April Johnson, Bocuse d’Or Team USA 2023 Team Assistant
Understanding hydrocolloid science in cooking is essential for unlocking culinary innovation through enhanced textures and presentation. At the 2024 Chef to Chef Conference, March 3-5 in Austin, Texas, Chef April Johnson, Bocuse d’Or Team USA 2023 Team Assistant, will simplify hydrocolloids while demonstrating practical applications for everyday use by club chefs.
“When I first started learning more about hydrocolloids for my role on the Bocuse Team, a lot of the literature I read made hydrocolloids sound very intimidating and hard for me to wrap my mind around,” says Johnson. “As I began working with different hydrocolloids, I realized that wasn’t the case.”
Johnson will talk about ways club chefs can easily integrate hydrocolloids into their everyday operations to elevate the presentation and textures of their culinary creations. She will also demonstrate a savory custard recipe that can function as both a hot and cold preparation.
“This is a topic I believe has a lot of gray areas that prevent chefs from fully seeing the potential of using hydrocolloids, especially lesser known ones like kappa and iota carrageenans,” she says. “I want to show chefs that there are different ways to elevate their cooking without having to just make agar pearls or fluid gels. This is a meaningful topic to me because my role on the Bocuse Team challenged me and pushed me to be a better chef and taught me brand new ways of how to approach food, cooking and problem-solving. Getting to share on this topic is so exciting for me because these are lessons and techniques I learned from one of the most meaningful chapters of my culinary career.”
In 2024, the Chef to Chef Conference heads to Austin, Texas, March 3-5. The 2024 agenda includes culinary demonstrations and education sessions by many of the industry’s best and brightest culinary leaders, plus networking and social events.
“As chefs, the best way we learn is from others,” says Johnson. “Chef to Chef gives us all the chance to learn ideas and techniques we may never have thought of on our own. I believe this event is especially beneficial for club chefs because it gives you the chance to network with your peers and learn from others who have gone or are going through some of the same challenges or growing opportunities as you. Events like Chef to Chef are crucial to promote an environment of always improving and raising the standards for our profession.”
Space is limited, so reserve your spot early. Register at www.cheftochefconference.com.
