Since 1931, the Waldorf Astoria New York has been inventing dishes that rocket into classics on menus around the world: ggs Benedict, Waldorf salad, Thousand Island dressing, and—of course—red velvet cake, whose heavenly decadence is so beloved that it will seemingly forever be a source of inspiration for everything from cocktails to pancakes.

Lest any of these dishes fall out of food-trend favor, Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts has teamed with the James Beard Foundation to seek out the next Taste of Waldorf Astoria. The program, which began in mid-October, has dispatched five James Beard semi-finalists to Waldorf Astoria properties to apprentice with their executive chefs and collaborate on a signature recipe. In early 2015, the pairs will meet in New York and present their creations to a panel of food-world leaders, and the winning dish will be featured at 29 Waldorf Astorias around the world. One can only hope there’s a new, edible cult classic in the making.

• October 18–23: Chris Kajioka, previously of Honolulu’s Vintage Cave, travels to Berlin to collaborate with Pierre Gagnaire

• October 20–24: David Posey, former chef de cuisine at Chicago’s renowned Blackbird restaurant, travels to Rome to collaborate with Heinz Beck

• November 17–21: Cara Stadler, who ran Beijing’s Gourmet Underground dining club before moving to Maine to open the successful Tao Yuan and dumpling house BaoBao, heads to Edinburgh to join forces with brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin

• November 18–23: Eduardo Ruiz, one of L.A.’s chefs du jour, jets to La Quinta to work with Master Chef Jimmy Schmidt

• November 30–December 7: Marjorie Meek Bradley, known for her locavore haute-cuisine in Washington D.C., goes to Shanghai to collaborate with Master Chef Jan Van Dyke

For more information, visit Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts.