In a world where hospitality is both local and global, the challenge is no longer just creating exceptional experiences — it’s sustaining and elevating them across borders, brands, and cultures. Trends Connect 2026: Beyond the Plate, celebrates the visionaries who transform ingredients, spaces, and moments into experiences that resonate far beyond a single table. We will bring together chefs, designers, operators, and beverage leaders who are redefining what excellence in hospitality means today.
Hosted by Steelite International, Trends Connect is a two-day event that reflects the brand’s commitment to creativity, innovation, and community. It’s where inspiration meets application — empowering professionals to translate emerging trends into meaningful, market-ready experiences that delight guests and define the next era of hospitality.
Hosted by Steelite International, Trends Connect is a two-day event that reflects the brand’s commitment to creativity, innovation, and community. It’s where inspiration meets application — empowering professionals to translate emerging trends into meaningful, market-ready experiences that delight guests and define the next era of hospitality.
Trends Connect 2026 Guest Speakers:
Chef Akira Back
Michelin-Starred Chef & Restaurateur, Akira Back Restaurants
Akira Back, the name that is synonymous for cutting cuisine and exquisite taste in the restaurant and hospitality industry. A first-class and world-renowned idealist who is a revered chef and has triumphantly built a global empire over the past two decades spawning 31 cutting edge locations operating around the world with more on the horizon. In addition to his lengthy resume and accolades that continue to mount, Back is persistently on the forefront of innovation and artistry.
Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, Akira Back moved to the rocky mountain state at the age of 15-years-old for his father to pursue the family business. Back picked up snowboarding as a hobby which led him to pursue the professional circuit where he appeared in a handful of extreme sports movies and garnered praise from the sports top trade publications. During this time, Back began working at a local Japanese restaurant to supplement his income. After seven years on the pro-snowboarding circuit, Back realized that he felt the same thrill in the kitchen as he did on his board, shaping his decision to pursue a full-time culinary career.
Michelin-Starred Chef & Restaurateur, Akira Back Restaurants
Akira Back, the name that is synonymous for cutting cuisine and exquisite taste in the restaurant and hospitality industry. A first-class and world-renowned idealist who is a revered chef and has triumphantly built a global empire over the past two decades spawning 31 cutting edge locations operating around the world with more on the horizon. In addition to his lengthy resume and accolades that continue to mount, Back is persistently on the forefront of innovation and artistry.
Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, Akira Back moved to the rocky mountain state at the age of 15-years-old for his father to pursue the family business. Back picked up snowboarding as a hobby which led him to pursue the professional circuit where he appeared in a handful of extreme sports movies and garnered praise from the sports top trade publications. During this time, Back began working at a local Japanese restaurant to supplement his income. After seven years on the pro-snowboarding circuit, Back realized that he felt the same thrill in the kitchen as he did on his board, shaping his decision to pursue a full-time culinary career.
Asma Khan
Restaurateur, Darjeeling Express
Restaurateur Indian-born British restaurateur Asma Khan is a trailblazer in London’s culinary scene and an outspoken activist. Her Michelin Guide restaurant, Darjeeling Express, known for its revolutionary all-female kitchen has become a favourite of Hollywood A-listers while remaining a safe space for women. Through authentic, homestyle food, it has risen to the upper echelons of the food world while staying true to Khan’s commitment to grassroots social and environmental causes. In 2024, TIME magazine named her one of the world’s 100 most influential people.
She is a chef advocate for the UN World Food Programme and holds honorary fellowships from Queen’s College, Oxford, and King’s College London, where she earned a PhD in British Constitutional Law. Khan was the first British chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Table and has appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and Top Chef. Her third cookbook, Monsoon, celebrates seasonal Indian home cooking. In 2025, she hosts the 10-episode series ‘Secrets of the Curry Kitchen’ on the Food Network and become the first patron of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, championing food justice.
