The 92nd annual NRA Show is fast upon us. As tens of thousands of foodservice industry professionals descend on Chicago’s McCormick Place May 21-24, it’s easy to get lost in the commotion of the crowded convention center and double-booked calendars. To help ease the anxiety, Nation’s Restaurant News scanned the schedule, reached out to the experts at the National Restaurant Association and laid out 10 things you won’t want to miss. Here’s what we found:
Show app and eventsocial
Show attendees can find out who else in their social networks is attending the restaurant and foodservice industry’s main events. The eventsocial tool allows show goers to log into their social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, or e-mail accounts, like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail or Microsoft Office Outlook, to find fellow registrants in those existing networks and post Show-related updates. Also helping attendees manage the show from their mobile devices is the new NRA Show app, which highlights floor maps, exhibitor information and personal schedules.
Event social
App
NRA Show Daily Deals
New to this year’s NRA Show is the opportunity for attendees to take advantage of discounted deals for equipment, services, and technology and to test new products that otherwise might have been cost-prohibitive. Using group-buying demand and the ability to close a deal face-to-face, the Show Daily Deals helps buyers and sellers connect in a new way. The program is also designed to help exhibitors gain new brand visibility and the opportunity to identify buyers who might not have otherwise considered them. Each day, a new product or service is highlighted.
Keynote Speaker – Colin Powell
This year’s most distinguished guest may not be in the restaurant business, but he is more than qualified to speak on how these tumultuous times impact society and industries of all kinds. The Four-Star General and former Secretary of the State will deliver his keynote address entitled “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust & Values” on Sunday, May 22 at 2:00 PM in McCormick Place’s Vista Ballroom. Doors open at 1:30 PM and all show attendees are welcome.
Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio
Colicchio will be everywhere at this year’s NRA Show. He is hosting a new, Restaurant Rock party and is being honored by Nation’s Restaurant News as a Hall of Fame inductee to the MenuMasters awards program. Even after opening 15 successful fast-casual sandwich shops, eight critically acclaimed full-service restaurants and serving as top judge of “Top Chef,” an Emmy-award-winning television cooking competition, Tom Colicchio said he hasn’t yet reached the pinnacle of his career. See what makes him tick at NRN’s MenuMasters celebration (invitation only). Also celebrate winners including Panda Express for “Best New Menu Item,” and Subway for “Healthful Innovations.”
Restaurant Executive Breakfast
Hear from top restaurant executives on the current resurgence of private equity investment in the foodservice industry, and why it matters. Moderator Ray Villaman, president, MobiMunch will be joined by Steve Romaniello, managing director, Roark Capital Group; Richard Fitzgerald, co-CEO, CapitalSpring; Eduardo Rallo, managing partner, Pacific Community Ventures; Keith Cox, CEO of seafood chain Pacific Catch; Scott Gillie, a 17-unit Popeye’s franchisee; and Frank Paci, president and CEO of 295 unit fast casual chain McAlister's Deli. Always a good way to start off the NRA Show, the topics and insights are compelling to those running multi-unit operations. The session is open to senior executives only and requires separate registration.
Food Truck Spot
Food trucks are still an innovative, driving force in the restaurant business, and this year’s NRA Show is set out to showcase the latest in operations, branding and best practices. More than doubled in size from 2010, the Food Truck Spot will showcase at least four trucks, and exhibit every major food truck manufacturer from Mercedes Benz to the Pizza Truck Company. It promises to be a good place to learn how mobile eats continue to take the culinary world by storm.
World Culinary Showcase
Each day of this year’s NRA Show will feature world-class culinary demonstrations from the most respected and inventive chefs. From Chicago’s own Mexican-cooking mastermind Rick Bayless to Top Chef All Stars winner Richard Blais, attendees can expect hands on cooking demonstrations and informative discussions based around this years theme, “Innovation.” As a bonus, many of the chefs will stick around to sign their books following their presentations. The showcase takes place daily at Booth#2489 on the third floor of the South Hall. Complete schedule
Penton Restaurant Group booths
Of course no NRA Show would be complete without a stop at the Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality and Food Management booths. Visit booth #3008 to pick up a free copy of the NRN NRA Show issue, covering best practices on daypart expansion and sales drivers. Also, make sure to register with Anything4Restaurants.com, the industry’s online product directory, for a chance to win a new iPad. Find Restaurant Hospitality and Food Management at booth #1618. As always, follow daily show coverage and the latest industry news on NRN.com
Kitchen Innovations
Any industry insider knows that a restaurant is only as good as its kitchen, which makes the Kitchen Innovation Pavilion a must-see. Attendees will get to see and interact with this year’s award recipients for the most innovative new kitchen equipment designed to lower energy costs, reduce your carbon footprint, and increase the productivity of your kitchen staff. A programmable ice machine and three-tip spray nozzle are just two of the many designs that will be on display at McCormick Place’s South Hall.
NRA Show 2011 Education Sessions
The NRA Show isn’t all fun and games; it is also one of the industry’s best places to how to excel in the restaurant business. Everyday multiple education sessions will be offered by top industry experts on everything from negotiating your lease to labeling your menu, and whether you are a seasoned veteran or budding entrepreneur, there are plenty of sessions you won’t want to miss. Complete schedule.
Contact Charlie Duerr at Charles.Duerr@penton.com.
