International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC)

Agenda

FRIDAY, Aug. 27
Location: Hotel Monaco
Registration and Evening Party: 5:00pm – 8pm

Urbanspoon Seattle Scene Party: 8pm- 10pm
Location: The Purple Café and Wine Bar, 1225 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

SATURDAY, Aug. 28
Location: Theo Chocolate
 Breakfast: 7:45am

Session 1: 8:30am – 9:45am
Writing: The Art of Recipe Writing

This session will cover the fundamentals of recipe writing such as editing, recipe development, style sheets, developing a voice, headnotes, etc.

Session 2: 10am – 11:15am
Technology: Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Building Traffic, and Social Media

Session 3: 11:30am – 12:45pm
Writing: Writing With All Five Senses

Taught by Kathleen Flinn, writing teacher and best-selling author, “The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry.” This session is based on Kathleen’s sold-out course that she teaches at Richard Hugo House in Seattle.

  • Most writers rely too heavily on visuals, and food writers are notorious for using cliches. The goal in this session is to get people to recognize both of these issues, then stretch their writing beyond that. This is an interactive session where the instructor will give each person a food item (such as a lemon) and guide them through a series of writing exercises.

Lunch: 1pm – 2:45pm

Food and Wine Live Blogging Lunch

Wines provided by Walla Walla Wine Alliance

Food prepared by:

An interactive lunch where bloggers will taste, review, blog and/or tweet about food and wine pairings from top chefs and winemakers. Each chef and winemaker will briefly give an explanation about their food/wine and answer questions, giving bloggers the opportunity to record their learnings. Stations will be set up allowing chefs, winemakers and conference participants the opportunity to interact in smaller group settings.

Session 4: 3pm – 4:15 pm
Writing/Technology: Law & Ethics of Food Blogging – Moderated by Barnaby Dorfman

In this session we will discuss the new FTC laws & blogger disclosure, recipes and copyright law, and blogging etiquette.

Session 5: 4:30pm – 5:30pm 
Food: From the Source: People Who Will Change The Way You Think About Food

Pre-Dinner Party - 5:30pm
A selection of fine sherries will be provided by the Secret Sherry Society
Delicious tapas provided by Chef Philippe Thomelin of Olivar

Winemaker’s Dinner with James Oseland, Editor-in-Chief of Saveur, keynote: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Wines provided by Rodney Strong Vineyards and Columbia Winery

Chefs:

SUNDAY, Aug. 29
Breakfast: 7:45am provided by Top Pot Doughnuts, PCC Natural Markets, Driscoll’s Berries, and Caffé Vita

Session 6: 8:30am – 9:30am
Writing: Food Blogging For Specialized Diets

Session 7: 9:35am – 10:50am
Technology, Food & Writing:  Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking

This exciting session will be led by Dr. Nathan Myhrvold, CEO and found of Intellectual Ventures, a firm dedicated to creating and investing in inventions. Dr. Myhrvold is author of the soon-to-be-published multi-volume food and cooking book Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking.

Session 8: 11:00am – 12:15pm
Food Photography: Digital Photography

Taught by Penny De Los Santos, award-winning documentary photographer who has spent the past several years documenting food culture around the world.  Penny is a senior contributing photographer for Saveur Magazine, a contributing photographer for National Geographic and Martha Stewart Living and has photographed for numerous publishing companies and cookbooks including the nationally acclaimed book “Asian Dumplings” by Andrea Nguyen. Penny will give lessons on creating the perfect shot, how to edit, tricks to use at home, and more.

Lunch: 12:30pm – 2:30pm Gourmet Food Trucks of the Pacific Northwest, including Skillet, El Camion, Rolling Fire, Anita’s Crepes, Dante’s Inferno Dogs, Hallava Falafel, Kaosamai, and Molly Moon’s Ice Cream and local beer selections from Pike Brewing Co.

  • Interactive Lunch Activity: Technology Scavenger Hunt with Warren Etheredge
    A small set of fun tasks will be given for attendees to complete during the 2-hour lunch. This is a great way for attendees to practice what they’ve learned so far and to connect with the chefs and beverage providers.

Session 9: 2:45pm – 4:00pm
Writing: Pitch to Publish

Victoria and Kirsty will give insight into what they are looking for in a story, trends in publishing, and what they are discussing behind the scenes when selecting stories/books to feature. They’ll help you with creating your “elevator pitch” and how to get your story into print. Molly will give the author’s perspective in how to approach and pitch publications.

Closing remarks from Barnaby and Allan: 4:00pm – 4:15pm

Screening of Today’s Special accompanied by Indian bites: 4:30pm-7:00pm

An exclusive preview of Today’s Special, the festival award winning food film written by and starring Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show, The Last Airbender) and Madhur Jaffrey, international film star and bestselling author of Indian cookbooks.  About a young Manhattan chef who rediscovers his Indian heritage and passion for life through the enchanting art of his cuisine, the film will be accompanied by Indian-inspired bites. The filmmaker will be present for Q&A.