Register now to attend IHHC National Conference this October!

With less than two months before the 40th annual IHHC National Conference, we are all once again looking forward to being able to catch up with each other in person. How fitting that it is to be held in the ‘festival state’!

Planning is well underway and we can’t wait to welcome our delegates, guest speakers and presenters to the Adelaide Hilton for a three day packed program exemplifying this year’s theme ‘Embracing Transformation: A World of Opportunity’.

There will be a networking afternoon function at 2pm on Sunday 15 October for supporters and early arrival delegates, before the Conference registration desk opens at 12 noon on Monday 16 October. Presentations will begin at 1pm Monday, with the Conference concluding with the gala dinner and National Awards presentation at 7pm on Wednesday 18 October.

As in previous years, the Conference includes a trade show component in which exhibitors will showcase their products, equipment and services. Almost all trade show booths have already been assigned to Conference supporters, with more than 30 suppliers to industry currently scheduled to participate.

The call for abstracts from prospective guest speakers and presenters has also received a strong response. “So far we have quite a wide variety of very interesting topics,” says IHHC National Secretary Kathy Manning, who is on the Conference planning committee. “We are striving for a well-rounded program and along with a strong food focus we have presentations on areas including environmental services, sustainability, change management and professional development.” You can see the preliminary Conference program online at https://www.ihhc.org.au/conference/program/

Site visits, a highlight of the Conference pre-Covid, are  back for 2023. “We have several organised already,” Kathy says. “We’ll be going to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, as well as the Beerenberg Farm at Hahndorf, which has been owned and operated by six generations of the same family since 1839 and is justly famous for its jams, condiments and sauces.”

There will also be a site visit to the Adelaide Convention Centre, where the food menus have been designed in partnership with the CSIRO and dietitians/nutritionists from SAHMRI (South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute) – providing valuable learnings for the broader foodservice sector.

The IHHC has offered two fully funded scholarships to assist people in attending the Conference. A pair of scholarships have also been provided by the Nutrition and Catering Institute (NACI), a not for profit research organisation whose core business is food services, and another pair by Flinders University. Each is valued at $1500 and includes full conference registration and a five star dining package.

Highlights of the Conference include the 2nd annual IHHC Culinary Competition, as previewed in last issue’s column; the presentation of the 2nd annual Flavour Creations Texture Modified Food Award; and the gala award dinner on the concluding night, at which the IHHC’s National Awards for Excellence winners will be announced. This year the Awards will include two new categories – the IHHC Sustainability Award and the IHHC Leadership in Advocacy Award.

Conference registrations are still available but selling out fast, so don’t miss out on your chance to attend! You can register now at this link - and remember you don’t have to register for the full three days of the Conference, single day registrations and student discounts are available. 

We hope to see lots of you there!

TROY LITZOW
IHHC Vice President