
INTL
SOUS
VIDE
DAY
New for 2025!
INNOVATION DAY
The Past, Present, and Future of Food
JANUARY 27, 2025
The Cuisine Solutions team – as well as various chefs within the sous vide industry – hosted this educational event, to learn about culinary innovation and the future of food. Innovation Day featured:

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
A special keynote address from industry leader Luigi Bonini.

FIRESIDE CHAT
Chef Scott Conant on his career and what the future of food looks like in his world.

INDUSTRY PANEL
Insights from contributors who utilize sous vide in various sectors.

INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES
How Cuisine Solutions delivers unparalleled sous vide products to top-tier corporate clients and directly to consumers.

HANDS-ON BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Led by the Cuisine Solutions’ team for an interactive learning experience.
Keynote Speaker

Luigi Bonini
Throughout his career, Luigi has been fueled by a relentless passion for creating transformative innovations that invite customers to immerse and continually rediscover themselves in unparalleled experiences. Having led product experience, R&D, and engineering teams in some of the world’s most iconic brands across diverse global markets, including the US, Asia, the Middle East & Africa, and Europe, Luigi bring a wealth of cross-cultural expertise to the table. His strengths lies in identifying and crystallizing opportunities through deep human insight, technical expertise, and business acumen.
1:1 Fireside Chat

Scott Conant
Scott Conant, a Culinary Institute of America graduate and acclaimed chef, is renowned for soulful Italian cuisine and leadership. A longtime judge on Chopped, he owns restaurants like Mora Italian and Cellaio. Conant’s ventures include the Sprezza pantry line and three cookbooks, embodying his philosophy of savoring food’s pure pleasure.
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Scott Conant brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating soulful food in a convivial atmosphere. With a career spanning more than 34 years and an ever-expanding brand, Conant has established himself as one of the world’s leading chefs.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Conant built a reputation for outstanding leadership and culinary creativity early in his career, running the kitchens of famed Italian spots such as il Toscanaccio, Chianti and City Eatery, all of which earned glowing reviews throughout his tenure.
Conant officially put his name on the map when he opened the beloved L’Impero in 2002, which garnered a three-star review from The New York Times, the title of “Best New Restaurant” from the James Beard Foundation and praise from top publications such as Gourmet and Food & Wine; the latter naming him “Best New Chef” in 2004.
Following the success of L’Impero, Conant opened Alto, an elegant Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Always looking to raise the bar, Conant eventually moved on to bring his own vision of sophisticated, savory Italian cooking to life. In February 2017, he opened Mora Italian, a modern osteria in Phoenix, Arizona, and in April 2018, he debuted Italian steakhouse Cellaio at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York.
In 2018, Conant launched his Sprezza line of cooking and pantry essentials, bringing his passion for food culture into homes and giving fans an opportunity to cook with authentic Italian flavor in their own kitchens. The Sprezza collection of nine sauces, spreads, olives and more embody the three tenets of Conant’s brand — honesty, integrity and soul.
Conant is well known for his Food Network appearances, including his long-running role as a judge on Chopped for over a decade. In 2020, he began hosting the dessert-themed spinoff Chopped Sweets and has also served as host of Best Baker in America seasons 2 and 3, Topgolf’s Chef Showdown, and as a recurring co-host on Beat Bobby Flay. In addition, Conant has made frequent guest appearances on The Today Show, Rachael Ray Show and Good Morning America, among others. He has published three cookbooks: New Italian Cooking, Bold Italian and The Scarpetta Cookbook.
As chef Conant continues to embark on new opportunities, he looks forward to sharing his enduring philosophy: savor the pure pleasure of food, down to its last taste.

Miguel Franco
Miguel Franco serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Cuisine Solutions, the global leader in sous vide food manufacturing and technology. Appointed to the CCO role in 2021, Franco previously served as the company’s Senior VP of Business Development. His journey with Cuisine Solutions began in 2007 as Director of Logistics.
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In his current position, Franco oversees the company’s global commercial strategy and development, playing a key role in expanding market presence and developing strategic partnerships with foodservice operators, retailers, and other sector leaders across the globe. Under his leadership, the CSI sales team brings Cuisine Solutions’ innovative sous vide products to diverse markets, including restaurants, hotels, airlines, and retail establishments worldwide.
Panel Speakers
Leaders from across the industry come together to talk about where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

Scott Conant
Scott Conant, a Culinary Institute of America graduate and acclaimed chef, is renowned for soulful Italian cuisine and leadership. A longtime judge on Chopped, he owns restaurants like Mora Italian and Cellaio. Conant’s ventures include the Sprezza pantry line and three cookbooks, embodying his philosophy of savoring food’s pure pleasure.
Read More
Scott Conant brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating soulful food in a convivial atmosphere. With a career spanning more than 34 years and an ever-expanding brand, Conant has established himself as one of the world’s leading chefs.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Conant built a reputation for outstanding leadership and culinary creativity early in his career, running the kitchens of famed Italian spots such as il Toscanaccio, Chianti and City Eatery, all of which earned glowing reviews throughout his tenure.
Conant officially put his name on the map when he opened the beloved L’Impero in 2002, which garnered a three-star review from The New York Times, the title of “Best New Restaurant” from the James Beard Foundation and praise from top publications such as Gourmet and Food & Wine; the latter naming him “Best New Chef” in 2004.
Following the success of L’Impero, Conant opened Alto, an elegant Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Always looking to raise the bar, Conant eventually moved on to bring his own vision of sophisticated, savory Italian cooking to life. In February 2017, he opened Mora Italian, a modern osteria in Phoenix, Arizona, and in April 2018, he debuted Italian steakhouse Cellaio at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York.
In 2018, Conant launched his Sprezza line of cooking and pantry essentials, bringing his passion for food culture into homes and giving fans an opportunity to cook with authentic Italian flavor in their own kitchens. The Sprezza collection of nine sauces, spreads, olives and more embody the three tenets of Conant’s brand — honesty, integrity and soul.
Conant is well known for his Food Network appearances, including his long-running role as a judge on Chopped for over a decade. In 2020, he began hosting the dessert-themed spinoff Chopped Sweets and has also served as host of Best Baker in America seasons 2 and 3, Topgolf’s Chef Showdown, and as a recurring co-host on Beat Bobby Flay. In addition, Conant has made frequent guest appearances on The Today Show, Rachael Ray Show and Good Morning America, among others. He has published three cookbooks: New Italian Cooking, Bold Italian and The Scarpetta Cookbook.
As chef Conant continues to embark on new opportunities, he looks forward to sharing his enduring philosophy: savor the pure pleasure of food, down to its last taste.

