“Top Chef” Winner Floyd Cardoz to Headline “A Taste of Entrepreneurship” at Montclair State University, March 19

Floyd Cardoz – chef, author, restauranteur, food entrepreneur, winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters – will be the keynote speaker at “A Taste of Entrepreneurship,” an event for both successful and aspiring food entrepreneurs to be held March 19 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. on the campus of Montclair State University.

A cross-disciplinary partnership between the University’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies and  Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship, the event is free and open to the public. It will explore entrepreneurship strategies and current trends facing the food industry.

“Being able to share my story with both current and aspiring food entrepreneurs is a unique way to help further this industry,” says Cardoz. “This type of event is essential to creating opportunities for people with a passion for food and nutrition to pursue their dreams and gain valuable knowledge, so it is something I am excited to be a part of.”

Featuring a tasting of culinary creations by local food entrepreneurs, a panel discussion with influential industry voices and networking opportunities, “A Taste of Entrepreneurship” will offer attendees the opportunity to glean valuable insight into the strategies that have created some of the area’s most successful culinary entrepreneurial endeavors, such as AeroFarms, Flying Meatballs, Little Daisy Bake Shop, Hoboken Farms, RedHouse Roasters, HotSauce4Good, Cheesesticks.com and NuSpice.

The Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship at Montclair State University gives students the opportunity to learn, create, design, connect and collaborate by providing a curriculum centered on rich, real-life entrepreneurial experiences. Highlighting Montclair State University’s commitment to creating interdisciplinary programming, the Center’s partnership with the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies is the latest example of Montclair State providing progressive learning opportunities for students that place them at the heart of their respective industries.

“When we ask our entrepreneurship students what type of business they’d like to own they often say a restaurant or other food venture,” says Dennis Bone, founding director of the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship. “So, we wanted to partner with the nutrition department to bring food entrepreneurs to campus so our students – and the general public – could hear about the challenges and rewards of starting a food business.”

“Food and its ancillary components comprise a business sector that spans the globe, has impact on gross domestic product and employment, making the partnership with the Feliciano School of Business Center of Entrepreneurship an opportunity for students of both programs,” says Douglas Murray, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at Montclair State University.

“The Department of Nutrition and Food Studies recognizes the importance and value of partnerships within the University and food industry as a whole, and is committed to providing opportunities for students, faculty and industry professionals,” says Alison Javens, the internship director for the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. “While recognizing the power of bringing various viewpoints together, our ultimate goal is to prepare students both academically and professionally for a vibrant future in their food-related careers.”

During the “Talk and Taste” portion of the evening, attendees will have the chance to sample the products of local businesses while networking with both guests and vendors. The event’s panel discussion will feature entrepreneurs including AeroFarms Chief Marketing Officer Marc Oshima, Hudson Kitchen Founder and CEO Djenaba Johnson-Jones, Montclair Culinary Academy Executive Chef and Founder Karan Fischer, Nu Products Seasoning Company President and CEO Henry Goldstein and Flying Meatballs Founder and Chef Natale Grande. Edible Communities Publisher Nancy Painter will moderate the discussion.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Feliciano School of Business building on the Montclair State University campus. For more information or to register to attend, visithttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/taste-of-entrepreneurship-tickets-43195204018. Email inquiries should be directed to Alison Javens at bermacka@montclair.edu.