Flavor University in Geneva...Illinois, that is

FONA - Flavors of North America - offers a great intensive class in "the creation and use of flavors" in product development. There's no catch, except for one - you do have to be a food professional of some kind. It's a great program, basically guides you through flavor, the chemistry of flavor, and understanding how the big ol consumer packaged goods companies (and molecular gastronomists) use flavor in developing products.

Here's the curriculum:

Flavor creation
Application Interaction
Descriptors
Flavor analysis
Trends
Labeling
QA
Flavor Types

The class is free -- there's no catch or hard sell. The company has decided that they want to boost the overall quality of flavors that the industry is selling. For those not directly involved in R&D, this class may be an interesting look inside an industry known for its secrecy.

I've seen a few of the market trend presentations and they are fascinating - the methodology will surprise a lot of foodies who will likely think the conclusions are obvious - anyone with curiosity about food could reach the same conclusions. But the sad part is that a lot of the folks making decisions at some of the CPGs don't have any kind of affinity for food. Sigh.

for more info, check out thiswebsite.

(and no, I don't work for these guys, I'm just a satisfied customer)

i happened upon this topic last week, visited the website friday, and just completed my class this afternoon.

so first, i just want to thank queijo for bringing this to my attention.

as for the class. as a chef, i found it very informative. much of it was geared towards people working in the processed food industry who will be working with 'flavor houses', but the more broad information about the physiology of taste, how flavors combine, descriptors, and industry trends was quite useful.

although i did feel a bit like an outsider, as i was the only restaurant-industry person present, it was well worth my time, and i'm very glad i did it.

it's completely free. and not only that, but they treat you very, very well, hosting a pretty decent catered dinner the first night and an above-average lunch the second day.

they use 'movable feast' catering, which i found out because i was so impressed by the quality of the food that they managed to deliver in the middle of this industrial park in geneva.

and it's a nice opportunity to network as well. i met a few ex-chefs who now work in r & d, and it was interesting to talk with them and find out how they made the transition.

all in all, it was a very positive experience. i'm planning on following up and taking the 201-level course when i can find the time.

this company (FONA) is very smart to be running these classes, and they do a fine job of it. kudos to them and to you, queijo, for getting the word out.

That's great -- I'm really glad that you had the opportunity to take the class!

I was really impressed by Moveable Feast too -- especially the cookies! Just last night I was looking it up online and seeing if there was a good cookie page I could link to.

I'm a former chef, too - and I work with a team of former chefs in my current position at a food manufacturer. One of my colleagues cooked at Trotter's and Everest. Another owned his own restaurant and caterering company. A third owned a baking company. A fourth was a much-lauded pastry chef in San Francisco who developed products as a consultant for the Center for Culinary Development. My boss is a research chef (food science background, culinary degree afterwards). I've got a culinary degree and an MBA - so I don't do bench work but act as a liason with our marketing people, who have no food experience.

Have you joined RCA yet? It is definitely worth it - if you are considering transitioning into a corporate position.

I'll be at 201 too sometime next year. Maybe I'll see you there!

If we are talking about Moveable Feast in Geneva, they catered our 25th anniversary party. They were a delight to work with and we had raves from our guests in regard to the food. The only downside was that our party was on a Sunday so we had to pick up everything on Saturday and figure out how to store it (and not sample too much!) They would have delivered on a Sunday for an extra fee I'm sure.

Re Moveable Feast in Geneva, they just were named one of Oprah's favorite "things" for their chocolate brownies.

I just got my postcard from FONA today. Their Flavor University classes are open for free enrollment at www.flavoruniversity.com

Flavor 101
October 9&10, 2006
November 6&7, 2006

Savory Flavor 201
October 24&25, 2006

Beverage Flavor 201
November 14&15, 2006

About the courses:

Flavor 101 Course
Created in 1996, the Flavor 101 course is designed to demonstrate the art and science of flavor creation and application. This one and a half-day course is offered throughout the year and is a complete introduction to flavors.

Savory Flavor 201 Course
The Savory Flavor 201 course is an advanced technical seminar that gives attendees a comprehensive look at the distinctive characteristics of savory flavors and the unique challenges posed by the applications that use them.

Beverage Flavor 201 Course
FONA is pleased to announce the addition of a Beverage Flavor 201 course to our Flavor University curriculum. This advanced technical seminar was created to help attendees overcome the unique flavoring challengers presented by beverage applications. Beverage Flavor 201 focuses on two main areas of learning which include; providing marketing, purchasing and product development professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing flavor selection, and hands on beverage development and tips for getting the most out of your flavor supplier.

Moveable Feast catered my wedding last August and did a great job. They provided a great staff and delightful light summer fare. I totally would recommend them!