The Business of Food Summit
One Day.
One City.
One Table.
An intimate, yet powerful full day of conversation and learning around the state of the region's food culture. Started in 2023 and returning in 2026 — this is a continued exploration of the food industry we each cherish.
The Business of Food Summit brings together chefs, suppliers, investors, small business owners, urban farmers, grocers, policy makers, and community stakeholders — all in one room.
No Cost. No Barriers.
Admission is entirely free. We believe access to meaningful content is crucial — especially right now.
IRL Experience That Matters
A casual format where audience Q&A is welcome. No stages. No distance. Real conversation.
A Hum of Sustainability Throughout
Sustainability isn't a session — it's the undercurrent of every topic, connecting back to lasting impact.
Voices in Food
That Move Business.
Food advocates, entrepreneurs, chefs, and community builders. These aren't keynotes. These are conversations.
Katy Trudeau
Ping Ho
Paddy Lynch
Anthony Lombardo
+ More speakers to be announced
What We're
Talking About
Reshaping the Local Food System Through Sustainable Sourcing
What does a sustainable supply chain with reduced environmental impact look like? A model supporting regional agriculture, minimizing transportation emissions, and promoting responsible land use. How does supporting small-scale, community-based growers impact regional food systems, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability beyond city limits?
Detroit Chefs, Speaking from the Kitchen
An honest look at Detroit's culinary voices — what they've built, what they've learned, and what the city's food scene looks like from behind the stove.
From Home Kitchen to Household Name: Scaling Food-Based Businesses
An insightful conversation with industry leaders and philanthropic experts on the unique challenges facing food-based entrepreneurs. How do emerging food businesses scale strategically while maintaining quality, culture, and community impact?
Honing in Heritage
Preserving Detroit's food heritage while running parallel tracks of building food brands and the businesses that drive them.
Policy and Food Systems
It's niche — and it should be. Where does your food come from? What does food sovereignty mean, and how does funding move that concept from theory into practice? Changes in agriculture ripple through everyone in the food industry.
Right Time to Invest in Detroit's Food System
City grant funding toward small business, Detroit-based farmers, and food collectives. Urban agriculture as a micro-industry and long-term neighborhood asset.
Future of Detroit as a Dining Destination
What does the Detroit food scene look like right now? What does it take to earn a Michelin designation — and is it important for Detroit?
Plated Marketing — Food Influencers from Detroit
How Detroit's food voices are shaping the city's culinary narrative, one post, one story, one plate at a time.
Women in the Food Industry
Celebrating and amplifying the women who grow, cook, build, and lead Detroit's food community forward.
Marrow
in the Market
"Intentionally beyond hospitality." Blends traditional hospitality with a butcher shop, retail counter, lunch service, and full-scale manufacturing facility.
The summit takes place in the Capital Dining Room — where industrial meets upscale. Original wood floors and exposed brick walls from 1904. Capacity: 120.
Monday, May 18, 2026
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Doors open at 8:30 AMFree — Register to Secure Your Spot
Sponsors
Interested in partnering with the Business of Food Summit?
Get in TouchWhat Attendees
Said Last Time
Yours was one of the most organized and highly executed events I've attended. Incredibly engaging and I learned so much from the community.
You could tell the panelists truly valued what they were talking about. Engaging conversations around food equity, composting, restaurants, and more — with lots of networking.
You could tell a lot of thought went into it. I really liked the panel format — it felt like a real conversation, not a presentation. That's rare.
Admission is
free.
We believe access to meaningful content — especially at this time of change — is crucial. Register now to secure your spot in a room of 120.
Monday, May 18, 2026 · 9AM–5PM · Marrow in the Market, Detroit