Food with Purpose: Exploring Health, Functionality and Innovation

Date: October 15-16, 2026
Format: In-person
Presented by: RCA Greater NY/Philly Metro Region
CEUs: 6 CEU
Pricing: Members $75, Non-Members $100, Students $75

Agenda:

Thursday, October 15th -  Seminars

• 12-1:00 Lunch – Buffet Fall Harvest Lunch prepared by students and faculty
  • Lunch speakers (12:30): Industry Education Partnership Opportunities
• 1:00 – 1:55 (+ 10 minute Q&A) – Keynote
• 2:00 – 2:55 - “From Menu to Medicine: How AI and Personalized Nutrition Are Reshaping the Future of Foodservice” with Dr. Junnie Lai
  • Consumer expectations are shifting fast — and personalization is no longer a premium differentiator. It's becoming the baseline. AI is now enabling foodservice operators, menu developers, and culinary R&D teams to move beyond one-size-fits-all nutrition and build systems that respond to individual health profiles, dietary needs, and wellness goals at scale. In this session, Chef Dr. Junnie Lai draws on two decades of experience across culinary R&D, food product innovation, and personalized wellness to show how this is already happening — and where it's headed next. She'll walk through real-world applications of AI in dietary profiling, allergen and ingredient management, and menu adaptation, while making the case that the most effective personalization strategies combine data-driven tools with deep culinary and nutritional expertise. The session will also explore how frameworks like Traditional Chinese Medicine body constitution typing are finding new relevance alongside AI-powered wellness platforms — offering operators a differentiated, culturally intelligent approach to guest health that goes beyond macros and calories.
• 3:00 – 3:55 – “Introduction to Flour: Understanding the Foundation of Baking Success” with Richard Charpentier and Elizabeth Arndt
  • Flour is the foundation of nearly every baked product, yet it is often one of the least understood ingredients in the bakery. This session will provide a practical look at flour functionality and explain how flour selection influences dough handling, processing, product quality, and consistency across a wide range of baked goods. Participants will learn the fundamentals of wheat composition, including the role of protein, starch, damaged starch, enzymes, ash, and moisture, and how each component impacts product performance. The presentation will also explore flour specifications and analytical tools such as protein analysis, farinograph, alveograph, extensigraph, and falling number, translating technical data into practical decisions that improve production. Drawing on nearly four decades of experience in commercial baking, Richard Charpentier, Certified Master Baker and Founder of Baking Innovation, will share real world examples of troubleshooting common bakery challenges, including volume, texture, crumb structure, absorption, mixing tolerance, fermentation, and process variability. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how to communicate with flour suppliers, interpret flour data, and select the right flour for specific applications rather than relying solely on protein content. Whether you work in product development, quality assurance, manufacturing, procurement, or technical sales, this session will provide practical knowledge that can immediately improve product consistency and manufacturing efficiency. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the science behind flour and a framework for making better formulation and process decisions that lead to more consistent, higher-quality baked products.
• 4:00 -5:00 – Drexel Garden Tours & Dessert and Beverage Reception
• 7:00 PM Dinner on Own or Optional Mystery Dine ($120/pp, separate registration required):
  

Register for Mystery Dine Here!

Purchase your ticket in advance, and you’ll be matched with fellow regional attendees at a communal table for a fun meal at a great Philly restaurant. Please note that sales are final, and some dietary restrictions may not be possible to accommodate. Prior to the event, we’ll send you all the details about where you’ll be dining, along with any special instructions. Your $120 registration covers food, tax, and tip for dinner. Beverages must be purchased separately.

