James Beard Foundation EVP to discuss the evolving role of chefs at Cornell student-run conference
Mitchell Davis, journalist, author, scholar, and executive vice president of the James
Beard Foundation, is confirmed to speak at the 89th Annual Hotel Ezra Cornell, a student-run industry conference at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. This year's conference centers around the theme "Food for Thought" and focuses on healthy eating trends in the hospitality industry and the country as a whole.Davis, who earned his
PhD in Food Studies from New York University and his BS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University, will return to campus March 20-23, 2014, to discuss the evolving role of chefs in today's culinary world."The rarity of items enhances their
preciousness and value," said Davis. We live in a society today where unhealthy products are so readily available and, as such, have become too integrated into our everyday diet. "The externalities of health" are not included in product pricing, which supports our unhealthy habits.Davis, along with other industry leaders,
believes that healthy foods should be available to people across economic strata. He firmly believes that it is "our basic right to eat well." It is the duty of politicians and industry leaders alike to "bridge the gap of human demarcation caused by food."With chefs viewed as celebrities today, they now have a "platform to voice their
opinions," said Davis. The move toward less-processed, more-natural foods in today's most esteemed restaurants is the first step. "Chefs now have the opportunity for positive social and political impact." If dining out becomes a healthy choice, the industry may evolve entirely.Mitchell Davis will speak on Friday, March 21, during
the conference. To find out more about Mitchell Davis and the rest of the HEC speakers, visit the event website.About the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration is the premier school for hospitality education in the world. As an integral part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the school is leading the world in teaching and researching the business of hospitality—marketing, finance, real estate, operations, and more, all applied to the world’s largest and most exciting industry. Top faculty, industry leaders, alumni, and students work together to generate new knowledge for the hospitality industry and form the premier network that shapes the industry every day.
