Close Ad

The Spoon

Daily news and analysis about the food tech revolution

Plus Events

SKS 2025 Full Sessions

Below are the full session from SKS 2025.

The State of Consumer Kitchen Innovation

Speakers: Scott Heimendinger (Seattle Ultrasonics), Kai Schaeffner (Former CEO of Thermomix North America), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

What is the state of innovation in the consumer kitchen? How will new technologies change things?

Watch on Vimeo

The Future of Food Innovation

Food futurist Mike Lee will present his vision for the future with his trademark narrative storytelling through a futurist lens.

Navigating The New World Order in Food

MAHA. Tariffs. The venture capital winter. How does a food entrepreneur navigate it all? Join us for this session to find out!

Panelists: Eric Schulze (Food Truths Podcast), Amy Taylor (CEO, Zevia), Sanah Baig (ED, Plant Based Food Institute), Dana McCauley (CEO, CFIN).

The Future of Food Delivery

Speakers: Garrett McCurrach (Pipedream Labs), Zach Rash (Coco), Lee Kindell (MOTO Pizza).

As delivery becomes an ever-more important part of the food service business, innovators are building new technologies to make delivery more convenient, instant, and more sustainable.

GLP-1s, Fiber, Microbiome & The Food Future

Fibermaxxing? GLP-1s? 2025 is proving to be year of immense change when it comes to food and nutrition.

Panelists: Kristofer Cook (Carbiotix), Matt Barnard (One.Bio), Noosheen Hashemi (January AI). Moderator: Carolyn O’Neil

Connected Kitchen Case Study: The Sourdough Sidekick

What happens when a food brand teams up with an appliance company with an innovation hub like FirstBuild? You get the Sourdough SideKick. Join this chat with the team that brought it together

Speakers: John Henry Sidelecki (King Arthur Baking Company), Laura Hammond (FirstBuild), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

Video Sessions: Food Robotics Outlook 2023

We also heard from entrepreneur and restaurant operator Andrew Simmons, who is reinventing his neighborhood restaurant with digital technology and robotics.

Atish Aloor told us how his company CloudChef is creating a way to digitize the chef and building an operating system for repeatable, high-quality cooking.

Mark Oleynik of Moley and Khalid Aboujassoum of Else Labs discussed the opportunity and challenges of building cooking robots for the home kitchen.

Arthur Chow of S2G Ventures and Buck Jordan of Vebu Labs discussed the funding environment for food robotics startups and how the market’s unique characteristics make it different from other food tech verticals.

This content is for Spoon Plus subscribers. However, if you are interested, you can learn more about Spoon Plus here. 

Video Sessions: How ChatGPT & Generative AI Will Change The Food Biz

The summit included the following panels:

The Potential Applications of Generative AI – Speaker: Neil Sahota (UN AI Advisor, former IBM Master Inventor, Author “Own the A.I. Revolution: Unlock Your Artificial Intelligence Strategy to Disrupt Your Competition”

Generative AI & The Future of Restaurants – Speakers: Hadi Rashid (cofounder, Lunchbox) and Matt Wampler (CEO & cofounder, ClearCOGS)

Creating Next-Gen Proteins with AI – Speakers: Geoffroy Dubourg-Felonneau (Machine-learning lead, Shiru)

Customer Interaction & AI: What’s the Future? – Speakers: Deon Nicholas (CEO, Forethought AI), Benjamin Brown (Head of Marketing, ConverseNow).

These sessions are available for subscribers of Spoon Plus. To get access to these sessions, you can subscribe to Spoon Plus here.

SKS Invent 2022 Video Sessions

In fall 2022, we asked the question that got it all started: How will the consumer meal journey change over the next decade as technology and innovation around new business models are introduced at every step from farm to consumer plate.

The result was a two days full of learning, community and connections at SKS 2022.

This is the full video archive of all the sessions at SKS 2022.

You can see the list of speakers from SKS 2022 at the original event page here.

