12:00 p.m. | REGISTRATION OPENS

12:00-3:00 p.m. | TEXTURE LAB presented by Ingredion

Once you pick up your badge, drop by Ingredion's Texture Lab for an interactive experience exploring next-level textures and their expanding role in modern menu development.

3:30-5:30 p.m. | GENERAL SESSIONS
Sessions include:

Taste the Future: Flavor Trends for 2027 & Beyond, Part 1 — Flavor’s Cathy Nash Holley and Katie Ayoub kick off Flavor Experience with our signature trends forecast. They share an essential look at the flavors, behaviors and menu directions shaping the year ahead and translate emerging signals into clear, actionable menu opportunities. Experience the trends firsthand through interactive tastings, real-time data and audience engagement in this high-energy session that sets the tone for the days ahead. 

The State of the Menu: Navigating Innovation, Value and Change — Datassential’s Megan Lynberg takes the stage with a big-picture, data-driven look at the forces shaping today’s menu landscape. Anchored in menu innovation versus simplification, value pressures and high-level demographic shifts, this session connects the dots between consumer behavior and real-world menu strategy. Expect clear, actionable insights and macro innovation themes that help operators make smarter decisions in a complex, fast-moving environment.  

5:30-7:30 p.m. | SPONSOR SHOWCASE

Kick off the event with trend-forward bites and sips. Set on the VEA’s scenic Sunset Lawn, sponsors bring flavor to life with inspired F&B offerings.

7:00 a.m. | MORNING BITES & SIPS
Light bites and coffee, tea and energizing sips to fuel the day; served al fresco on the Riviera Lawn

8:30-10:30 a.m. | GENERAL SESSIONS
Sessions include:

From Menu to Memory: The Stories That Drive Loyalty — Chirag Nijjer

Why do some menu items stick while others fade? The answer lives in the menu-to-memory gap—the space between ordering once and coming back again. In this session, Chirag Nijjer, the Brand Historian and on-screen commentator for Mega Brands That Built America, brings his expertise in consumer storytelling—shaped through work with brands like Google, Adobe, Shopify and HubSpot—to menu development. Through rapid-fire case studies and consumer psychology, he unpacks the story frameworks that turn dishes into repeat cravings, giving operators a practical way to align culinary and marketing so the story starts on the plate, not in the campaign. 

Texture as Strategy: The New Dimension of Menu Innovation

Texture is emerging as one of the most underleveraged—and most powerful—tools in menu development. In this panel, industry experts explore how texture is moving beyond mouthfeel into a core driver of craveability, differentiation and guest experience.  

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | SPONSOR SHOWCASE

Set outdoors on the Riviera Lawn, enjoy a wide array of trend-forward food and drink from our sponsors

12:00-2:15 p.m. | BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Two one-hour session blocks will offer attendees a selection of focused discussions and experiences, including workshops with Chirag Nijjer and Datassential, operator-led innovation sessions and Flavor’s annual trends roundtable.

2:15-2:45 p.m. | FLAVOR BREAK 

2:45-5:15 p.m. | GENERAL SESSIONS
Sessions include:

Forks in the Road:  The Policy and Economic Forces Shaping Food’s Future — Jason R. Evans, Ph.D 

This session takes a journey through the economic and political winds that have shaped everything we eat—from farm policy and global trade to labor markets and consumer trends. We unpack how today’s food systems came to be and explore the powerful (and sometimes surprising) forces now reshaping the landscape. Dr. Evans digs into what these changes could mean for the future of food and the nature of and need for innovation.  

TikTok Made Me Do It: Decoding Gen Z Through Social Media Fads —Katie Ayoub 
Flavor’s Katie Ayoub takes a fast-moving look at the TikTok trends shaping how Gen Z discovers, craves and talks about food. But this isn’t just a scroll through viral moments—it’s a deeper dive into the psychology behind why certain ideas catch fire. This session unpacks what these signals reveal about identity, value, social currency and more. Walk away with a clearer understanding of how to translate TikTok behavior into meaningful menu strategy. 

