ark your calendar, book your flights and get your tickets as it is time for what we feel is an absolute must attend industry event, the Starchefs.com’s International chefs congress. This is one event we look forward to attending each and every year as it is unlike almost every other food and beverage event.

Editor-in-Chief Antoinette Bruno and Managing Editor Will Blunt founded the International Chefs Congress in response to a growing frustration within the chef community with the lack of serious platforms for peer-to-peer dialogue about the latest ideas, trends, and everyday challenges of the increasingly complex culinary industry. We whole-heartedly agree, as most of the industries events just seem to miss the mark and end up being promotional festivals for suppliers and sponsors.

The congress delivers on its premise to deliver something different as the three day event not only gathers some of the worlds best industry experts it is well organized, fun and packed full of opportunities to learn from the masters. Many sessions are hands on and offer unique opportunities to get up close and personal with industry icons on familiar ground. The individual class sessions are kept small to insure an open exchange within the groups, which adds immensely to the experience.

Leading international and U.S. chefs will gather for this years conference September 20-22, 2009 in New York City. The world’s most revered chefs will share their latest ideas and techniques with 1,500 of their culinary peers conducting live cooking demonstrations, lead hands-on workshops, and discuss the current culinary environment.

A committee of celebrated chefs including Daniel Boulud (Daniel, New York) Wylie Dufresne (wd~50, New York), Paul Liebrandt (New York), Jose Andres (The MiniBar, Washington, DC), Josh DeChellis (La Fonda, New York), Marcus Samuelsson (Aquavit, New York), Norman Van Aken (Norman’s, Miami), Iacopo Falai (Falai, New York), Ken Oringer (Clio, Toro, La Verdad, Boston), Rick Moonen (RM Seafood, Las Vegas), Sam Mason (Tailor, New York), Traci Des Jardins (Jardiniere, San Francisco) and Junior Merino (The Liquid Chef, New York) will host this year’s Congress, at the historic Park Avenue Armory.

More on the Chefs Congress