Marc Ehrler
A Master of Food Arts, Chef Ehrler, he has been praised by media, critics and celebrities. Chef Ehrler has been featured in Wine Spectator, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Gourmet, Tattler and The New York Times, as well as, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, the Discovery Channel’s “Great Chefs of the world”, Best 10 Restaurants in the World, CNN International, the Food TV Network.
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He has participated multiple times in the James Beard House “Best Hotel Chefs Series” and semi-finalist best chef of the Southwest. Chef Ehrler is the only Chef to have received two AAA 5 Diamonds awards for 2 different restaurants within the same Hotel and has received the coveted Master Chef of France title in 2002 and recognized by the Culinary Academy of France. Leading up to Vice President Culinary-Corporate Chef Americas, for Hilton Worldwide, Chef Ehrler was President of Culinary development and innovation for NDB brands and NDB International, Corporate Chef for Loews Hotels and resorts, executive chef at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, executive chef with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, La Samanna a Rosewood Hotel on the Island of St. Martin, the K-Club on Barbuda a Bel Air hotel; the Stonehouse Restaurant at San Ysidro Ranch, a Relais et Chateaux in Santa Barbara, California; Antoine at Le Meridien in Newport Beach; La Terrasse at Le Juana in Juan les Pins, France; Westbury Hotel in New York; Maxims de Paris in Paris and New York; Hotel de France in Auch, France.

James Field
James Field serves as the Chief Innovation Officer for Jersey Mike’s, leading the brand’s efforts to enhance guest experiences and drive growth through innovation. With a focus on technology, menu development, and operational efficiency, Field plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the beloved sub sandwich franchise.
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A seasoned leader with deep expertise in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Field is passionate about leveraging cutting-edge solutions to meet evolving consumer demands while maintaining Jersey Mike’s commitment to quality and community. His collaborative approach ensures alignment across teams as the brand continues its trajectory of success.

Jeff Gell
Jeff Gell joined BCG Chicago in 1999 and is a managing director and senior partner in the consumer, PIPE and corporate finance and strategy practices. He was previously BCG’s global transaction and integration excellence leader, global consumer products sector leader and corporate strategy topic leader.
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Jeff has worked in a broad range of consumer-facing industries, including foods, beverages, snacks, foods, paper products, household products, personal care products and consumer durables. He has worked for large publicly-traded companies, large family-held companies and sponsor-owned businesses. He has worked across geographies, including North America, Europe and developing markets.

Christian Pratsch
Christian Pratsch is Vice President of Food and Beverage Operations for Norwegian Cruise Line, overseeing the conceptualization and execution of its innovative food and beverage program across 750 venues, 19 ships, upcoming vessels, and private island destinations.

Shane Schaibly
Since joining First Watch, Chef Shane has shifted his focus from fine dining to breakfast, brunch and lunch. During his tenure with First Watch, Shane has strategically overhauled the brand’s culinary approach, beginning with the rollout of an industry-leading Fresh Juice platform.
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Using the juice program as a foundation, he curated a new Crafted Cocktail platform, strategically introducing alcohol to more than 300 First Watch restaurants for the first time in the company’s over 35-year history. Shane also spearheaded the brand’s seasonal menu program, introducing five seasonal menus throughout each year utilizing on-trend, seasonal ingredients and recipes that continue to elevate the brunch experience and differentiate First Watch from industry competitors. In 2021, Shane was honored on Nation’s Restaurant News’ Chef Power List and, in 2022, his limited-time-offer creation, the Short Rib Omelet, was recognized with a MenuMasters Award by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Panel Moderator

Cathy Nash Holley
Cathy has been Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Flavor & The Menu since its inception in 2000. With its annual Top 10 Trends issue, Flavor & The Menu is a valuable resource for the foodservice industry, serving as a source of flavor and menu trends. In addition to overseeing the media brand, Cathy also serves as President of the Flavor Experience, and is past-president of the International Foodservice Editorial Council. Prior to Flavor, Cathy worked as an editor for National Fisherman and Seafood Business magazines, as well as publisher for the California Foodservice Soucebook. A native of the west coast, she lives in Maine with her husband and business partner Lex and is mom to twin Gen Z-ers.
INTERNATIONAL SOUS VIDE DAY
A Celebration of Global Culinary Innovation
Get ready to be captivated by innovative cocktails, rich flavors, and exceptional cooking techniques that make sous vide an unforgettable culinary experience.
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