Award-winning Deer Valley Resort Food and Beverage Director Jodie Rogers was honored to participate in the James Beard Foundation (JBF)’s 13th Annual Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change at Shelburne Farms in Burlington, VT, September 11-13, 2017. The two-day immersion welcomed 14 renowned chefs from across the country to receive training on effective policy and advocacy skills, along with a special focus on our nation’s next Farm Bill up for approval in 2018.

“We are so proud that Jodie is seen as an important voice in the food industry and was selected to be part of this impactful event,” said Bob Wheaton, president and chief operating officer of Deer Valley Resort. “We look forward to seeing her continued leadership at work as she incorporates new methods of sustainability into the Deer Valley experience.”

JBF Chefs Boot Camp provided policy and media training by industry and political experts on specific food-system topics, hands-on activities like visits to local farms, slaughterhouses and fisheries, educational sessions about sustainable farming, exposure to campaigns of partner organizations, and strategic brainstorming for action plans and next steps that chefs can take in their own communities.

“It was such an honor to participate in the JBF Chefs Boot Camp and be part of nationwide conversations about challenges facing the food world,” said Jodie Rogers, food and beverage director of Deer Valley Resort. “It’s crucial to be forward-thinking in not only the restaurant industry, but the world’s food system as a whole. The experience was empowering, and I’m excited to implement even more responsible strategies here at Deer Valley® and be a positive influencer in the greater Utah community.”

As part of the Chefs Boot Camp advocacy training, chefs were also introduced to the upcoming Farm Bill, a piece of legislation that funds nearly $1 trillion of food-related agriculture in the United States. This informative discussion educated participants on the details of the expansive bill and specific ways they can support the sections they feel are most important.