The Sugar and Spice Summit will bring influential female food industry professionals to Northwestern's campus for a day of panels, breakout sessions, career workshops, and of course, tastings.
Female chefs, food writers, food critics, social media personalities, and CEOs from the Chicagoland area and beyond will tell their stories, discuss trends, and network with Northwestern students, specifically female undergrads, interested in pursuing careers in all aspects of the food industry.
Mindy Segal is a James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and cookbook author. Her restaurant, HotChocolate and new bakery at Revival Food Hall in Chicago are the culmination of 25+ years of passion and dedication to her craft. Most recently, Mindy revolutionized the industry by announcing a line of marijuana-infused sweets for medical marijuana patients.
Amanda Topper is the Associate Director of Foodservice Research at Mintel, the world's leading market intelligence agency. In addition, she manages a food-based Instagram account, and writes a personal blog, The Ghost Guest.
Erin Byrne is an independent marketing consultant with expertise in the food space. She partners with local restaurants to drive growth: targeting, attracting, and retaining today's discovery-driven customer. She's also the founder of @312food, a platform connecting local food with local food lovers.
Aarti Sequeira is the host of Food network's Aarti Party. She competed on and won Season 6 of Food Network Star with her trademark food signature: American favorites with an Indian soul. Food Network then became Aarti's broadcast home, where she went on host Taste in Translation, Drop 5lbs with Good Housekeeping and Hidden Eats. She also competed on – and won – Chopped All Stars and Cutthroat Kitchen.
Erica Eckman is the creator of the popular food and lifestyle brand, Everything Erica. Erica is also an accomplished marketing consultant specializing in social media and website optimization and has created some of the cities most notable cross-channel social media strategies for various business throughout the city.
Sherrie arrived at Sweet Mandy B’s as a cake decorator, and quickly excelled to the position of executive pastry chef. The Culinary Institute of America graduate has won national awards from companies like Nestle, and has been featured on NBC’s Extra! - plus, she runs the popular Instagram @sherriesavorsthecity.
Coffee from BrewBike
Muesli from Lark & Birch
Get your Elevator Pitch ready with Northwestern Career Advancement
A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen
Renowned female chefs on being a woman in the male-dominated food industry.
Mindy Segal - Creator, Mindy's Hot Chocolate and Mindy's Edibles
Christine Cikowski - Chef/Owner, Sunday Dinner and Honey Butter Fried Chicken
Gale Gand - Nationally acclaimed pastry chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, television personality, teacher, entrepreneur, and mother
How Millenials Want To Eat
From neon lights to natural light, the food industry is changing to reflect milennials’ dining preferences. So what does that mean for brands?
Amanda Topper - Associate Director of Foodservice Research, Mintel
Lauren Drell - Director of Content, Sweetgreen
Erin Byrne - Marketing Strategist and Founder of @312food
So You Want To Be Your Own Boss
Don’t we all? Founders dish on how to start your own business in the culinary industry.
Mackenzie Barth – Cofounder and CEO, Spoon University
Alice Cheng – Founder and CEO, Culinary Agents
Tacos from La Cocinita
Cupcakes from Sprinkles
Northwestern Career Advancement Drop-In Table
Cookbook signing with Gale Gand
Brand pop-ups: Sweetgreen, The Hungry Monkey Baking Company, Chef'd
Not Your Grandma's Food Magazine
It's 2017, you have a journalism degree, and you love a good fried egg. Now what?
Marissa Conrad - Deputy Food Editor, Chicago Tribune Media Group
Amy Cavanaugh – Senior Editor, Plate Online
The Instagram Generation
From Instagrammer to influencer, how to build your personal brand using social media.
Christina Slaton – Staff photographer, Lettuce Entertain You
Erica Eckman – Creator of everythingerica.com
Sherrie Tan - Executive Pastry Chef, Sweet Mandy B's
Aarti Sequeira - Host of Food Network's Aarti Party
Moving Up in the Food Chain
Irene Rosenfeld is one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World, as well as one of the highest paid women in business.
Irene Rosenfeld - Chairman and CEO, Mondelez International
Coffee: BrewBike
Founded in 2015, BrewBike is the first student-run coffee venture at Northwestern University. They proudly serve LIMITLESS Coffee & Tea, Buzz Cocoa’s caffeinated hot chocolate and Bennison Bakery’s pastries at both the BrewBike shop in Annenberg Hall and on the mobile BrewBike. BrewBike is fully operated and staffed by Northwestern undergraduate students.
Breakfast: Lark & Birch
Lark & Birch is a breakfast brand intent on bringing the very best of traditional European muesli to the Evanston community, all with a modern twist. Bircher muesli is as much a treat for your tastebuds as it is for your body - with crisp fresh apple in every bowl, a glorious blend of gluten-free rolled oats and vibrant toppings, every spoonful of Lark & Birch will provide an on-the-go power breakfast full of protein, fiber and vitamins. And for added goodness, everything is free from dairy and refined sugars.
Lunch: La Cocinita
Located in downtown Evanston, La Cocinita serves Venezuelan street food, as well as beer, wine, and cocktails such as margaritas and mojitos. Specialties include handmade arepas (Venezuelan cornmeal patties) and cachapas for brunch (sweet corn pancakes). The restaurant started as a food truck, which still operates for downtown lunches and for catering & special events.
Treats: Sprinkles Cupcakes
Sprinkles Cupcakes are handcrafted from the finest ingredients, including sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, fresh bananas and carrots, real strawberries and natural citrus zests. Topped with Sprinkles trademark modern dots, rich chocolate sprinkles from France or seasonal sugar decorations, Sprinkles cupcakes are a deliciously sophisticated update on an American classic.
Public transportation: Take the Purple Line to Foster and walk east to Sheridan Road.
Parking in the Segal Visitors Center Garage (1847 Campus Drive, Evanston): From Sheridan Road, turn north onto Campus Drive. The entrance to the parking facility will be on the east side of Campus Drive. Visitors are invited to park in the Visitors Center garage on levels 5, 6, or 7.
