At the 2025 Chef to Chef Conference, March 23-25 in Baltimore, Stephen Toevs, Senior Director of Culinary for Marriott International, Global, US, and Canada Food & Beverage, will explore how to develop menus that align with the distinct concept of each dining outlet, from casual cafés to fine-dining restaurants.
Toevs will guide attendees in understanding the unique audience for each venue and crafting menus that reflect its identity. He will also emphasize the importance of ensuring the entire dining experience is cohesive, with the menu playing a key role in the overall narrative. Additionally, attendees will learn best practices for making thoughtful menu changes that stay true to the concept, along with strategies for developing training tools that ensure consistency and quality from executive chefs down to hourly staff.
“Oftentimes the theme or the culture of a restaurant is lost due to chefs coming and going,” notes Toevs. “My presentation is meaningful to me because I’ve guided many chefs through a concept refresh and menu development process. When done right, you have a successful restaurant.”
In 2025, the Chef to Chef Conference heads to Baltimore, March 23-25. The 2025 agenda includes culinary demonstrations and education sessions by many of the industry’s best and brightest culinary leaders, plus networking and social events.
“It’s always powerful being in the same room with high-caliber chefs,” says Toevs. “I’m looking forward to understanding upcoming trends and discussing ways to push the boundaries with culinary experiences at our clubs and resorts.”
“The chef community is important to our industry; we should not work in silos,” he adds. “There is so much we can learn from each other, and Chef to Chef allows for those opportunities to happen.”