Restaurateur, Darjeeling Express
Restaurateur Indian-born British restaurateur Asma Khan is a trailblazer in London’s culinary scene and an outspoken activist. Her Michelin Guide restaurant, Darjeeling Express, known for its revolutionary all-female kitchen has become a favourite of Hollywood A-listers while remaining a safe space for women. Through authentic, homestyle food, it has risen to the upper echelons of the food world while staying true to Khan’s commitment to grassroots social and environmental causes. In 2024, TIME magazine named her one of the world’s 100 most influential people.
She is a chef advocate for the UN World Food Programme and holds honorary fellowships from Queen’s College, Oxford, and King’s College London, where she earned a PhD in British Constitutional Law. Khan was the first British chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Table and has appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and Top Chef. Her third cookbook, Monsoon, celebrates seasonal Indian home cooking. In 2025, she hosts the 10-episode series ‘Secrets of the Curry Kitchen’ on the Food Network and become the first patron of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, championing food justice.
Chris Lowder
Co-Founder, Lowder Tascarella Hospitality
Chris Lowder is a globally recognized expert in luxury bar consulting, premium hospitality training, and multi-venue project development. He has designed award-winning beverage programs across some of the world’s most demanding markets, including China, New York, Singapore, Mexico, South Korea, and the Caribbean. Before founding LTH, Chris led Proof & Company Greater China, growing it into an eight-figure consultancy advising on prestige projects across 30 cities, including Hong Kong and Macau.
His teams consistently placed projects in the World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars, setting a global standard for excellence in luxury hospitality. Fluent in Mandarin and Japanese, Chris has trained thousands of hospitality professionals worldwide. He has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in the Global Bar Industry by Drinks International and nominated for Best Global Bar Mentor at Tales of the Cocktail.
Co-Founder, Lowder Tascarella Hospitality
Chris Lowder is a globally recognized expert in luxury bar consulting, premium hospitality training, and multi-venue project development. He has designed award-winning beverage programs across some of the world’s most demanding markets, including China, New York, Singapore, Mexico, South Korea, and the Caribbean. Before founding LTH, Chris led Proof & Company Greater China, growing it into an eight-figure consultancy advising on prestige projects across 30 cities, including Hong Kong and Macau.
His teams consistently placed projects in the World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars, setting a global standard for excellence in luxury hospitality. Fluent in Mandarin and Japanese, Chris has trained thousands of hospitality professionals worldwide. He has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in the Global Bar Industry by Drinks International and nominated for Best Global Bar Mentor at Tales of the Cocktail.
Doug Zeif
Hospitality Consultant & CEO, Next! Hospitality Advisors
Doug Zeif is the principal of Next Hospitality Advisors and Equal Measure Partners, firms born from his nine years leading global food and beverage operations for The Blackstone Group’s 100+ hotel and resort portfolio. Managing over $2.5 billion in annual revenue, he grew profits by 80% during his tenure. A founding executive at The Cheesecake Factory, Doug helped shape the brand’s signature menu, national expansion, and successful IPO.
He has since consulted for major international groups including Darden Restaurants, TGI Fridays, and Ruby Tuesday, and collaborated with celebrated chefs such as José Andrés, Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, and Masaharu Morimoto.
Recognized for his strategic vision and commitment to sustainability, Doug has earned multiple Hot Concepts® Awards
and a place on Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List of the industry’s most influential leaders.
Hospitality Consultant & CEO, Next! Hospitality Advisors
Doug Zeif is the principal of Next Hospitality Advisors and Equal Measure Partners, firms born from his nine years leading global food and beverage operations for The Blackstone Group’s 100+ hotel and resort portfolio. Managing over $2.5 billion in annual revenue, he grew profits by 80% during his tenure. A founding executive at The Cheesecake Factory, Doug helped shape the brand’s signature menu, national expansion, and successful IPO.
He has since consulted for major international groups including Darden Restaurants, TGI Fridays, and Ruby Tuesday, and collaborated with celebrated chefs such as José Andrés, Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, and Masaharu Morimoto.
Recognized for his strategic vision and commitment to sustainability, Doug has earned multiple Hot Concepts® Awards
and a place on Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List of the industry’s most influential leaders.
Maham Anjum
Designer, Maham Studio
Maham Anjum is a ceramic designer renowned for creating bespoke tableware for chefs, restaurants, and private clients worldwide. Her Spice and Carnaby ranges for Steelite blend handmade craft with industrial production, and the Spice range is now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s permanent collection. Since founding her North London workshop in 2010, Maham has developed custom tableware for clients including Jamie Oliver, Vineet Bhatia, Asma Khan, Atlantis Dubai, and Coya Worldwide. She consults internationally, curates dining experiences, and works closely with factories to develop new collections.
Maham is a part-time Lecturer in Ceramic Design (BA and MA) at Central Saint Martins, and her work is represented in the
Royal Collection, recognizing her contribution to contemporary ceramics.
Designer, Maham Studio
Maham Anjum is a ceramic designer renowned for creating bespoke tableware for chefs, restaurants, and private clients worldwide. Her Spice and Carnaby ranges for Steelite blend handmade craft with industrial production, and the Spice range is now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s permanent collection. Since founding her North London workshop in 2010, Maham has developed custom tableware for clients including Jamie Oliver, Vineet Bhatia, Asma Khan, Atlantis Dubai, and Coya Worldwide. She consults internationally, curates dining experiences, and works closely with factories to develop new collections.
Maham is a part-time Lecturer in Ceramic Design (BA and MA) at Central Saint Martins, and her work is represented in the
Royal Collection, recognizing her contribution to contemporary ceramics.
Maeve Webster
President of Menu Matters
Maeve Webster, President of Menu Matters, is a leading consultant for foodservice manufacturers and operators. She has spearheaded hundreds of major industry studies during her 20 years as a foodservice specialist, and today runs a private consultancy focused on helping manufacturers and operators analyze, understand, and leverage foodservice trends. Maeve’s expertise is in the areas of trend analysis, market assessment, consumer behavior, product testing, and brand optimization.
President of Menu Matters
Maeve Webster, President of Menu Matters, is a leading consultant for foodservice manufacturers and operators. She has spearheaded hundreds of major industry studies during her 20 years as a foodservice specialist, and today runs a private consultancy focused on helping manufacturers and operators analyze, understand, and leverage foodservice trends. Maeve’s expertise is in the areas of trend analysis, market assessment, consumer behavior, product testing, and brand optimization.
Jason Lapin
President of Elizabeth Blau & Associates
In collaboration with principals Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwala, Jason Lapin has built
Blau & Associates into an internationally recognized food service development company with an impressive and extensive client roster. Since his start with Blau & Associates in 2003, Lapin has spearheaded several of Blau & Associates high profile projects and successfully opened group partnership ventures.
President of Elizabeth Blau & Associates
In collaboration with principals Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwala, Jason Lapin has built
Blau & Associates into an internationally recognized food service development company with an impressive and extensive client roster. Since his start with Blau & Associates in 2003, Lapin has spearheaded several of Blau & Associates high profile projects and successfully opened group partnership ventures.
Charlotte Voisey
Executive Director, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
A leading figure in London’s early 2000s cocktail renaissance, she was named U.K. Bartender of the Year (2004) and won silver at the 2006 IBA World Female Bartending Championships. While managing London’s Apartment 195, she joined William Grant & Sons USA as a brand ambassador, later becoming Head of Brand Ambassadors for brands like Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry. Her cocktail creations have appeared on menus from London’s Dorchester Hotel to the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas.
In 2009, Voisey launched The Proper Pour with Charlotte Voisey, an online mixology series. She’s been named “Best American Brand Ambassador” (2007, 2009), Wine Enthusiast’s “Mixologist of the Year” (2011), and recognized by the James Beard Foundation. She has also appeared on The Next Iron Chef America and Top Chef Masters.
