Our theme for Roots 2016 was empowerment – and it was much more than just a word to us, much more than a theme that we slapped on top of our paperwork. Instead, it represents our heartfelt belief in the power of authentic empowerment. If you weren’t able to be with us this year, we hope this welcome by Farmer Lee Jones conveys our genuine happiness at hosting this event.

Roots 2016 was a gathering of some of the most passionate thought leaders and doers in the world of food, some of the most innovative and creative people we know. And we appreciated the chance to network, share and learn from one another.
 

Closer Look at Emcee Dr. John M. “Doc” Sconzo

Doc served as our emcee for Roots 2015, as well as 2016 – and we’re honored to announce that he’s agreed to come back for Roots 2017 on September 25th-26th. If you haven’t met Doc yet, here’s a glimpse of him as he shares how Roots goes beyond a food conference to focus on social activism and purpose. (You’ll also get to see how long it takes to chew and swallow a large bite of a Romanesco plant!):
 

Doc is a fulltime practicing anesthesiologist and a culinary guru who first began writing about food on eGullet in 2003. “eGullet changed my life,” Doc tells us, “and my timing was perfect when I first got involved. When I initially visited the site, I was supposed to be in China for an anesthesiology trip, but I wasn’t feeling well and the SARS virus was spreading in China at that time. So, it just made sense for me to stay home, and my life was changed forever. People in the group ranged from home cooks to talented and passionate people who have ended up in the upper echelons of the international food scene.”
 
He started his own blog, Docsconz: Musings on Food and Life, in 2008. He now travels the world reporting on culinary events and leading international culinary-focused tours.
 
Since Doc has been to so many food conferences around the world, we wanted to know how Roots compared – and he was happy to share his thoughts. “I love Roots,” he says. “It’s different from other culinary conferences in that great good and conviviality are paired with social activism and a focus on how to make the world a better place through food – and how to make the food world better at the same time. People at the conference are down to earth, and the size is just right, being big enough to qualify as an event while being small enough to allow for intimate connection making among attendees. If you choose, you can interact with the speakers, something that isn’t always possible at bigger events.” 
 
Doc also points out that, at Roots, you can meet people who started from the ground up and then became someone influential in the food world through perseverance. “When you deal effectively with adversity,” he says, “things become possible.”