The Piedmont Culinary Guild Food and Beverage Symposium returns to Johnson & Wales University on Sunday, March 15. Local chefs, farmers, mixologists, marketers, and other culinary professionals will gather to celebrate the current food and beverage environment and provide enlightening discussion on a variety of topics.

The theme of this year’s Symposium is The Future of Food, which will take guests on a journey of how our “food landscape” is changing.

The day begins bright and early with a continental breakfast while attendees trickle in for registration. Those who bought tickets to this year’s special Whole Animal Butchery session with Chef Steven Goff of Aux Bar in Asheville will spend the morning learning from the master. Meredith Leigh, author of The Ethical Meat Handbook and Pure Charcuterie, will join Chef Goff for discussion on ethical meat.

Twenty-three additional seminars will run throughout the day, all concerning either culinary, agriculture, business, or wellness. Guests can choose their class of choice in each time slot. Options for pre-lunch learning include Organic Farming Through Community Supported Agriculture, Baking on Fire, Story Telling Through Social Media, and Determining the Price of Food.

The midday keynote address guest will be Dan Kittredge, founder and executive director of Bionutrient Food Association. His work in organic farming led to the Real Food Campaign and a prototype for a spectrometer that can test nutrient density of your food.

Lunch will be provided by members of Raza and will showcase Latin American cuisine from the Charlotte area.

After the feast, classes will resume. Highlights include Wild Fungi Foraging, Mindful Midday Meditation, and Gin: Picking Through the Botanicals. Guests can stick around for a reception at the end of the day.

Tickets are still available! Reserve your spot and create your schedule here.