Executive Director, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
A leading figure in London’s early 2000s cocktail renaissance, she was named U.K. Bartender of the Year (2004) and won silver at the 2006 IBA World Female Bartending Championships. While managing London’s Apartment 195, she joined William Grant & Sons USA as a brand ambassador, later becoming Head of Brand Ambassadors for brands like Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry. Her cocktail creations have appeared on menus from London’s Dorchester Hotel to the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas.
In 2009, Voisey launched The Proper Pour with Charlotte Voisey, an online mixology series. She’s been named “Best American Brand Ambassador” (2007, 2009), Wine Enthusiast’s “Mixologist of the Year” (2011), and recognized by the James Beard Foundation. She has also appeared on The Next Iron Chef America and Top Chef Masters.
Greg Best
Owner / Head Bar Keep of the Ticonderoga Club
Greg Best is most notably recognized for and oft credited with igniting the craft cocktail movement in Atlanta and the greater Southeast. During his nearly 18 years behind the bar,
Best has created and implemented multiple beverage programs; two of which (Holeman and Finch Public House and Ticonderoga Club) have earned him a finalist position for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program. Best’s innovative drinks can be found in several award-winning cocktail tomes, including a recent piece in B.T. Parson’s 2019 release: Last Call.
Owner / Head Bar Keep of the Ticonderoga Club
Greg Best is most notably recognized for and oft credited with igniting the craft cocktail movement in Atlanta and the greater Southeast. During his nearly 18 years behind the bar,
Best has created and implemented multiple beverage programs; two of which (Holeman and Finch Public House and Ticonderoga Club) have earned him a finalist position for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program. Best’s innovative drinks can be found in several award-winning cocktail tomes, including a recent piece in B.T. Parson’s 2019 release: Last Call.
Barry Walsh
Owner, Viñedos Imports
Barry is a 30+ year veteran of wine & spirits distribution, sales, marketing and importation.
He has traveled widely to both historic and emerging wine growing regions, balancing his time both in the cellar and the vineyard. He began his wine career with the Wirtz Corporation in Chicago in the 1980’s working with many of the top chefs & sommeliers. He later moved onto senior management roles with top importers such Frederick Wildman and The Australian Premium Wine Collection.
His love of great wines from around the world coupled with his extensive experience translating the evolving needs of top restaurateurs has culminated in the formation of his new company Viñedos. Barry is now hand-selecting wines from top
estates from around the globe and bringing them into the US market. Barry has been a frequent presenter & featured
speaker at a wide range of industry events, festivals and seminars focusing on wine growing, wine making, emerging
trends and food & wine pairings.
Owner, Viñedos Imports
Barry is a 30+ year veteran of wine & spirits distribution, sales, marketing and importation.
He has traveled widely to both historic and emerging wine growing regions, balancing his time both in the cellar and the vineyard. He began his wine career with the Wirtz Corporation in Chicago in the 1980’s working with many of the top chefs & sommeliers. He later moved onto senior management roles with top importers such Frederick Wildman and The Australian Premium Wine Collection.
His love of great wines from around the world coupled with his extensive experience translating the evolving needs of top restaurateurs has culminated in the formation of his new company Viñedos. Barry is now hand-selecting wines from top
estates from around the globe and bringing them into the US market. Barry has been a frequent presenter & featured
speaker at a wide range of industry events, festivals and seminars focusing on wine growing, wine making, emerging
trends and food & wine pairings.
Chef Jamie Simpson
Executive Chef, Culinary Vegetable Institute
Chef Jamie Simpson is the Executive Chef Liaison at The Culinary Vegetable Institute. He hails from a small town in Summerville, S.C. and is en route to becoming a young highly sought after chef. He began his culinary career in a serendipitous fashion after leaving the music industry and his job at a recording studio. His journey continued to one of Charleston’s most acclaimed restaurants, The Charleston Grill, which gave him opportunities to explore other globally recognized kitchens and work with countless talents.
