Association Partners

RCA is proud to partner with leading organizations across the food, culinary, and product development industries. These partnerships provide valuable networking, education, and professional development opportunities for RCA members while advancing our mission, strategic priorities, and the Culinology® profession. If your association has an interest in partnership, please contact our headquarters team at [email protected].

James Beard Foundation

RCA and the James Beard Foundation share a longstanding partnership dedicated to celebrating culinary innovation, excellence, and the future of food. Through annual events at the historic James Beard House, RCA chefs create unique dining experiences that showcase the intersection of culinary arts and food science while helping support the missions of both organizations and fostering collaboration across the culinary community.

American Culinary Federation

Founded in 1929, the American Culinary Federation (ACF) is the largest professional association for chefs and hospitality professionals in North America. Through this partnership, RCA members may attend the ACF Annual Convention at member rates, and ACF members receive reciprocal pricing for the RCA Annual Conference and Culinology Expo. RCA also presents an annual Culinology-focused educational session at the convention, showcasing the expertise of RCA members and promoting the value of the Culinology profession.

Chicago Section of the IFT

The Chicago Section IFT (CSIFT) is the largest and one of the most active regional sections of the Institute of Food Technologists. Through this partnership, RCA members may attend CSIFT events at member rates, and CSIFT members receive reciprocal pricing for eligible RCA regional programs. Together, the organizations support professional development, networking, and knowledge sharing across the food innovation community.