ICC's Pastry Plus Conference

the International Culinary Center® (ICC®) in New York City, in partnership with Callebaut®, is hosting Pastry Plus, on Sunday, March 29. In its third year, the theme of the conference will reflect “The Business of Taste,” and continue to build a pastry community that promotes a constructive exchange of ideas and information to secure the future of chefs and the niche industry. 

This year’s programming will open with a welcome address led by Founder of ICC’s Pastry Plus, Jansen Chan, followed by an all-female lineup of panel experts Emily Luchetti (Chief Pastry Officer of Big Night Restaurant Group), Lani Halliday (Owner of Brutus Bake Shop), Sherry Yard (Pastry Chef & Author), and Kirsten Tibballs (Pastry Chef/Founder of Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School) as they discuss the business of baking. A series of breakout classes that stem from the pillars of craft, innovation, and workplace are available thereafter curated by pastry legends such as Jacques Torres, Christina Tosi, and Ron Ben-Israel.

Offering an interactive and personal look at forecasted trends, conference attendees can choose three of the nine classes and seminars throughout the day. A sampling of them include: 

• Ruby Chocolate Innovation: International Pastry Chef Kirsten Tibballs, Founder of Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School in Melbourne, leads a class focused on chocolate techniques including use of Callebaut Ruby and Callebaut Gold Chocolate
• Understanding Your Spices: Burlap and Barrel takes you on a journey of spices you thought you knew, and some you’ve probably never heard of before, to explore the impact of single-origin spices
• The Resurgence of Bread: Ryan Morgan from Sixteen Bricks shares his story of a family business, turned leading bakery for the Cincinnati area, embracing the flavor of wheat
• Team Diversity & Inclusion: Jackie McMann-Oliveri educates on promoting workplace diversity and best practices for a productive and inclusive work environment as Director of Talent and Culture for Bobby Flay Restaurants
• Plant-Based Future of Pastry: Plants are the future; Eclipse Foods and Katzie Guy-Hamilton, Author of Clean Enough, discuss the trending plant-based industry and its impact on the pastry market 

Additional activities throughout the day include a keynote address, networking reception and new to 2020, pre-conference Industry Field Trips at Union Square Hospitality Group’s Gramercy Tavern, Daily Provisions and The Modern, as well as Ron Ben-Israel Cakes.

“Pastry Plus is one of the rare opportunities to gather the pastry industry and foster a community,” said Jansen Chan, Founder of Pastry Plus and Director of Pastry Operations at ICC. “It is a reinvestment in our future. With this conference we’re able to connect fellow pastry chefs of all skill sets and give them an opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired by peers and mentors.”

Preceding Pastry Plus on Saturday, March 28, 2020 is Pastryland, a community bake sale presented by ICC that features never-before-tasted creations from more than 20 top pastry chefs. The bake sale will be held from 12 – 3 p.m., with VIP entrance from Noon – 1 p.m., and allows locals and pastry lovers to get a taste of edible works of art for $15 general admission and $50 VIP. All proceeds from Pastryland bake sale will go to charitable partner Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. 

Tickets for Pastry Plus are available now through February 27 for the Early Bird rate of $90 on the International Culinary Center’s website; standard general admission will be $120/ticket come February 28. The package includes: 

• Access to the Pastryland Bake Sale | Saturday, March 28
• All-access pass to the Pastry Plus Conference | Sunday, March 29
• All-Attendee Forum: The Business of Taste, Presented by Callebaut®
• Keynote Address
• Choice of three 75-min Pastry Plus Sessions
• Continental Breakfast & Lunch
• Networking Reception
• Gift Bag

For more information on Pastry Plus and Pastryland, click here.