Chef Jamie is passionate about exploring different cultures, the connection between art and food, and the relationship between unconscious process and creativity. Producing beautifully dressed and garnished dishes that marry complex flavors with technical expertise, he uses luxurious ingredients as well as odd cuts and guts. His creative approach of taking raw product and turning it into something unique and inspiring piques the interests of others. Simpson’s reputation for the use of unusual ingredient combinations, tastes and textures has led him to direct one of the most prestigious kitchens in the country.
At The Culinary Vegetable Institute, he designs dishes around what is available on the farm that day, and his commitment to micro seasonal cooking opens the door for him to be more creative while respecting the plants. His dishes look astonishing, always play tricks on the senses and are constantly evolving.
Executive Chef, Culinary Vegetable Institute
Chef Jamie Simpson is the Executive Chef Liaison at The Culinary Vegetable Institute. He hails from a small town in Summerville, S.C. and is en route to becoming a young highly sought after chef. He began his culinary career in a serendipitous fashion after leaving the music industry and his job at a recording studio. His journey continued to one of Charleston’s most acclaimed restaurants, The Charleston Grill, which gave him opportunities to explore other globally recognized kitchens and work with countless talents.
Chef Jamie is passionate about exploring different cultures, the connection between art and food, and the relationship between unconscious process and creativity. Producing beautifully dressed and garnished dishes that marry complex flavors with technical expertise, he uses luxurious ingredients as well as odd cuts and guts. His creative approach of taking raw product and turning it into something unique and inspiring piques the interests of others. Simpson’s reputation for the use of unusual ingredient combinations, tastes and textures has led him to direct one of the most prestigious kitchens in the country.
At The Culinary Vegetable Institute, he designs dishes around what is available on the farm that day, and his commitment to micro seasonal cooking opens the door for him to be more creative while respecting the plants. His dishes look astonishing, always play tricks on the senses and are constantly evolving.
Farmer Lee Jones
Founder, The Chef’s Garden
Perpetually clad in his trademark overalls and red bowtie, Farmer Lee Jones, owner of The Chef’s Garden® family farm is a pioneer of the sustainable agricultural movement. Under Farmer Jones’ guidance, the team at The Chef’s Garden practices classic farming techniques that restore nutrients to the soil, in order to produce food with optimum shelf life, flavor and nutrition that satisfies the discriminating chefs they work with.
The Chef’s Garden is dedicated to producing the finest quality vegetables, delivering produce direct from Earth to Table™ and preserving small farms and American farmland for the prosperity of future generations. “Growing vegetables slowly and gently, in full accord with nature”® is the commitment that the Jones family lives by. The Jones family also operates The Culinary Vegetable Institute®, a culinary retreat, research and team building facility. In addition, they were instrumental in the vision and creation of Veggie U®, a nationwide not-for profit children’s program.
Founder, The Chef’s Garden
Perpetually clad in his trademark overalls and red bowtie, Farmer Lee Jones, owner of The Chef’s Garden® family farm is a pioneer of the sustainable agricultural movement. Under Farmer Jones’ guidance, the team at The Chef’s Garden practices classic farming techniques that restore nutrients to the soil, in order to produce food with optimum shelf life, flavor and nutrition that satisfies the discriminating chefs they work with.
The Chef’s Garden is dedicated to producing the finest quality vegetables, delivering produce direct from Earth to Table™ and preserving small farms and American farmland for the prosperity of future generations. “Growing vegetables slowly and gently, in full accord with nature”® is the commitment that the Jones family lives by. The Jones family also operates The Culinary Vegetable Institute®, a culinary retreat, research and team building facility. In addition, they were instrumental in the vision and creation of Veggie U®, a nationwide not-for profit children’s program.
Check out highlights from the last Trends Connect
