Food Tourism Conference Announces New Speakers, Tickets on Sale

PROVIDENCE, RI – Taste Trekkers is set to take the stage as the nation’s first food tourism conference in Providence, RI. Taking place Friday, September 20ththrough Sunday, September 22nd, the conference will unite travelers who share similar passion of food and travel. Tickets for the conference go on sale Thursday May 23rdat noon (EDT). Tickets start at $65 and are available at http://tastetrekkers2013.eventbrite.com.

Four new speakers are joining the already star-studded line-up to highlight the food tourism trend. The new additions to the program include:

• Sam Poley, Director of Marketing and Communications at Durham Conventions and Visitors Bureau, was a longtime chef in North Carolina. Hailed as “the South’s tastiest town” by Southern Living Magazine, Durham is currently focusing on culinary tourism for its restaurants, with Sam leading the charge.

• Richard Gutman has written four books on the journey of the American diner and is known as the leading diner expert. Gutman is also the director and curator of the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales and has been since 2005.

• Meghan Sheridan is the Executive Director of the Vermont Fresh Network and a member of the Vermont Agriculture and Culinary Tourism Council. Through her work at the Vermont Fresh Network, she aims to link Vermont’s culinary arts with Vermont’s agricultural bounty by connecting farmers, food producers and chefs, an authentic expression of eating the landscape.

• Joyce Weinberg, a seasoned food industry professional with 20 years of varied experience, is now the owner of City Food Tours & Events. Joyce has managed Fortune 500 confectionery and dessert businesses, designed and managed her own restaurant, bough chocolate and candy for Bloomingdale’s, sold gourmet chocolate throughout the United States, run her own chocolate brokerage firm and has taught restaurant design, marketing, management and strategy at New York University. As well as an author and restauranting expert, Joyce currently runs Springboard Strategies, a marketing consultancy.

These notable speakers join the already announced line-up of chefs, restaurant owners, distillers and more, including: two time James Beard Foundation Best Chef Northeast nominee Matt Jennings of Farmstead, the brainpower behind Providence’s Trace and Trust Program, Michael Clayton, former manager of Aroa Fine Chocolateand culinary instructor, Tim Brown, National Vice-President of the United States Bartenders’ Guild, Frank Martucci, Master Distiller of Thomas Tew Rum, Brent Ryan, and co-owners of Los Andes in Providence, Omar and Cesin Curi.

Along with a key note speaker, panel discussion and breakout sessions, the conference will feature a cocktail reception, a tasting pavilion, a food truck court and group dinners throughout downtown Providence, the city ranked #1 for Food/Drink/Restaurants in Travel + Leisure’s “America’s Favorite Cities 2012.”

Tickets for Taste Trekkers go on sale Thursday May 24, 2013 at noon (EDT). To purchase tickets, visit http://tastetrekkers2013.eventbrite.com. For more information, please visit http://tastetrekkers.com/.

About Taste Trekkers

Taste Trekkers, the nation’s first food tourism conference, is produced by Seth Resler. Resler is the founder of the nationwide social dining group Mystery Meet, which brings together adventurous foodies for a night of social dining at the hottest restaurants. Resler has been involved in the production of hundreds of events, including the WBRU Summer Concert Series, the New England Nightclub and Bar Expo, and the Global Institute for Leadership Development. His events have been recognized by the Mayor of Providence with a Citizen Citation.

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