Jill Rohrbach, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food will host the 2017 Northwest Arkansas Culinary Summit Oct. 5-7 in Bentonville

Through a combination of lecture and hands-on culinary instruction, attendees will learn how to prepare low-cost, delicious, and culturally-relevant meals at Brightwater’s state of the art culinary center. Other topics of discussion will be how innovative food-focused programs at hospitals, family medical centers, retailers and community organizations are changing patient outcomes, and how community colleges are poised to be the catalyst for dynamic change in healthcare by looking at food as medicine, and linking culinary arts, nursing and allied health. Click here to download the full conference schedule.

The summit is for doctors, nurses, physician assistants, dieticians, public health advocates, foodservice professionals, and community college administrators. Registration is $100 and includes Bentonville activities. Registration for the optional Continued Medical Education training via Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine is $200 per day. Click here to register.

Speakers include:

  • Dr. Timothy Harlan, MD of The Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine: Tulane University School of Medicine. The center offers an innovative program teaching medical students about diet and lifestyle that bridges the gap between the basic sciences, clinical medicine, the community and culinary education. Medical students work side-by-side in the kitchen with culinary students to teach each other and, most importantly, teach the community and patients how to return to their kitchens and transform their health.
  • Chef Leah Sarris, also of The Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine: Tulane University School of Medicine
  • Glenn R. Mack of Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food
  • Chef Lauren Altimont, also of Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food
  • Executive Chef Matthew Cooper of The Preacher’s Son restaurant in Bentonville
  • Jay Amargos, Founder and Chief Mindful Officer
  • Tomiko Townley and Emily Deymaz of Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance
  • Pearl McElfish, MBA, MS, PHD, Associate Vice Chancellor, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus
  • Aria Kagan, as seen on The Food Network’s “The Next Food Network Star”
  • Emily English MPS, MPH, Program Administrator in the Childhood Obesity Prevention Research Program at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute
  • Sergio Montoya, Chef at Aria Hotel in Costa Rica

Those attending the Summit will find plenty to do in Bentonville outside of the sessions. Visit amazing museums (Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 21c Museum Hotel, Scott Family Amazeum,  Museum of Native American History and the The Walmart Museum), stroll public gardens, or take in some arts and entertainment ( Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Walton Arts Center, and Arend Arts Center). Outdoor adventure including hiking, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, rafting, and canoeing. Click here to download a Travel Guide.Â