Charlotte from Minneapolis in 2015, Mikaela has built one of the most successful female-owned Financial Planning practices in the city. Specializing in working with small business owners from a diverse array of industries, Mikaela’s team is focused on building long-term on-going relationships with each of their clients. Mikaela’s ultimate mission is to empower her clients to live their lives by design, rather than default.
Session D – 1:55pm – 2:55pm
Don’t Hurry, Be Happy
This session explores simple, but effective steps to be less tired, more alert, and happier in your 2020 business and life.
Instructor
Mary Brooks
Owner – Sustainable Nutrition | FuelBetterFormula
Mary Brooks, M.Ed is dedicated to help people overcome auto-immune issues, digestive issues, fatigue, weight gain, and burnout.
She has a Master’s in Health Education from the University of Virginia and is a certified Integrated Nutrition Coach with over 28 years experience in the health coaching field. Mary has helped hundreds of people achieve remission as well as reach their wellness goals. She is a thyroid cancer survivor who used her experience of being underserved by conventional medicine to help facilitate better healing for others.
You Don’t Know Jacked! Jacked Alcohol, 100 Years in the Making
Explore the rise and fall of Applejack in America before prohibition and have a tasting of a traditional Applejack – Applejohn and a distilled applejack in three forms of unaged, bourbon barrel aged 18 months @ 104 proof, and 114 proof. A unique chance to taste the difference in jacked and distilled alcohol from the same ferment. Come taste the only spirit invented in America, Applejack.
Instructor
John Holman
Founder – Holman Distillery
John Holman CSS, Certified Specialist of Spirits, is the founder of the only commercial producer of traditional Applejack. Originally from Reidsville N.C, he holds a BA in Chemistry from UNC Chapel Hill and lives on a 90-acre farm on the Brushy Mountains of N.C. Applejack became a passion as fate brought story to opportunity for a young distillery that only makes unique spirits from fruits. John brought out the first traditional Applejack in over 100 years after prohibition killed traditional Applejack production.
Principles to Produce Nutrient Dense Food
A continuation of the Keynote Address. Nutrient Dense crops are the byproducts of well-functioning biological systems. This session covers a number of critical environmental conditions and management practices necessary for the production of these more flavorful, aromatic, nutritious, pest and disease resistant harvests.
Instructor
Dan Kittredge
Founder and Executive Director
Bionutrient Food Association
Dan Kittredge has been an organic farmer for more than 30 years. Known as one of the leading proponents of “nutrient density”, Dan has worked to demonstrate the connections between plant health, soil health, carbon sequestration, crop nutritional value, flavor, and human health.
The State of Food Media in Charlotte, A Candid Conversation
Members of Charlotte’s food community discuss the state of food media In Charlotte. Writers, chefs, and social media experts will share how influencer culture and restaurant criticism can shape the culinary narrative of a city. The session will examine the history of food media in Charlotte and assess the way our current climate helps or hurts our collective culinary culture.
Moderator
Kathleen Purvis
Food Writer
Kathleen Purvis is an award-winning food writer. Recently stepping down as the Food Editor for The Charlotte Observer after a 34-year stint at the paper, she is currently involved in several writing projects. She is the author of several books, most recently Distilling the South: A Guide to Southern Craft Liquors.
Panelists:
Helen Schwab / Food Journalist
Keia Mastrianni / Food Writer
Katy Kindred / Kindred
Kristen Wile / Unpretentious Palate
Corri Smith / Black Wednesday
Wild Fungi Foraging
Learn about some of the more common edible wild mushrooms that can be found in the southeastern US. Attendees will be given a description of discernible identification features and a description of flavors, textures, and potential health benefits.
Instructor
Scott Phillips
Forager
Scott Phillips has been hunting and identifying wild mushrooms for almost two decades and holds a DHEC certification in wild mushroom identification and toxicology. He has been an avid wild edibles forager for more than twenty years.
Session E – 3:05pm – 4:05pm
Aquaponics: In Theory and Practice
As we face the depletion of our natural seafood species, an increasing human population, and dwindling fresh water supply, we must look at new ways to produce food. Aquaponics combines fish production and vegetable production in a symbiotic ecosystem. This talk will include the “why” and “how” of aquaponics from the backyard scale to the commercial venture.
Instructor
Sam Fleming
Executive Director – 100 Gardens
A native Charlottean, Sam Fleming grew up a competitive swimmer and spent summers with his grandparents in Elizabeth City helping his grandfather with his garden and shelling butter beans with his grandmother. In 2017, Sam presented the 100 Gardens vision at the Charlotte TEDx event. 100 Acres provides learning experiences in STEM, nutrition, and environmental studies by implementing aquaponics programs in schools.
Mindful Midday Meditation
End the day with a relaxing, guided mediation to recharge the mind and body.
Instructor
Allison Modafferi Brewster
Central Peace Yoga & Ayurveda
Will I Ever Have a Full Staff?
Low unemployment rates are changing who and how restaurants hire. Join us for discussion centered on what’s behind the labor shortages, and what you can do about it.
Moderator
Kristen Wile
Editor / Founder – Unpretentious Palate
Kristen Wile is the former editor of Charlotte Magazine. She felt traditional media outlets were cutting costs too much to provide the ethical and consistent food journalism readers crave. Unpretentious Palate is old-school reporting and restaurant criticism on a new platform. Before her time at Charlotte, she worked at The Washington Post.
Panelists:
Jamie Lynch / 5 Church
Oscar La Fuentes / Queen City Catering
Bruce Moffett / The Moffett Group
Tara Ebersold / Bleu Barn Bistro
Michael Bowling / Hot Box Next Level
Gin: Picking through the Botanicals
Gin is a lot more than juniper! A look at all the botanicals that go into the making of American style gins – in particular, Conniption American Dry & Navy Strength gins – crafted in Durham, NC. Conniption Navy was just named the best Navy gin in the USA for the second year in a row. In this session, attendees will focus on picking out single botanicals to craft cocktails using local ingredients.
Instructor
JaQuan Bowser
Brand Ambassador – Durham Distillery
JaQuan Bowser is a noted Charlotte area mixologist and wine expert. Certified by the Society Wine Educator, he was formally Spirits Lead at The Ballantyne Resort and can now occasionally be found behind the stick at The Spindle Bar in Charlotte’s Optimist Hall. As Brand Ambassador for Durham Distillery, he provides educational and promotional support for the distillery’s full line of spirits.