Panel: The State of the Smart Kitchen

Almost a decade into the industry’s effort to digitize the consumer meal journey, it’s time to take stock: Where are we and where are we going?

Speakers: Menting Gao (Kitchen Stories/BSH), Ben Harris (Fresco), Kai Schaffner (ex-Thermomix, CookingPal), Michael Wolf (The Spoon, moderator)

Innovator Showcase 1: Future of Cooking

This set of featured innovators will showcase the products that are building that recreate the cooking experience. Companies include: Celcy, Cuisine Machine and Remy Robotics

Fireside: The Story of Electrolux GRO

Electrolux’s GRO concept is a complete rethink of the consumer kitchen. We talk to Electrolux’s innovation lead to hear about the process of building a new approach to the consumer kitchen in a well-established appliance brand.

Speakers: Tove Chevally (Electrolux), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

Panel: Building an Innovation Engine for the Future of Food & Cooking

Big companies are increasingly looking for new ways to build toward the future. In this session, we hear from two global brands about how they are doing just that.

Speakers: Tove Chevally (Electrolux), Lars Roessler (BSH), Allen Weiner (The Spoon)

Innovator Showcase2 : Discovery

These companies are building products that assist consumers with new ways to connect with food. Companies pitching during this segment include Here Here Market and Eatiquette.

Fireside: Building The Star Trek Drink Replicator with Cana

Earlier this year, a new product debuted that seemed straight from the pages of science fiction: a drink replicator. The Cana is a product that will be able to make almost any type of beverage, from cola to beer to wine to coffee. We talk with the company chairman Bharat Vasan about the story behind Cana and what it means for the future of personalization in the kitchen.

Speakers: Bharat Vasan (Cana), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

Panel: A Look Forward: Predicting The Future of Consumer Kitchen

What will the consumer kitchen look like in 10 years? To answer that question, we bring together a panel that spends lots of time thinking about where the future of food and cooking is going.

Speakers: Bharat Vasan (Cana), Chris Young, (Combustion), Joe Ray (Wired), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

Innovator Showcase: Personalization

The future is not one-sized-fits-all. In this innovator showcase, we hear from startups building products to help personalize our experience with food and nutrition. Companies featured include: Versaware and Elo Health.

Fireside: Wonder Wants to Reinvent Food Delivery

Wonder is taking an entirely new approach to home food delivery. The startup with over $800 million in venture funding is delivering chef-created meals to homes and bringing the chef curbside to cook and bring to the front door. We talk with Wonder’s Chief Customer Officer Katherine Prime about Wonder’s vision for the future of food delivery.

Speakers: Katherine Prime (Wonder), Kristen Hawley (Expedite)

Fireside: Food Delivery & the Connected Kitchen With Tovala

Tovala has had massive success for pairing a countertop steam oven with a food delivery business. We sit down with CEO and founder David Rabie to hear about his secrets to success.

Speakers: David Rabie (Tovala), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

Innovator Showcase: Place & Space

In this showcase, we hear from companies who are rethinking how we utilize space within our homes or the food value chain to create new ways to provide customer value. Companies featured in this pitch session include Fresh Portal, Gardyn, Impact Justice and Koko.

Innovator Spotlight: Building an Airbnb for Instant Pots With Tulu

Tulu is trying to change the way people buy and use home products. Their company is building a platform for customers to buy home products like air fryers or pressure cookers for a limited time through a sharing economy model like Airbnb. We talk with cofounder Yael Shemer to learn about the company’s business model.

Panel: Fighting Food Waste Through Innovation

We all know the stats: Nearly one-third of food is thrown away at home. How can we use innovation to reduce this number while also recognizing consumers are very fixed in their behavior? This expert panel will break it down.

Speakers: Lily Herd (ReFED), Paul Levins (Evercase) Asrar Damdam (Uvera)

Fireside: Reinventing Single-Serve Coffee With CoffeeB

In September 2022, CoffeeB debuted a new system for single-serve coffee that is a complete re-think of home coffee packaging and delivery.

