USPCA National Conference in Hot-lanta!

Chef Mark with other members of the "New York Delegation" at the USPCA conference.

I attended the US Personal Chef Association National Conference in Atlanta July 22-25, 2005. It was an amazing weekend, chock full of great info, classes on different aspects of the Personal Chef business, recipes, sharing, and of course, meeting lots of great personal chefs from around the country.

Highlights of the conference:

The "Vegan Makeover" class - strategies for adapting favorite recipes for vegan clients. I got some great recipes for tempeh and tofu, and I even learned how to make seitan from scratch. I'll feature some vegan dishes in future entries. Thanks to Chef Sheri Lazar of The Blissful Palate in Ann Arbor, MI

Meeting "Chef and the Fatman" radio host Kevin Jenkins, and sitting in on the live recording of their broadcast, featuring Virginia Willis, TV producer and author, and "Farmer" Lee Jones, proprietor of The Chef's Garden, a sustainable farm "growing vegetables slowly and gently, in full accord with nature." you can find the broadcast at www.chefandthefatman.com

Dining at the Imperial Fez Moroccan Restaurant, sharing and talking with Chef Rafih Benjelloun, whose passion for life and food comes through his dishes. This was a wild party, served in a traditional Moroccon style, seated on luxurious rugs and pillows around a table, eating with the right hand in the Moroccan tradition. Chef Rafih took time to share with us about his recipes, influences, and passions. He even played drums while the fabulous belly dancer performed the sword dance and the fire dance. Chef Rafih never missed a beat, despite having more than 20 professional chefs in his dining room that night! www.imperialfez.com