Category: Speakers Page 7 of 11

Director, Concept Strategies, af&co.

Candace leads the Concept Strategies team at af&co., an innovative restaurant and hospitality consulting firm, headquartered in San Francisco with clients across the country. In this role, she works with celebrity chefs, restaurateurs, hotels and other companies to develop, launch and refine new restaurants and culinary experiences. The team has developed brand strategy for a range of clients from billion dollar corporations to small, owner-operated properties to Silicon Valley start-ups.

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Dir. of Business Development, Value-Added Fresh; Corporate Executive Chef, Naturipe Farms,

An executive chef for more than two decades, Jill is the Director of Business Development for the Value-Added Fresh division of Naturipe Farms and the Corporate Executive Chef.  After attending UMASS-Amherst and graduating with honors from the Culinary Institute of America, she launched her career in New York City by helping to open Osteria del Circo, the sister restaurant of Le Cirque. She has worked as the Executive Sous Chef at the Telluride Film Festival and opening Executive Banquet Chef at The Getty Museum, Brentwood, CA; Executive Chef at DreamWorks Studios, Burbank, CA; Executive Chef at McMurdo Station in Antarctica and Executive Sous Chef at the Ross School in Easthampton, Long Island.

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Chief Executive, Church Brothers Farms

Steve Church was born and raised in the Salinas Valley, and has been a part of the produce industry for more than 50 years.  When Steve was 15 he worked in the lettuce fields where he learned his work ethic.  Steve graduated from Arizona State University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business.

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Global Food Innovation & Operations, Starbucks

Stefano Cordova is the Vice President of Global Food Innovation & Operations for Starbucks. He began his education in the basement of his family’s bakery and uncle’s pastry shop, then was formalized at the Culinary Institute of Rome.

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