Speakers: Frank Wilde (CoffeeB), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)

Innovator Showcase: Sustainability

These companies are building products that reduce food waste, packaging and more. Featured in this section: Evercase, Perks99, and Trendi.

SimulATE Spring Video Sessions: The Food Web3 Summit

Earlier this month, SimulATE Spring convened the leaders pioneering in food & web3. Now you can watch all the sessions here!

The second installment of the SimulATE event series, we explore how the world of web3 will impact restaurants, CPG, ag, community building, and more.

Subscribers to Spoon Plus can get access to all of the sessions below.

SimulATE: All Sessions From Food Web3 & Metaverse Summit

Here’s the lineup:

  • Building a Crypto Powered Food Future – Amber Case (Unlock Protocol), Chad Horn (Devour Token), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)
  • Welcome to the Foodverse – Supreet Raju (OneRare), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)
  • Jobs in a Web3-Powered Food Industry Amogha Srirangarajan (Carbon Origins), Barry Herbst (The Elliott Group)
  • Case Study: Making an NFT Restaurant with Flyfish Club – David Rodolitz (Flyfish Club), Josh Capon (Flyfish Club), Conor Hanlon (Flyfish Club), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)
  • Building Web3 Burger Joint – Al Chen (BurgerDAO), Perrin Davidson (LA Eats)
  • How Will AR Change Food & Cooking – Lauren Cason (XR Creative Technologist), Michael Wolf (The Spoon)
  • NFT Strategies for Consumer Packaged Goods – Brad Klemmer (Bored Breakfast Club), Brett Fink (Yerb), Perrin Davidson (LA Eats)
  • Chefs Spike Mendelsohn & Tom Colicchio Talk CHFTY Pizzas

 

Spoon Plus members can watch the complete sessions below.  If you would like to learn more about Spoon Plus, you can do so here. 

The Restaurant Tech Summit Sessions

Below is a list of the sessions featured at the Restaurant Tech Summit. 

Subscribers to Spoon Plus can access all of these sessions. If you’d like to learn more about Spoon Plus, you can do so here. 

  • The Analyst Outlook for Restaurant Tech Brita Rosenheim (Culterra), Michael Wolf, Michael Schaefer (Euromonitor)
  • Building a Post-Pandemic Restaurant Michael Schatzberg (Branded Strategic); Trish Paterson (Copper Branch); Josh Phillips (Espita)
  • Dissecting Restaurant Delivery Tech Ava Ghaiumy (Delivery Hero); Geoff Alexander (Wow Bao), Marty Hahnfeld (Olo); Jenn Marston
  • Breaking Free: Going DTC & Network Free Krystle Mobayeni (Bentobox); Ben Leventhal (Resy, Eater); Ashley Daigneault
  • Breaking Down the Ghost Kitchen Tech Stack Jessi Moss (Kitchen United), Corey Manicone (Zuul); Warren Tseng (Just Kitchen); Jenn Marston
  • Automate: The Restaurant Robot Revolution Alex Barseghian (RoboEatz); Carlos Gazitua (Sergios); Ali Kashani (Serve Robotics); Chris Albrecht
  • A Conversation With Dave Arnold Dave Arnold (Cooking Issues; Booker & Dax); Michael Wolf
  • The Virtual Brand Explosion Alex Canter (Ordermark/NextBite); Robert Earl (Virtual Dining Concepts); Andy Wiederhorn (Fat Brands); Kristen Hawley (Moderator)
  • Recipe For Interoperability: Building Towards Open APIs in Restaurant Tech Angela Diffly (Restaurant Technology Network); Robert Peterson (Oracle Food and Bev); Christopher Sebes; Skip Kimpel (4 Rivers Smokehouse)
  • The Data-Driven Restaurant Adam Brotman (Brightloom); Allison Page (Sevenrooms); Scott Lawton (BarTaco); Michael Wolf (The Spoon)
  • Tech Strategies for Workforce & Staffing Challenges Will Clem (Bite Ninja); Paige Newcombe (Fourth); Jenn Marston
  • The Future of Restaurant POS “Jordan Thaeler (Reforming Retail), Bryan Solar (Square), Matt Niehaus
    (Slice); Amir Hudda (Qu)”
  • Tech-enabled Training for the kitchens Michael Wallace; Mike Bell (Miso Robotics); Michael Wolf