The Protein Predicament — Barb Stuckey

Protein has officially crossed over from nutrient to obsession. It’s the macro of the moment, with consumers actively chasing it across dayparts, platforms and menus. But operators are feeling the tension. Demand is up, while costs, sourcing challenges and menu complexity follow close behind. At the same time, the science is still evolving, leaving a lot of questions around how much is enough—and what “better” protein really means. In this session, Mattson’s Barb Stuckey breaks down protein’s expanding role across today’s consumer sets—from GLP-1 users and post-menopausal women to gym goers and everyday consumers embracing high-protein lifestyle diets—and unpacks the emerging frameworks shaping demand, including protein leverage theory. She also explores how protein has become a strategic lever in the age of personalization, as consumers track, share and optimize their intake through apps, wearables and macro-driven lifestyles. 

5:30-7:30 p.m. | SPONSOR SHOWCASE

Take in the sunset on the VEA’s Sunset Lawn while sampling trend-forward food & drink provided by our Pinnacle sponsors.

7:00 a.m. | MORNING BITES & SIPS

Light bites and coffee, tea and energizing sips to fuel the day; served al fresco on the Riviera Lawn

8:30-10:30 a.m.‍ | ‍GENERAL SESSIONS
Sessions include:

Beyond the Plate: Turning New Ideas into Menu Reality — Grace Bryan 

The product development scope is widening far beyond recipe formulations as we enter a bold new era of new product development.  Juicy Brick’s Grace Bryan dives into global case studies redefining our industry, moving past legacy comfort drivers to explore how evolved form-factors, revolutionary packaging and “functional maxing” shatter the constraints of the traditional menu. Grace bridges the gap between viral moments and long-term strategy, looking at everything from mood-boosting innovation to the blurring lines between QSR and retail. This session challenges the “safe” option, spotlights winning concepts and leaves you with fresh inspiration to take into the year ahead for your own menu development.  

Culinary Keynote:
From Tradition to Translation: A Culinary POV with Chef Gilberto Cetina

In this one-on-one conversation, Gilberto Cetina, a James Beard-award nominated chef, shares his culinary point of view, unpacking how he filters Mexican flavors and ingredients through the distinct lenses of his two L.A. restaurants: Holbox and Chichén Itzá. Holbox, his seafood-driven concept, has earned a Michelin Star in both 2024 and 2025 and was named “L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year.” Chichén Itzá, the family’s Yucatán-focused restaurant, has been named among the top Mexican restaurants in the U.S. by outlets like GQ, Hispanic Magazine and the Los Angeles Times, underscoring its role as a foundational voice in regional Mexican cuisine. In this session, Cetina discusses his culinary focus, which ranges from seafood-driven Yucatán specialties to broader expressions of Mexican identity on the plate. Drawing from a broader range of culinary influences beyond Mexico, Cetina shares how storytelling, community connection and cross-cultural inspiration shape his approach to menu development and brand building. 

 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | SPONSOR SHOWCASE

Set outdoors on the Riviera Lawn, enjoy a wide array of trend-forward food and drink from our sponsors

12:15-1:15p.m. | TASTING TOOLBOXES

In these concurrent quick-fire sessions, attendees get a look “behind the curtains” at initiatives driving sponsors’ product development, and how these can spark inspiration, present solutions and menu-building opportunities. Each 10-minute interactive tasting demonstrates value and insight aimed at helping inform menu-development decisions. 

1:15-1:30 p.m. | FLAVOR BREAK

1:30-3:00 p.m. | GENERAL SESSIONS
Sessions include: 

Mixed Signals, Clear Opportunities: Navigating the New Consumer Landscape — David Portalatin
Today’s consumer is more intentional—and more complex—than ever. In this forward-looking session, David Portalatin shares the latest data and insights from Circana, including an historic decline in calories per capita and the rise of portion-conscious behavior driven by both health and cost. At the same time, on-premise dining remains a bright spot for indulgence, beverage innovation is surging and brands that deliver on value and experience are pulling ahead. This session unpacks the contradictions shaping demand and translates them into clear implications for menu strategy and growth. 

Taste the Future: Flavor Trends for 2027 & Beyond, Part 2
Cathy Nash Holley and Katie Ayoub close out this year’s sessions with a fresh lineup of flavor trends shaping menus now and next. This fast-moving session pairs sharp insight with interactive tastings, bringing each trend to life and translating emerging signals into clear menu opportunity. 

3:30-6:30 p.m. | OFF-SITE FLAVOR EXPERIENCES
Join the Flavor team for curated tasting adventures that spotlight the area’s trend-forward culinary scene.

7:00-10:00 p.m. | FLAVOR WRAP COCKTAIL PARTY 
Close out the 2026 Flavor Experience over drinks, light bites, music and sunset vistas from the VEA’s Marea Lawn.