Left to right on the “Who Data Cat” team were: Sharon Humphries, Bojangles’ Restaurants Inc.; Michael Holland, Ecolab; Dennis Price (kneeling), Red Lobster Seafood Co.; Lee Lane, Ecolab; Laura Lashbrook, Papa Murphy’s International LLC; Emma Denk, Marriott International; and Andrew Plante (kneeling), Hooters of America.

Left to right on the contest winning “Farm to Fork” team were: Steve Robert, Ecolab; Cindy Thompson, Ecolab; Dan Goldberg, BJ’s Restaurants Inc.; Scott Wilson, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp.; Hal King, Public Health Innovations; Alan Liddle (kneeling), Nation’s Restaurant News; and Donald Howell, Huddle House Inc.

Left to right on the contest winning “Man in Moon” team were: Steve Voles, Pizza Hut; Ben Sanders, Boudin Bakery; Nidal Khatib, KFC; Scott Bruggman, Keenwawa Inc. (Eatsa); Jeff Schwab, Freddy’s LLC (Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers); Linda Gilardi, Compass Group North America; Greg Peelman, Ecolab; and Jenna Telesca, Nation’s Restaurant News.

Food Safety Symposium 2017 attendees capped off the first day of activities by dining al fresco on regional specialties, including étouffée, on the patio of Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World that overlooks the Crescent City Connection bridge carrying Interstate 90 traffic over the Mississippi River.

Toasting to safer food during dinner at Emeril Legasse’s Emeril’s restaurant in New Orleans on the final night of the Food Safety Symposium are (front left to right): Dan Goldberg, BJ’s Restaurants Inc.; Alan Liddle, Nation’s Restaurant News; Mike Moomjian of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Inc.; Scott Wilson, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp.; Gary DuBois, DineEquity Inc.; Linda Gilardi, Compass Group North America; and Steve Robert, Ecolab.

A pre-dinner toast at Emeril Legasse’s Emeril’s restaurant in New Orleans on the final night of the Food Safety Symposium by (front left to right): Jean Edsall, Compass Group; Ben Sanders, Boudin Bakery; Scott Bruggman, Keenwawa Inc. (Eatsa); Nidal Khatib, KFC; Steve Voles, Pizza Hut; Jeff Schwab, Freddy’s LLC (Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers); Greg Peelman, Ecolab.

Tony Birsinger of Ecolab, far right, greets Nation’s Restaurant News Food Safety 2017 attendees Nidal Khatib (striped shirt), KFC; and Steve Voles, Pizza Hut.

Dennis Price, Red Lobster Seafood Co., left, chats with Arturo Tanus, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., at the outset of the Nation’s Restaurant News 2017 Food Safety Symposium sponsored by Ecolab.

Alan Liddle, Nation’s Restaurant News data and event content director, was part of the welcoming committee for Food Safety Symposium 2017 attendees.