'Culinologists' en route to CLT

Research chefs, the folks who figure out -- and sometimes create -- trends in the food industry, will descend, with an array of similarly minded folks, from food scientists and nutritionists to researchers and marketers, on Charlotte March 6-9, for the Research Chefs Association's annual conference and "Culinology" Expo.

That word (it's trademarked) refers to "the blending of the culinary arts and food science." Planners expect more than 1,200 food research and development professionals to show up at the convention center. Jim Fowler, RCA executive vice president, said in a press release that Charlotte is "where modern and traditional cuisine are in abundance -- a great backdrop for our event."

Keynote speaker will be famous molecular gastronomy guy Homaro Cantu of Moto and iNG restaurants, and the title of his address is "Trailblazing a New Culinary Frontier: Ideas for Improving Our Diets Without Harming the Planet."

Some tantalizing tidbits: Attendees will hear about "the art of sensory science, ... pungent ingredients, next-generation oils" and more. And PepsiCo's Mehmood Khan is slated to lead a session called "Global Food Challenges, the Future of Food and the Implications for R&D Professionals."

Interested in the ideas? Find out more at www.culinology.org. Interested in research chefs? Here is an old, but chatty description.