Craft Beer Rising to the ICC Occasion in NYC October 2-4

6th Annual International Chefs Congress (ICC) will be held at the Park Avenue Armory in NYC on October 2-2, 2011

Starchefs.com ICC theme for 2011 is the sixth sense: intuition, emotion, and experimental evolution in dining.


I am excited that Craft Beer will be at the Bar@ICC this year! Any brewery interested in participating should contact Will Blunt at the ICC office in NYC 212-966-3775, and secure your spot! Here are some details from the 2010 ICC.

The three day 2011 International Chefs Congress includes a product fair (with culinary equipment & products and craft beer!), 80 demonstrations and panels by culinary trade, for the trade, the 2nd Annual Pastry Competition (with 20 international pastry chefs), 2nd Annual Somm Slam (12 competitors compete over 3 days), the VitaMix Challenge (6 finalists go blender to blender), showcased decor by the winners of Design Competition, receptions and afterparties, and the NYC Rising Stars Gala & Awards on Tuesday evening.

from Starchefs.com, The 2011 ICC lineup includes preeminent figures in the food and beverage industry including

• Grant Achatz (Alinea),
• Andoni Luis Aduriz (Mugaritz Restaurant),
• Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana),
• David Burke (David Burke Kitchen),
• François Chartier, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre (L’Air du Temps),
• Curtis Duffy (Avenues),
• Pierre Hermé (Pierre Hermé Paris),
• Bill Kim (Urbanbelly and Belly Shack),
• Paul Liebrandt (Corton),
• Tony Maws (Craigie On Main),
• Ron Paprocki (Gordon Ramsay at The London),
• Gilles Verot (Gilles Verot), and
• Chris Young (Intellectual Ventures) - part of the team behind of the Modernist Cuisine!

One session on my mind is Burger Pairing Showdown: Beer vs. Wine

• Fred Dexheimer of Juiceman Consulting - New York, NY
• Adam Fleischman of Umami Burger - Los Angeles, CA
• Michael McAvena of The Publican - Chicago, IL

I have high hopes for beer and that Michael will take down Fred, so this will be interesting.

Another session that piqued my intersest is on Tuesday afternoon -- Je Ne Sais Quoi: Feminine Finesse in Mixology

• Christy Pope of Cuffs & Buttons - Brooklyn, NY
• Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club - New York, NY
• Naomi Schimek of The Spare Room - Los Angeles, CA
• Katie Stipe of Last Call Consulting - New York, NY

There are a few women on the ICC presenters rooster (including Chef Elizabeth Falkner, Chef Stephanie Izard, and many women in the wine and spirits industry). As a member of

• Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Association,
• American Cheese Society (women dominate artisan cheese!),
• Pink Boots Society -- women in the brewing industry, and the
• Brewers Association,

I take notice if women are speaking or on the rooster, and who is attending.

The Grand Finale of ICC is the Rising Stars, and it is nice to see several women chefs in the 2011 NYC lineup: Chef Hilliary Sterling of A Voce and Pastry Chef Jenny McCoy of Craft. The 2011 NYC Rising Chefs Gala and Awards Ceremony is Tuesday, October 4th.

ICC Passes are on sale now. Get your 3-day ticket (Oct 2-4) for the limited-time discount price of $450 for working restaurant pass and $795 for 3-day industry pass. October 4th -- NYC Rising Star Tickets: $150 per person; $200 VIP admission which includes private reception, tasting preview, Champagne and Petrossian caviar.

Some of my favorite companies are sponsors:

• Nueske's Smoked Meats (got Applewood Smoked Bacon!),
• Wisconsin Cheese, and
• Emmi Roth Kase

Bonus -- they all have products with umami, which strikes a cord with beer! Here is a great article by Charlie Papazian about Beer and Umami flavors (umami is the 5th sense ~ perfect flavors and pairings to bring to ICC and the 6th sense theme!) I gave a beer & umami flavors presentation at the Great American Beer Festival in 2009, albeit it was called beer and comfort food (bacon, cheese and chocolate).

Friends in the brewing industry, here is your chance to bring your beer to the culinary plate, come meet and network with the movers and shakers in the restaurant industry -- sign up as a sponsor! Chefs, Mixologists & Sommeliers, get to know your favorite brewers and their beers, encourage them to participate in ICC, and please include beer on your wine & cocktail lists!

I'll see you in Gotham at ICC. Cheers!

tags: #craftbeer @star_chefs @chocolatestout @WisconsinCheese @Nueskes @pinkbootsbeer