The 11th Annual Philly Chef Conference 2025-2026

The Philly Chef Conference is pleased to announce that we will be hosting monthly events for Winter 2026!

Oxtails & Cocktails

Tuesday, May 19 • 5:30–7:30 p.m.

The Philly Chef Conference 2025-2026 series comes to a close for the academic year featuring Chef Osei "Picky" Blackett and mixologist Maritza "Ritzy" Rodriguez, "Oxtails + Cocktails."

Oxtails + Cocktails will be a four-course Oxtail Omakase prepared and served by acclaimed Caribbean Chef Osei "Picky" Blackett along with Drexel University’s Culinary Arts and Science students. Born out of his deep love and lifelong obsession with oxtails, the menu will showcase new techniques, flavor profiles and cultural narratives -- all rooted in the richness of Afro-Caribbean cuisine.

Cocktails will be curated by Maritza "Ritzy" Rodriguez, a Haitian-American mixologist and native New Yorker whose creations are as layered and soulful as the city that raised her. Her cocktail pairings are designed to complement each course while standing strong on their own, drawing on Caribbean spirits, NYC edge and a deep reverence for balance, heat and heart.

Chef Picky's oxtail dishes have been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, The New York Times and the James Beard Foundation, cementing his reputation as one of the boldest voices in modern Caribbean cooking. Whether it's a nostalgic stew or an avant-garde expression, every course invites guests to experience oxtail in a new and unexpected way.

Tickets for the event are $65 and free for Drexel University's Culinary Arts and Food Science and Hospitality Management students.

LOCATION
Academic Bistro
101 N 33rd Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Register

For inquiries, contact Prof. Paul O'Neill at pgo27@drexel.edu.
For sponsorship inquiries, contact Heather Procaccino at hp499@drexel.edu.
For media inquiries, contact Annie Korp at amk522@drexel.edu.

The Philly Chef Conference is hosted by Drexel University's Food and Hospitality Management Department. The mission of this annual conference is to engage our students with industry leaders while also connecting members of the restaurant community through a day of education.

The conference is an annual event designed to convene the regional food community and to showcase the latest food and beverage ideas and techniques through educational lectures, panel discussions and demonstrations. It brings together the best chefs, food producers and personalities and links established food and hospitality professionals with aspiring students and young industry professionals.

The Philly Chef Conference is a trademark of Drexel University and is not affiliated with other food or culinary conferences in Philadelphia. It was founded by alumni of the food and hospitality management programs in 2013 and has been held annually, led by the Philly Chef Conference Planning Committee, which includes Drexel faculty, professional staff and industry leaders.