Mission Statement: The Global Culinary Innovators Association is an organization of multi-unit menu developers coming together to form a network that educates and elevates all aspects of the restaurant business and experience.
The Global Culinary Innovators Association (GCIA) was created in 2014 and will be celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2024. GCIA membership is for the leading menu developers within the nation’s fastest growing multi-unit foodservice operations based on the success of the International Corporate Chefs Association (ICCA), the first chef’s association designed exclusively for corporate chefs from the nation’s largest chains and multi-unit operations. The ICCA was created in 2002 for the lead menu developers from the top 200 chains based in the USA and North America. The GCIA is for the lead menu developer for chains ranked 201 – 400 in annual sales.
GCIA events are smaller and more conducive to networking and best of all there are no trade shows, booths or hard-selling at our events. Only members, select members of the media and a very small sponsor community are invited to all GCIA events. This provides the members with an environment that is casual and productive. Benefits include access to up-to-date information on trends, training techniques, current issues, menu development and other topics that affect your menu development staff and daily operations. This will be done through a variety of education programs and hands-on training at the GCIA Culinary Combine, monthly webinars plus ongoing web-based news and information. Your commitment to become a member of GCIA is a unique opportunity to help create a new association in our growing multi-unit foodservice industry.
GCIA sponsors are leaders in their respective category of business within the foodservice industry. GCIA sponsors provide dynamic resources for our members at our annual events including our annual GCIA Culinary Combine, GCIA Culinary Connections, monthly webinars plus in the sponsor section of this website.
For additional information on how to join the GCIA or ICCA, please email CEO Kevin Ryan at Kevin@ICCAchefs.com.