The Bronx, NY • July 26 – 27th, 2025

Feeding a shared future

A call to action.

Brigaid Summit is a call to action for everyone invested in the future of food. By bringing together diverse voices from across the food system, we aim to challenge assumptions, spark bold conversations, and inspire innovative solutions. This isn’t about agreeing on everything — it’s about creating a space where disagreements lead to progress and collaboration drives change. Together, we’ll tackle tough questions, share fresh perspectives, and work toward a stronger food system.

Featured speakers

 Program

SATURDAY

7/26

  • The venue opens each morning at 8:00 am. Pick up your badge and swag bag at the registration desk. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and direct you to breakfast.

  • Enjoy fresh fruit and pastries while mingling with other attendees.

  • We’ll start the day with a welcome from Brigaid Founder and CEO, Dan Giusti.

  • In our busy lives, it can be hard to keep up with the current landscape of food policy. This session will provide a snapshot of what’s going on in key policy discussions and outline what’s ahead.

    Speaker: Cat Oakar

  • Is there a true definition? And if so, who defines it? This session will consider the value of defining food as “good” in the first place and explore other ways to think about food.

    Speakers: To be announced

  • Engage with other attendees over delicious coffee, tea, cold brew and a barista-serviced espresso and matcha bar from Joe Coffee.

  • What if there was a restaurant that:

    -Bought fresh, local food from small, underrepresented farmers

    -Trained and paid people from the community a living wage

    -Cooked healthy, plant-forward meals that taste great

    -Served everyone, using a sliding scale

    That’s the idea behind, Community Kitchen, which Founder, Mark Bittman calls “The most important project I’ve ever worked on.” In this session, Mark and Executive Director, Rae Gomes, will share their model and plans for this new kind of restaurant.

    Speakers: Mark Bittman, Rae Gomes

  • School food makes up a huge part of our food industry but is often misunderstood — or worse, maligned. This session will dispel myths and spotlight people working on the ground to feed our youth.

    Speakers: To be announced

  • In this lunch, prepared by Brigaid chefs, attendees will get to experience what it’s like to eat school lunch. From a National School Lunch Program-compliant menu to timed service, we hope attendees will gain a new perspective on school meals.

  • Food waste is a major problem across our industry. Fortunately, there are endless ways to address it and mitigate its impact. This panel will spotlight innovative solutions taking place across multiple sectors of our industry.

    Speakers: Christina Grace, Adam Kaye and Rob Rubba

  • Cookbooks offer us recipes, inspiration, and beautiful images — all things that we can also find online. This session will consider what the ongoing allure of cookbooks is in our hyper digital age.

    Speaker: Emilia Terragni

  • We’ll split into small groups to tackle a focused prompt. These circles give everyone space to share ideas and build real connections across the many sectors of our industry before regrouping with the broader summit.

  • Engage with other attendees over delicious coffee, tea, cold brew and a barista-serviced espresso and matcha bar from Joe Coffee.

  • The pathways for chefs are expanding. Beyond the traditional fine dining track, there are many ways for chefs to build fulfilling careers. This panel will consider how reframing success can create space for chefs to use their skills and expertise to contribute meaningfully across the many sectors of our industry.

    Speakers: To be announced

  • An 8-time James Beard Award winning chef, Tom Colicchio has blended an extremely successful career in restaurants with outspoken activism on key issues. In this special conversation, Tom and Brigaid Founder and CEO, Dan Giusti, will discuss Tom’s journey and lessons learned.

  • Join us on the terrace for wine, beer, and a speciality cocktail along with light bites.

SUNDAY

7/27

  • The venue opens each morning at 8:00 am. Pick up your badge and swag bag at the registration desk (if not previously collected on 7/26). Staff will be on hand to answer questions and direct you to breakfast.

  • Enjoy fresh fruit and pastries while mingling with other attendees.

  • Brigaid Founder and CEO, Dan Giusti will provide an update on Brigaid’s growth and share some exciting projects in the works.

  • Nutrition and taste both play a key role in determining what we eat and cook, but, at times, they can be at odds. This panel will consider whether one is truly more important than the other and how this can inform food programs, like the National School Lunch Program.

