The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®, the epicenter of foodservice innovation and a showcase of emerging industry trends, is pleased to announce the 25 recipients of the 2024 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards. Since 2005, the KI Awards program has been renowned for its role in defining the gold standard of foodservice equipment innovations. These 25 KI Awards recipients reflect the current priorities of foodservice operators, showcasing advancements in automation, efficiency, safety enhancements and sustainability. This year’s recipients will be showcased at the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show, taking place May 18–21, 2024, at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Tom Cindric, President of the National Restaurant Association Show, remarked, “The KI Awards have been instrumental in defining excellence and driving innovation within the foodservice industry for two decades. The evolving landscape of technology—including developments in AI, robotic solutions, autonomous ordering and customer service—has elevated the KI Awards to expand beyond back-of-house operations to also recognize innovations that offer labor, waste, and energy savings. As we celebrate this milestone, we are proud to honor the impact of the KI Awards in recognizing groundbreaking solutions that address the ever-evolving needs of foodservice operators.”
The KI Award recipients were selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders representing international brands across foodservice, including Aramark, Cracker Barrel, Walt Disney World Resort and the U.S. Air Force. The esteemed panel carefully reviews each nominee and has chosen to recognize these 25 recipients as the year's most forward-thinking and cutting-edge kitchen and product innovations, which not only elevate foodservice operations but also significantly contribute to industry progress.
Jim Thorpe, Senior Food Service Designer at Aramark and a long-standing KI judge, highlighted the significant role of the KI Awards in shaping industry trends: “The KI Awards have played a pivotal role in shaping the future of our industry. We’ve adapted our own go-to-market strategies due to the significant impact and influence of these special innovations. Year after year, KI awardees bring forth fresh ideas and new approaches that elevate the foodservice experience.”
Foster F. Frable, Jr., President of Clevenger Frable LaVallee, echoed this sentiment and emphasized the evolving landscape of kitchens: “There's no such thing as a 'basic' kitchen anymore. Menus and cuisine now incorporate ingredients, cooking, and preparation methods that were unimaginable a decade ago. The KI Awards serve as a gateway to explore new products evaluated by unbiased industry experts, not just for novelty, but for genuine innovation and practicality.”
The 2024 KI Award recipients will be featured in a dedicated Kitchen Innovations Showroom in the South Hall and highlighted in a special session, titled “The Kitchen of the Future: Kitchen Innovations Awardees Paving the Way for What's Next” on Saturday, May 18 at 3:30 p.m.
For more information about the National Restaurant Association Show and to register, visit nationalrestaurantshow.com. Connect with the Show online on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About The National Restaurant Association Show
The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® is the Western Hemisphere's most influential foodservice event showcasing industry innovations and trends. Each year (starting in 1919), the Show brings together restaurant operators and foodservice professionals for four days of celebrity-led demos, exhibits, sampling, education and networking. The Show unites a global community and enables exploration of the latest advancements in food, beverage, equipment, technology and solutions driving the industry forward. The Show is owned and operated by Informa in partnership with the National Restaurant Association. Visit www.nationalrestaurantshow.com for more information.
About Informa
Informa is a leading international B2B markets, live and on-demand events and digital services group. They connect businesses and professionals in 30+ industries with the knowledge they need to learn more, know more and do more. Informa has hundreds of global brands, products and services and employs 11,000 employees in ~30 countries worldwide.
Informa Connect is a content-led, live and on-demand experiences business which connects professionals with knowledge, ideas and opportunities. Informa Connect, a community of over 1,000 colleagues globally, offers connection through events, media and research. They service a number of different industries including Foodservice, Finance, Bio Tech and Pharma, Pop Culture, Marketing, Law, Energy, HR, Sustainability, Construction. Visit www.informaconnect.com for more information.