Oh, what a wonderful weekend it was! My brain is still not firing at its normal level, and I’m so tired even my hair hurts, but I have enough basic function left in me to squeeze out a quick post. That’s how much I love you all.

First, I want to thank Sur la Table for putting together such an amazing goody bag, as well as a not-insignificant list of raffle items. Even us Foodista folks were shocked at the final list – they kept us in the dark until the final reveal! I know I personally will be writing more about what delicious things were in the bag, but the blogs have already begun…

I also want to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing for bringing us the fabulous Renee Behnke and providing our attendees with her new book Memorable Recipes. It is truly a beautiful book and you all were beyond terrific!

A big thanks as well to all of our chefs and food and beverage partners. They all provided mind blowing delicious foods, drinks, chocolates, pastries – ahhhh, I’m still reeling with delight….

Our goal for the conference was to bring people together who have a passion for food. To network, to finally meet face-to-face, to discuss hot topics, to talk about how things are changing in new media and food blogging in particular, and to build a strong food blogging community.  I was surprised to hear so many say they had never met other food bloggers off-line. We want to change that. Mommy bloggers have got it going on when it comes to their community building efforts, so can we! And I think we definitely took a step in the right direction! Let’s stay connected. Let’s help one another and learn from each other.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to meet everyone there, but I was so impressed with caliber of people who attended. I hope to see you all again soon and hope to connect with all online. More to come, but for now please enjoy some of the great shots captured this weekend (thanks to Karlyn Oyama):

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Inaugural Event — Sponsored by Sur La Table — First to Combine Food, Writing and Technology

SEATTLE, WA–(Marketwire – May 13, 2009) – Foodista.com, the cooking encyclopedia everyone can edit, announced today that it will offer a free, live webcast of the first-ever International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) to be held in Seattle on May 15-17, 2009.

Bloggers, chefs, journalists and foodies from all over the world are invited to watch the conference sessions from the Web and participate in on-site discussions via chat at http://ifbc.foodista.com. Kyte.tv is providing the webcast technology. Additionally, audio and video podcasts will also be available at http://ifbc.foodista.com following the event to share key discussion points from panelists and thoughts from attendees and event sponsors.

“Food enthusiasts and culinary professionals are increasingly using different types of social media to share their experiences, from the farmer’s market to the dinner table,” said Barnaby Dorfman, Founder & CEO of Foodista.com. “We decided to organize the IFBC to bring food writers of all types together to discuss issues directly impacting the growth of food blogging.”

Leading bloggers, authors, publishers, food producers and technologists will speak in a variety of sessions, including:

– Blog to Book: Getting Your Writing on Paper
– Food Porn: Food Photography & Styling
– Building a Better Blog: Search Engine Optimization, Traffic, & Monetization

For the full conference schedule, visit http://ifbc.foodista.com/agenda.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be the premier sponsor of this event and to be able to provide the food blogging community with a taste of what Sur La Table is all about,” said Susanna Linse, Media Relations Manager for Sur La Table.

In addition to the sessions on the conference agenda, attendees — from local foodies to bloggers from Europe — will also be treated to a wide variety of gourmet foods and wines from leading producers and restaurants, including:
– Brian Cartenuto, Chef of Cantinetta
– Mark Fuller, Chef/Owner of Spring Hill
– Keith Luce, Chef of the Herbfarm
– Jonathan Hunt, Chef of Boom Noodle
– Jordan Mackey, Chef of Six Seven at the Edgewater Hotel
– Kerry Sears, Chef of ART Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel
Visit http://ifbc.foodista.com/sponsors for a full list of sponsors and partners.

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We’re excited to announce the International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) happening here in Seattle, May 15-17. We have a fabulous line-up of speakers and sponsors who are going to make this weekend the “must-attend” food blogging event of the year!

With the changes happening in traditional print media, the down-turn in the economy, and the loss of jobs, we’ve seen more and more people turning to blogging and/or turning their blogging into a business. We’re not the only ones who think this is just the tip of the iceberg, and feel exciting things are on the horizon for the food blogging community. That’s why we felt it important to organize an event to help us work together, learn new things, share ideas, and talk about issues surrounding food blogging.

The focus is on three themes: Food, Technology, and Writing.

The agenda is still a work-in-progress, but we’ve got some compelling speakers, topics and activities already on the schedule. Here’s a taste of what’s included:

• Ruth Reichl from Gourmet will talk about her new memoir Not Becoming My Mother: and Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way - you’ll get a signed copy of her book too!
• Renee Behnke, President Emeritus of Sur la Table will talk about her life in food and present her new book Memorable Recipes: To Share with Family and Friends
• Molly Wizenberg, creator of the award winning blog Orangette, writer for Bon Appétit, and new author of A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes From My Kitchen Table will be here to talk about her life and experiences in writing.
  
• Jaden Hair from Steamy Kitchen will talk about blogging as a business, food photography, and more.
• Publishers will be here to talk about what they are looking for in food writers, how to write proposals, etc.. (Yes, they are looking and want to connect!)
• We’ll talk about everything from Food Porn (tools, tips, techniques) to Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Top local chefs will fill you up on fabulous gourmet food
• We’ll send you home with a goody bag so fantastic you’ll think it’s Christmas in May
• And we’ll have prizes raffled throughout the day.

This is one-of-a-kind networking, tasting, and learning event. Because space is limited and expected to sell out quickly, early registration is closed to the general public, but we want to extend the invitation to our loyal Foodista readers! Email us at ifbc@foodista.com for an invitation.

OPEN REGISTRATION STARTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009.

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