    Speakers: To be announced

  • For 30 years, Chef Jimmy Lee Hill has run a highly regarded culinary training program out of a prison in Coldwater, MI, offering incarcerated men a renewed sense of purpose through the craft of fine dining. The James Beard award-winning documentary, “Coldwater Kitchen,” follows the story of Chef Hill and three of his students. We will screen the film and hear a panel discussion from the Coldwater team. See a clip of the film here.

    Speakers: Jimmy Lee Hill, Dink Dawson, Ernest Davis, Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, Desire Vincent Levy (Moderator)

  • Engage with other attendees over delicious coffee, tea, cold brew and a barista-serviced espresso and matcha bar from Joe Coffee.

  • In order to build a stronger food system for all, we must invest in the next generation. This panel will consider ways that we can nurture our youth and set them up to be positive stewards of future food systems.

    Speakers: Dr. Danielle Beam, Dr. Jason Evans, and Sarah Thomas

  • Prepared by our next generation, this lunch will showcase the talent, innovation, and dedication of our culinary youth.

  • Fast food and fine dining are generally seen at odds. This session will explore how the two can interact and benefit from each other.

    Speakers: Chad Brauze

  • Stay tuned!

  • Throughout her illustrious career, Dr. Marion Nestle has been at the forefront of examining how various factors, like marketing, politics, economics, and science, impact our food choices and health. In this special conversation, Dr. Nestle and Brigaid Founder and CEO, Dan Giusti, will discuss how consumers can stay empowered in their food choices.

  • At the close of the program, take a moment to thank speakers, exchange contacts, and say farewell to new connections. We appreciate you for being part of Brigaid Summit.

Program subject to change. Exact times will be announced closer to the summit.

 Venue

DREAM Charter School

20 Bruckner Boulevard

The Bronx, NY 10454

Website

For information on hotels, parking, and transportation, please see our FAQs.

 FAQs

  • Brigaid Summit is a two-day gathering of food industry professionals from all backgrounds. There will be attendees from the worlds of institutional food, restaurants, farms, academic institutions, and more! Over the past near-decade, we’ve seen firsthand the value of collaborating with industry partners of all backgrounds. This is the motivation for Brigaid Summit. We challenge you to engage thoughtfully and share your perspective!

  • General admission tickets are $450, covering:

    • Two full days of programming with industry-leading speakers

    • Breakfast and lunch (see details above) both days

    • Unlimited coffee, tea, and cold brew along with a barista-serviced espresso and matcha bar from Joe Coffee 

    • Saturday evening cocktail hour with light bites

    • Canvas swag bag with official Brigaid hat and limited-edition Brigaid Summit T-shirt

  • You can purchase tickets from our online storefront here.

  • There are many great hotels in New York City, but these are a few that we think could work well for attendees. There is no block room rate available for this event.

    Wingate by Wyndham – Bronx / Haven Park

    • Best option for walking (about a 12-minute walk)

    • Right on the 4 / 5 line for transit into Manhattan

    Lexington Hotel

    • Good for public transit (right on the 4 / 5 / 6 subway lines)

    • About 31 minutes by subway plus a short walk

    Renaissance New York Harlem

    • Good for Uber or taxi (about a 19-minute ride)

    Arthouse Hotel NYC

    • Good for Uber or taxi (about a 35-minute ride)

  • We will provide breakfast and lunch (see details above) each day for attendees. There will be a cocktail hour on Saturday, July 26 night that includes light bites.

  • Yes! All attendees are prompted to provide any dietary restrictions or allergies when purchasing tickets.

  • There is no strict dress code. Come as your authentic self, but please aim for attire that is suitable for a professional event!

  • LGA is the closest airport to DREAM, but JFK may provide flights that are more convenient to and from your location.

  • There is very little parking available at DREAM. For that reason we strongly recommend that you utilize public transportation, taxis, or rideshare to get to and from the event.

  • Refunds are available until July 11, 2025 (14 days before the event). After that date, tickets are non-refundable.