Come Along On A Video Tour of a Plant-Based Chicken Manufacturing Plant

This video is a tour of the Rebellyous Foods plant in Seattle. Rebellyous makes plant-based chicken nuggets, patties, and tenders. Our guide for the tour is Rebellyous cofounder and CEO, Christie Lagally.

Our tour starts off with a presentation by Lagally, who gives us an introduction to Rebellyous. After that, we go on a walking tour of the Rebellyous factory.

Note on the tour video: It was presented via the Zoom platform and I was the cameraman (apologies for the lack of camera stabilizer!). I followed Christie around and fielded questions from our partners in Japan.

Enjoy the tour! This video tour is available for Spoon Plus Subscribers. You can click here to learn more about Spoon Plus.

The Ghost Kitchen Deep Dive Sessions

The ghost kitchen, which had already an emerging trend prior to the pandemic, has fast become one of the most talked-about concepts in the restaurant business in 2020. Industry players ranging from well-established chains to food delivery specialists to new ghost kitchen operators are experimenting with new ghost kitchen and virtual restaurant models.

To explore the implications of these changes and hear from those pioneering these businesses, The Spoon held a day-long event discussing business models, operational strategies and lessons learned called the Ghost Kitchen Deep Dive. We talked about virtual restaurants, ghost kitchen operations and even took a tour of a next-generation ghost kitchen, delivery and take-out hub built in Boise, Idaho.

Speakers featured in these deep dive conversations include:

 

Below are the sessions from the Ghost Kitchen Deep Dive. If you are a Spoon Plus subscriber, you can watch these in full. If you would like to access these sessions, you can subscribe to Spoon Plus here.

Smart Kitchen Summit 2020 Sessions, Day Three

Included below are videos from the following sessions:

  • Same-Day Delivery’s Role in the Modern Kitchen, Grocery Store and Beyond – Wilson Rothman and Kelly Caruso
  • The Tech-Powered Grocery Store – Chris Albrecht and Will Glaser
  • Building Resilient Restaurants With Tech in the COVID Era – Chris Carr, Ian Christopher, Christine Schindler, Jennifer Marston
  • Designing Consumer-Centered Products For The Kitchen – Evan Dash, Jane Freiman, Nicole Papantoniou
  • The CRISPR Revolution – Brian Frank and Tom Adams
  • Off-Premise Disruption: Restaurant Delivery & Virtual Restaurants Change The Game – Brita Rosenheim, Tom Pickett
  • Food Service: Digital Transformation & Disruption – Scott Wu, Daniel Khachab, Michael Wolf
  • Ghost Kitchen Strategies for the New Restaurant Landscape – Ashley Colpaart, Nick Avedesian, Michael Schaefer
  • I, Restaurant: Let’s Talk Restaurant Robots – Clayton Wood, Linda Pouliot, John Ha
  • Table Talk: Fermentation – The next big wave in future food? – Tim West Miller Tran
  • Table Talk: Virtual Restaurants – Kristen Hawley (Wolf Assist) Lawrence Vavra, Michael Wolf
  • Table Talk: Home Cooking Marketplaces – Surj Patel Chris Fung, Akshay Prabhu
  • Into the Modernist Cuisine Kitchen – Francisco Migoya, Michael Wolf
  • The Home Food Robot: From Rotimatic to Rosie the Robot – Khalid Aboujassoum, Pranoti Nagarkar, Michael Wolf

 

If you purchased a ticket to SKS and have not received your Spoon Plus account activation, drop us a line.

If you didn’t attend SKS and would like to see these sessions, you can subscribe to Spoon Plus here.