The Global Culinary Innovators Association or (GCIA) is an association that focuses on education and networking through intimate, quality events. From global culinary and cultural influences to specific science-based research, the GCIA will help you and your team be on trend when making decisions on new menu items. GCIA members are innovators and leaders in the foodservice industry and sharing that knowledge is a benefit to your company and the entire industry.
We take our members around the country to dine at the most unique concepts, get hands on experience with new products, and learn about the latest trends in menu development, operational excellence, service and marketing. The GCIA is operated through Marketing A La Carte and is managed by a Board of Directors who oversee all educational programs and the structure of the organization. Our members come from multi-unit restaurant companies that rank 201 to 400 in gross sales annually. Membership is extended to the highest level new menu developer in these companies. With this type of membership structure, we can host exclusive events with far reaching results.
The GCIA members represent large companies that are still relatively “small” compared to the ICCA giants. Most members in the GCIA represent the fastest growing chains in the nation. For this reason, the membership dynamic in GCIA is vastly different. Many of our members fulfill several roles in their respective companies from CEO’s, to Founders, Corporate Chefs, Marketing and Operations along with Menu & Product Development.
This group has a sincere interest in developing ways to get involved with the communities in which we host our events through charitable activities encompassing food service and education. This group also has a distinct personality of truly innovative, modern, and forward-thinking individuals who continually reinvent themselves, their concepts, and hospitality as a whole.