Eventual Cook-off winner Quinn Adkins of Culver’s Restaurants puts finishing touches on his dish.

The Cook-off judges: Debra Olson of Golden Corral, Scott Taylor of Walk-ons, chef Paul Lopez of El Pollo Loco and chef Eric Ernest of the University of Southern California.

The Cook-off competitors: Anthony Audette of Jack in the Box, Adkins, Carawan and John Baez of Landry’s Specialty Restaurant Division.

Cook-off winner Adkins presents a $10,000 check to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry program.

Nancy Kruse gives her annual State of the Plate address.

Jim Sullivan gives his talk, The 10 Best Practices in Multiunit Leadership.

MUFSO attendees take advantage of the networking breaks.

NRN’s Tara Fitzpatrick, Slapfish Restaurant Group’s Andrew Gruel, TJ’s Seafood Market & Grill’s Jon Alexis and Morrison Healthcare’s Lisa Roberson discuss sourcing on a panel.

Gruel presents during the panel on sourcing.

NRN’s Bret Thorn, Veggie Grill’s Steve Heeley, Bareburger’s Jon Lemon and Asian Box Holding’s Chad Newton at the Future of Food panel.

The Hot Concepts Award winners, including Bibibop Asian Grill, serve food at the celebration.

MUFSO attendees chat during the Hot Concepts celebration.

Gene Simmons, a founding partner of restaurant chain Rock & Brews, arrives on stage to emcee the Hot Concepts celebration.

Simmons and NRN Editor-in-Chief Jenna Telesca with Hot Concepts Award winners.

Cindy Campbell from Beef ‘O’ Brady’s makes her drink, the Drunken Pirate, during the Shake, Sparkle & Stir competition.

Marqui Benavides of Walk-On’s Bistreaux and Bar makes her drink, the Zicojito. Benavides went on to win the contest.

Carla Hall of ABC’s “The Chew” gives the keynote address.

Telesca talks with Golden Chain winners Jack Butorac of Marco’s Pizza, Randy Garutti of Shake Shack, Lisa Ingram of White Castle, Stephen King of Dave & Buster’s and David Overton of The Cheesecake Factory, and Norman Award winner John Miller of Denny’s during the CEO panel.

Garutti and Ingram during the CEO panel.

Hall and Simmons prepare to open the Supplier Exchange.

A representative from Vero offers samples at the Supplier Exchange.

A representative from Sugardale talks with a MUFSO attendee.

A MUFSO attendee samples coffee from Red Diamond at the Supplier Exchange.

MUFSO attendees chat over Boylan samples at the Supplier Exchange.

Paul Motenko of Stacked Restaurants and Charlie Jones of DineEquity speak on a panel about casual dining self-order and self-pay.

Alan Liddle of NRN, Carl Howard of Fazoli’s and Malcolm Knapp of consulting firm Malcolm M. Knapp Inc., speak on a panel about Top 200 turnaround stories.

Gary Beauregard of Flix Brewhouse sits on a panel about restaurants of the future.

Hargett Hunter’s Jeff Brock and NRD Capital Management’s Susan Beth sit on a panel about restaurant mergers and acquisitions.

Butorac, Telesca, King, Ingram, Garutti, NRN’s Laura Viscusi and Overton at the Golden Chain Awards gala.

Butorac, third from right, celebrates after being named Operator of the Year.

The team from NRN at the Golden Chain Awards gala.

MUFSO attendees gather for the final panel, Consumer Picks: Who’s on Top and Why.

Telesca moderates the panel featuring Richard Scheffler of Whataburger, Kim Lopdrup of Red Lobster, Mark Hutchens of Papa Murphy’s, John Hedrick of Pei Wei and Kelley Bailie Fecher of Datassential.

Hutchens, Hedrick and Fecher during the Consumer Picks panel.