Winter Fancy Food Show Spotlights Food Personalities

The Winter Fancy Food Show, put on by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), has teamed up with Cooking Channel for a special session on how to connect with an audience on camera and beyond.

“Chop, Chat and Charm: Connecting with Your Audience” will feature Melissa D’Arabian, host  of “Ten Dollar Dinners” on Food Network and “Drop 5lbs.” on the Cooking Channel, and Sara Moulton, host of public TV’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals,” food editor of “Good Morning America” and author of the weekly AP column “Healthy Plate.” Joanne Weir, host of “Joanne Weir’s Cooking Confidence,” will participate and moderate. The session is Monday, Jan. 21, at 8:30 a.m.

The session is part of a full menu of expert-led workshops slated for the Winter Fancy Food Show, which takes place Jan. 20 to 22 at Moscone Center in San Francisco. Registration is at www.fancyfoodshows.com.

“Specialty food is fueled by passionate food artisans, chefs and entrepreneurs,” said Ann Daw, NASFT’s president. “We are delighted to bring programming that can help manufacturers share their craft and joy with television audiences, as well as consumers in the marketplace.”

The education program begins with the Super Retailer Summit, a one-day off-site workshop on Friday, Jan. 18, with topics including store design, social media and internal controls. It is one of more than 15 seminars targeted to all levels of specialty food professionals from emerging entrepreneur to veteran manufacturer.

The NASFT, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, is a not-for-profit trade association established to foster commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. Today, there are more than 2,950 members in the United States and abroad.