Arizona Food Service Network

The Arizona Food Service Network is a connection hub designed for community engagement. Our focus is on the food, food service, and food science communities in Arizona.

Cactus Section IFT Suppliers’ Night 2016

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The Cactus Section IFT invites you to participate in our Suppliers’ Night Expo—a fun and unique industry show where professionals attend to discover the latest ingredients and new concepts in the food industry.  We had a successful event last year and look forward to another one this year!

Invited attendees include people from the food service, dairy, meat, seafood, bakery, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.

As we grow as a chapter, we hope to establish a community of food science experts. This event serves to expose your business and services to other sectors of the industry. We look forward to partnering with you and hope to see you at our 2016 Suppliers’ Night Expo!

Learn more here.

Cactus IFT Meeting, Scottsdale CC Culinary Arts w/ RCA Overview

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The History of the RCA & its Certification Programs for Chefs and Food Scientists

Speaker: Susan Murray, CRC and Co-founder of the RCA

Thursday, February 18, 2016 from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Schedule
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm – Doors open, Check-in, Networking/Socializing
6:00 pm – 7:45 pm – 5 Course Dinner
– Desert Oasis Facility Tour
– Presentation by Susan Murray
– Culinology in Action!! Interactive Mixology Session
7:45 pm – 8:00 pm – Closing remarks and Depart

Learn about the Research Chefs Association (RCA), Culinology, its history and benefits of having an IFT and RCA dual membership from Susan Murray, CRC. She is a founding and/planning commission member of the Research Chefs Association.  Her 35+ years in the food industry began with a food and nutrition focus in public health. Following culinary school, she pursued food product development for 12 years, then corporate culinary training. During the past 12 years, her focus has been on combining culinary, technical, and “people” skills in creative sales roles. Based in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Susan currently works for Northwest Naturals, creating and selling custom juice formulations to the food and beverage industry.

Dinner Menu
Appetizer
Shrimp Provençale
Soup
Cream of Wild Mushroom
Salad
Southwestern Sonoran baby romaine, peppers, goat cheese & orange vinaigrette
Entrées
*Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin -Dauphinoise potato & spinach sauté, espresso & green peppercorn cream sauce
*Prosciutto Wrapped Smoked Chicken -Marsala sauce over a stuffed breast of chicken with sautéed spinach & leek
*Pan Seared Swordfish -Emperors rice, haricots vert, saffron broth
Dessert
Chef’s Special Sample

Feb. 16, Cactus IFT Collaborating to ensure food safety from concept to consumer

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Thursday, February 16, 2017

5:15 PM – 8:00 PM

Phoenix City Grill,  Bethany East Shopping Center

5816 N 16th St

Phoenix, AZ 85016

Edith Wilkin is coming to talk with us on this important subject

We will start with some social time, then have a lovely dinner (see menu options HERE), followed by in-person learning from Edith (more about Edith HERE)  on Food Safety & Collaboration.  Edith is a well sought after speaker on this subject and we are thrilled to have her coming.
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Click HERE to reserve your spot today!

Door Prize Donations and Corporate Sponsorships available. More Info.

Other Events on the Horizon!

Cactus IFT Suppliers’ Night 2017
Tuesday, March 28th INFO HERE
Education session on GMO/non-GMO labeling.  Vendors gathered in one hall.  Meet with existing.  Find new.  Get the latest on new ingredients and more!

Cactus IFT Happy Hour & Networking

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Thursday, March 16, 2017, from 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Grassroots Kitchen & Tap
2119 E. Camelback Rd. Ste. A21, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Meet, greet & network with food industry professionals in Arizona
Come and go at your convenience.
FREE APPETIZERS!
RSVP Appreciated. Walk-ins Welcome.
————————————————————–
Menu

Appetizers are on us! We’ll have a variety. They should be good..
Drinks are on you! Ok, only your drinks are on you. Bring card or cash to cover.

RSVP Here

Cactus IFT Annual Kick-Off Event, Sept. 21

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The Annual Cactus IFT Kick-Off Even is scheduled for September 21, 2017 and will be held at The Yard/Culinary Dropout in Tempe.  This meeting kicks-off the Cactus IFT calendar year and one that really covers what the organization has done the prior year, the goals for the next year, learn more about the IFT, learn more about each other through introductions, and networking.

Free appetizers, cash bar.

Register here.

Cactus IFT Happy Hour at Joyride Taco

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Thursday, March 15, 2018 from 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Join us for a happy hour at Joyride Tacos!

Joyride Taco House is the perfect sort of place you hope to discover with friends. The vibe draws you in, the food blows you away with its freshness and the cocktails are sublimely delicious.

We won’t blame you if you don’t want to leave. Order a few more of those tasty tacos, signal your server for another icy refreshment, lean back in your chair and enjoy the ride. From all of us at Joyride Taco House, we are super stoked that you are here!

Party starts at 4:30pm to 7:00pm. But you can show up any time you’d like.

Coming Attractions!

Suppliers’ Night:
April 17th, 2018 – Find solutions, make contacts & expand your skill set at the Vendor Expo, Education Session & Happy Hour.

Register HERE:

Joyride Taco House Central
5202 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012

2018 Cactus IFT Suppliers’ Night

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FREE! Education Session! Vendor Expo! Post-Expo Mingle!
Find solutions you need right now. Touch base with vendors! Make valuable professional connections!
(Note to Vendors: Booth registration is HERE.)

Education Session, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Topic: R&D and Marketing: Finding a Common Language
Expert Speaker: Mary Christ-Erwin (bio below)

Expo Floor, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Our expo floor boasts over 90 vendors from across the food and nutritional supplement industries and related fields. It is a great place to connect with and grow your industry resource network.

Post-Expo Mingle, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Happy Hour at the Aloft Phoenix-Airport. Appetizers on us! The Aloft Phoenix-Airport is just a mile from the event venue is a great place to kick back, relax and make connections. (address: Aloft Phoenix-Airport, 4450 E Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85034)

[Read more..]

Cactus IFT Presents: Food Evolution Film Screening

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Cactus IFT is hosting a film screening of the new Documentary FOOD EVOLUTION. Come join your peers at FilmBar, and enjoy an engaging and educational film, which will be followed by a group discussion and networking. Round up your colleagues, family, and friends and bring them with you to what is sure to be a exciting night out.                                                                 
Delicious tamales and popcorn will be available, and your first drink is ON US!

Click here to RSVP!

ABOUT THE FILM:
From Academy Award® nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy (THE GARDEN, FAME HIGH, OT: OUR TOWN), and narrated by esteemed science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson, FOOD EVOLUTION is set amidst a brutally polarized debate marked by fear, distrust, and confustion: the controversy surrounding GMOs and food.

Traveling from Hawaiian papaya groves to banana farms in Uganda to the cornfields of Iowa, FOOD EVOLUTION wrestles with the emotions and the evidence driving on the most heated arguments of our time.