Home About Archives RSS Feed

Wild Oats Chef to Attend National Healthy Food Conference

Greg Roach will represent Wild Oats and the National Cooperative Grocers Association at the Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference in California.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Wild Oats Market Chef Greg Roach will travel to the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley, Calif., for the 10th annual Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference from Jan. 22-25.
 
Roach will join leading nutrition scientists, corporate chefs, world culinary experts, cookbook authors and writers from top consumer and trade publications to learn about the latest trends, tastes, techniques and research in healthy prepared foods.
 
Roach is also the only attendee to be invited from a small, single-location business and from a food cooperative.
 
"I'm happy to see the co-op world being taken seriously," Roach said, noting that the National Cooperative Grocers Association that Wild Oats belongs to has 136 members with a combined annual sales of more than $1.5 billion. As the Culinary Team Advisor for the NCGA, Roach is representing them along with Wild Oats at the conference.
 
The Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference will focus on the use of produce in prepared foods and how produce is used to flavor the cuisines of Asia, the Mediterranean and Latin America.
 
Roach looks forward to returning with more recipes and ideas for the prepared foods department at Wild Oats.
 
"I'll also be learning about the latest research into what constitutes a healthy menu and which foods and flavors are trending this year," Roach said.
 
Roach is also eager to share his knowledge of prepared foods and co-op kitchens with the other conference attendees.
 
"Co-ops do things differently from large chain store businesses," Roach said. "Unlike the chains, co-ops are standalone businesses. They don't have one solution that is rolled out regionally or nationally across a number of stores. Each co-op has its own kitchen operation, and makes its own decisions about what to prepare and how to prepare it."
 
Although Roach embraces the chance to learn from food-service leaders like Wegmens, Panera Breads and the Harvard University Dining Operations, he believes that food co-ops have a lot to contribute in terms of healthy prepared foods.
 
"With their health-conscious, varied food prep methods and their emphasis on the use of clean ingredients, co-ops are no longer a minor player in the industry," Roach said.
 
The Worlds of Healthy Flavors Conference is sponsored by The Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition. Its purpose is to increase the scope and range of healthy menu choices available to consumers through American food service by bringing together the best of world cooking and the latest in consumer and nutrition research. Conference attendance is by invitation only.
     

Support Local News

We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.

How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.

News Headlines
Stockbridge Grange Community Dinner
Berkshire Schools Awarded CPPI Grants
'Sasquatch' Comes to Bennington for Free Family Event
BCC Nursing Graduates Achieve Perfect Pass Rate for Licensure Exam
Dalton Special Town Meeting Set Wednesday
Pittsfield Holiday Inn Express Seeks Further TIF Extension
Driscoll Marches in North Adams, Meets With Local Democrats
Pittsfield Schools See Fewer Cell Phone Violations
Guest Column: North Adams Is Leading on Climate Response
MCLA: Panel of Drag Performers to Celebrate Queer Identities and Performance Art

Stephanie Farrington of Berkshire Food is contributing to our Eats blog — all about food, all the time. 

 


Farmfare
Seasonal Farmers Markets

Berkshire South Community Market
15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington
Saturdays through Oct. 27 from 11 to 3

Berkshire Mall Market
Sears parking lot, Route 8
Wednesdays & Saturdays through November from 8 to 2

North Adams Farmers Market
St. Anthony's Municipal Parking
Saturdays through Oct. 27 from 8 to noon

Great Barrington Farmers Market
Taconic Avenue & Castle Street
Saturdays through October from 9 to 1

Lenox Farmers Market
70 Kemble St., Shakespeare & Company
Fridays through Oct. 5 from 1 to 5

Oits Farmers Market
L & M Auto, 2000 East Otis Road (Rte. 23)
Saturdays through Oct. 6 from 9 to 1

Pittsfield Farmers Market
First and Fenn streets, across from the Common
Saturdays, May 11 through Oct. 26, from 9 to 1

Sheffield Farmers Market
Old Parish Church, Main Street
Fridays through September from 3 to 7

Williamstown Farmers Market
Spring Street parking lot
Saturdays, May 25 through October, from 9 to 1

Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
The Armory
Wednesdays, 4 to 7

 



Categories:
Agriculture (8)
Asian (5)
Bakery (3)
Beverages (2)
Brewery (1)
Changes (12)
Closing (5)
Coffeehouse (2)
Deli (5)
Diner (3)
Education (4)
Farm (18)
Fine Dining (8)
Fun Stuff (43)
Italian (7)
Locavore (21)
Mexican (6)
Moving (5)
New Business (17)
Opening (19)
People (13)
Pizza (5)
Pub (0)
Vegan (3)
Archives:
Tags:
Mezze Gluten-free Award Festival Barbecue Hops And Vines Competition Wild Oats Winterfest Hancock Shaker Village Cafe Great Barrington Chocolate Farmers Market Restaurant Books Mediterranean Fundraiser Berkshire Grown Alberg Breakfast Pittsfield Sushi Farm Food Local Food Beverages Williamstown North Adams Csa Eagle Street Soup Wing Fling Farming Food Festival
Popular Entries:
Berkshire Distiller Doubling Production
Desperados Reopening In North Adams
Fiori Makes Bloody Good-Looking Marys
Street Food, Northern Berkshire Style
What's for Lunch?: Chicken & Flatbread at The Hub
Williamstown To See Restaurant Ownership Changes
Mazzeo's Preparing to Move South
Petrino's Open and Humming
Food Fest Slated in North Adams
Mezze Mention Brings Farm-to-Table Food to Bigger Market
Recent Entries:
Lenox Chef Nominated for National Award
Wild Oats Chef to Attend National Healthy Food Conference
MediTerra In North Adams Closed for Winter
Storey Publishing Celebrates 'Soup Night'
Berkshire Food Festival Serves Up Local Fare on Sunday
North Adams Restaurant to Reopen With Med Menu
Barrington Brewery: Come for the Beer, Stay for the Cake
The Hub Restaurant Celebrates 5 Years on Friday
Nudel Chef-Owner Nominated for Top 100 Chef
Berkshire Grown Hosting March Maple Dinner