Friday, October 16th – Workshops

9-10:30, 10:45-12:15 Rotate halfway

• Ganache and Shelf Life with Chef Rocco Lugrine, Adjunct Chef Instructor at Drexel & Dr. Rosemary Trout, Program Director and Associate Professor Food Science
  • Classic methods for making ganache are fabulous and reliable, but how can we extend shelf life in a time of increasing costs, and changes in ingredient supply, while still maintaining excellent quality and taste? Chef Rocco will present a demonstration on how to vary water activity, sugar, and solids in a ganache to extend shelf life. Rosemary will present the science behind formula variations to extend shelf life of ganache.
• Bakery: Culinary Medicine/Therapeutic Food workshop Brandy-Joe Milliron, Ph.D. and Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., CRC
  • We’ve all heard expressions like “food is medicine,” but is it really? Where does good nutrition diverge from culinary medicine? In this session, review research conducted at Drexel defining culinary medicine and explore the broader food as medicine landscape. Taste therapeutic food alternatives and adjuncts to drugs developed at the Drexel Food Lab in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, United Health Group and other partners. The session ends with a case study and therapeutic food product design sprint.

Speakers:

• Dr. Junnie Lai https://www.linkedin.com/in/junnielai/

Chef Dr. Junnie Lai is a culinary innovation strategist, research chef, educator, and Food as Medicine advocate with more than 20 years of experience in product development, menu innovation, and personalized nutrition. As the founder of Global Cuisine Consulting and Life Personalized, she helps food companies bridge culinary creativity, health, functionality, and commercialization. Her expertise spans global cuisine, functional ingredients, clean-label formulation, culinary education, and wellness-focused product development across foodservice, retail, and consumer products. Holding a PhD in Natural Medicine, an MBA, and multiple culinary and business degrees, she combines culinary science, Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern nutrition, and real-world industry experience. A returning Research Chefs Association speaker, Chef Dr. Lai is passionate about helping food professionals create innovative, personalized food experiences that balance wellness, flavor, and consumer appeal.

• Richard Charpentier https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakinginnovation/ and Elizabeth Arndt https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-arndt-3795771/

Richard Charpentier is a French-trained Certified Master Baker with more than 34 years of experience spanning artisan bakeries, global consumer packaged goods companies, and commercial baking innovation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Bakery Science with a specialization in Cereal Chemistry from Kansas State University, along with a degree in Sales and Marketing from Benjamin Morel in France. As Founder and President of Baking Innovation and former Senior Director of Research & Development at Flowers Foods, Richard helps manufacturers solve technical challenges and accelerate product innovation. Throughout his career, he has developed patented products, improved manufacturing processes, and created innovative bakery solutions for companies including Healthy Choice, Sterling Foods, and Hostess Brands. A dedicated educator, Richard has taught baking science at the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, and other institutions, combining technical expertise with a passion for advancing the baking industry.

Elizabeth Arndt has more than 30 years’ experience developing and testing grain-based foods and ingredients, particularly whole grains, and cleaner-label formulas. Formerly the Director of R&D at ConAgra Mills and PHM Brands, Elizabeth has collaborated with universities on health and nutrition studies on whole grain foods and is a co-inventor of several grain-related patents. She holds a PhD in Grain Science and Industry from Kansas State University and an MSc in Food Science and Technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Elizabeth leads our scientific research and development efforts.

• Dr. Rosemary Trout https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemary-trout-dhsc-68469523/

Dr. Rosemary Trout, Program Director and Associate Professor Food Science, and featured food scientist at Epicurious.com in “Four Levels”, “Pro Novice” and has appeared in other shows at Epicurious and Bon Appetit. She has been a guest on the History Channel and has been featured at Delish.com, and various other media outlets.

• Chef Rocco Lugrine https://www.linkedin.com/in/rocco-lugrine/

Chef Rocco Lugrine, Adjunct Chef Instructor at Drexel, with experience at Le Bec Fin and Brasserie Perrier, executive pastry chef at Miel Patisserie, and as assistant head baker at San Francisco’s Panorama Baking Company, an artisanal bread maker whose renowned products are served at more than 200 of the Bay Area’s top restaurants.

• Joe Milliron, Ph.D. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandyjoemilliron/
• Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., CRC https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-deutsch-ph-d-che-crc-364787/

Thanks to this event's Sponsors!

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RCA Disclosures

• Nonrefundable: Registration fees are nonrefundable, but may be transferred to another person. If RCA must cancel or reschedule the event, your registration will be refunded.
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