Renowned Restauranteurs & Industry Experts Host Four Day Event to Educate Culinary Entrepreneurs on Successful Business Operations

HOUSTON, TEXAS – According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2024 Industry Report, restaurateurs are facing increasing challenges where 98% of operators experienced higher labor costs, 97% cited higher food costs, and 38% experienced lowered profits. In this moment of heightened importance, Feed the Soul Foundation will continue its mission to provide training solutions for food businesses by hosting its second Global Culinary Conference.

Co-Founders of Black Restaurant Week, Falayn Ferrell, Warren Luckett, and Derek Robinson

This premier four-day, in-person business development conference will take place in Houston, Texas, from Sunday January 26, 2025, to Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The event will kick off with the inaugural Heart & Soul Dinner at the historic El Dorado Ballroom in Houston’s vibrant Third Ward on Sunday, January 26, followed by three days of dynamic business workshops.

Renowned chefs, including the trailblazing Chef Dayanny De La Cruz, Vice President of Culinary for Levy and the first female chef to lead the culinary operations for the Super Bowl, will join Houston’s exceptional culinary talent: Chef Emmanuel Chavez of Michelin Star-awarded Tatemó; Chef Patti Delgado, Executive Chef of The Original Ninfa’s on Uptown; Winner of Food Network’s “Chopped” series Chef Shannen Tune of Craft Burger; award-winning Executive Chef Mark Holley of Davis Street at Hermann Park; and Chef Chris Williams, classically trained and the visionary founder of Lucille’s Hospitality Group, Late August and Lucille’s 1913. Together, they will curate an unforgettable five-course dinner that promises a thrilling, globally-inspired culinary adventure.

This event will bring together the community for an unforgettable evening. Our Dinner Chairs—Elise and Gaynell Drexler, along with Brittany Gilmore—will help set the tone for a night of celebration and unity.

A portion proceeds will directly support scholarships for underrepresented culinary and hospitality students at culinary art programs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

The business workshops will be held from 9:00AM – 5:00PM CT [registration and welcome breakfast at 7:30AM CT] at Rice University’s Anderson-Clarke Center. The training sessions include an intensive two-day BOOSTCAMP business development program, as well as an immersive two-day LAUNCHPAD training experience, designed to equip participants with the tools and insights needed to start or accelerate their food business. After each day of training sessions, attendees can enjoy networking opportunities at happy hour receptions hosted by local restaurants, including Buena Vista Cuban Cafe-Downtown, The Lymbar and Late August in the Ion, and Cafe Moca.

On Monday, January 27 and Tuesday, January 28, BOOSTCAMP will offer a high-energy training, tailored business coaching, game-changing growth panels and interactive master classes to develop sustainability in operations to assist existing culinary business owners with scaling their ventures to the highest level.

On Tuesday, January 28 and Wednesday, January 29, LAUNCHPAD will offer dynamic training experiences for aspiring food business owners and professionals ready to start their culinary ventures.

Participants will engage in targeted culinary business workshops, immersive masterclasses, and personalized business coaching, equipping them with the essential skills and strategies to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Interactive breakout sessions and complimentary breakfast and lunch from notable Houston-based minority-owned restaurants will complete the experience.

Esteemed industry leaders, including James Beard Award-winning chef, New York Times bestselling cookbook author, TV personality, and cultural tastemaker Chef JJ Johnson, will impart invaluable expertise on strategies for scaling and driving sustainable growth.

Each keynote will provide exclusive business strategies that have shaped their careers:

Chef JJ Johnson, celebrity chef and owner of FIELDTRIP, will detail his inspirational tale of business growth and address the journey of licensing.
Chef James Tahhan, winner of three Daytime National Emmy Awards, Venezuelan chef and TV personality of “Be Latina” on Lifetime, will advise participants on branding and launching consumer packaged goods.
Restaurateur Gocha Hawkins, visionary owner of Gocha’s Breakfast Bars & Gocha’s Tapas Bars in Atlanta, will provide lessons in creating a hospitality group during her “Lessons I’ve Learned” keynote.

“The Global Culinary Conference is about building the foundation for thriving, sustainable restaurants,” said Juana Collins, Executive Director of Feed the Soul Foundation. “With over 40% of attendees traveling to Houston from across the country last year, our conference is becoming a national hub for culinary professionals who are eager to share insights and resources as they navigate the ever-changing industry together. We witnessed an incredible sense of community come to life as bonds were formed to inspire, learn, and uplift one another.”

Attendees will gain valuable insights through in-depth sessions designed to help grow and launch a culinary business. Topics include securing funding, building business credit, hiring the right team, crafting effective marketing strategies, and optimizing business operations. The sessions will feature peer-to-peer learning led by accomplished restaurateurs from across the country, including Jessica Perjes of Tacotlán in Chicago, Zak Wallace of Local Green in Atlanta, Chris Goode of Ruby Jean’s Juicery in Kansas City, and Sarah Lieberman and Chef JC Ricks of Dandelion Cafe in Houston.

The Global Culinary Conference’s 2025 full agenda is now live HERE. Participants can select the dates and programming that best suit their interests.

Feed the Soul Foundation appreciates the support of our sponsors including Sysco, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, H-E-B, Tower Insurance & Financial Services, LLC., Brentwood Baptist Church, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Frenchy’s, Hildebrand Foundation, Teal Holdings, and MIKASA Hospitality.

For more information about Feed the Soul Foundation’s Global Culinary Conference and to register, please visit Global Culinary Conference | Feed the Soul Foundation.