National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant Hotel-Motel Show and the second annual International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB), held Saturday, May 16 through Tuesday, May 19, is the industry’s largest and most comprehensive event.
The Show features some of the biggest names in the industry, such as chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Rick Bayless and Daniel Boulud, and offering the hottest trends in food and beverage, technology, and environmentally conscious equipment.
The IWSB event, the industry’s exclusive beverage alcohol trade event, will showcase vintner, distiller and brewer tastings, food and wine/spirits pairings and demonstrations.
SCHEDULE:
Celebrity Book Signings showcases celebrity chefs and star restaurateurs autographing their books. Highlights include:
Saturday, May 16
Stephanie Izard – 11 a.m.: The Season Four winner of Bravo’s Top Chef
Charlie Ayers – 12 p.m.: The former chef for Google Inc.
Rick Bayless – 2 p.m.: Award-winning chef/restaurateur, author and TV show host.
Sunday, May 17
Daniel Boulud – 12:30 p.m.: Boulud is chef-owner of The Dinex Group.
Marcus Samuelsson – 1:30 p.m.: Samuelsson is the Executive Chef at New York City’s Aquavit and Riingo, and Chicago’s C-House.
Ming Tsai – 3 p.m.: Tsai is the chef and owner of Boston’s Blue Ginger and host and executive producer of public television’s Simply Ming.
Monday, May 18
Ted Turner – 10 a.m.: Business mogul and co-founder of Ted’s Montana Grill, Turner is the author of Call Me Ted.
Art Smith – 12 p.m.: Chef and owner of Table Fifty-Two in Chicago and Art and Soul in Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, May 19
Gale Gand – 1 p.m.: Gand is the Executive Pastry Chef and partner of Chicago’s Tru.
Joanne Purnell, Domenic Chiaromonte, Tim Lundy and David Peake – 2 p.m.: Eleven International Caterers Association chefs share recipes and their overall philosophy on cooking and food.
International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event
Sunday, May 17 and Monday, May 18, 11a.m. – 4 p.m. – see leading restaurant operators explore new trends in wine, spirits and beer, and exhibitors demo food-alcohol pairings.
Culinary Scene is taking on a new theme this year – profitable proteins. Master butchers and world-class chefs will demonstrate how to increase profits and customer satisfaction working with both traditional cuts of meat and some less commonly used animal parts. Highlights include:
Saturday, May 16
10:30 a.m. – Noon – Butchery demonstration: Marty Carpenter, Beef Information Centre
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Butchery demonstration: Marty Carpenter, Beef Information Centre
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Stephanie Izard, Season Four winner of Bravo’s Top Chef
Sunday, May 17
10:30 a.m. – Noon – Butchery demonstration: Amy Shoup Mennen, Shoup’s Country Foods, Inc.
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Marcus Samuelsson, Aquavit and Riingo
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Butchery demonstration: Amy Shoup Mennen, Shoup’s Country Foods, Inc.
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Chris Cosentino, Boccalone and Incanto
Monday, May 18
10:30 a.m. – Noon – Butchery demonstration: Evandro Caregnato, culinary director of Texas de Brazil
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Radhika Desai, Season Five contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Butchery demonstration: Evandro Caregnato, culinary director, Texas de Brazil
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Aaron McCargo, Jr., Host, Food Network’s “Big Daddy’s House”; Spokesperson, Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out
Tuesday, May 19
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Butchery demonstration: Coleman Natural Foods and Phillip Foss, Lockwood at the Palmer House Hilton
Noon – 12:45 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Erick Williams, MK
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. – Cooking demonstration: Hot Chef Grilling Challenge winner, Kristina Vänni
The Hot Chef Grilling Challenge, the second annual YouTube video contest, invited the winner of the online cooking demo a chance to cook live alongside well-established professional chefs. Watch the winner, Kristina Vanni, show off her culinary prowess at the Culinary Scene at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19.
The Kitchen Innovation Awards pavilion showcases the latest and greatest inkitchen tech-wizardry. Watch daily, live demonstrations of the most cutting-edge kitchen equipment on the market today.
The popular Ask the Design Experts feature allows attendees to schedule free, 30-minute one-on-one consultations with leading design and management advisory experts.
The leaders behind some of the best success strategies in this economy will be part of the Keynote Executive Panel – a unique, new event at NRA Show 2009. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and hold an interactive discussion with the panelists.
Panelists:
- Celebrity chef and restaurant owner Daniel Boulud
- Chipotle founder Steve Ells
- Buffalo Wild Wings’ President and CEO Sally Smith
- Well-known wine maker and restaurateur Joseph Bastianich
- Hospitality analytics entrepreneur Damian Mogavero
- Award-winning food journalist Steve Dolinsky will moderate the panel on Sunday, May 17 in the Vista Ballroom, room S406.
Several specialty pavilions will focus on targeted areas of the industry, including the Franchise Pavilion, Technology Pavilion, and Kitchen Innovations, showcasing the 2009 KI Award recipients which demonstrate the most cutting-edge kitchen equipment on the market.
The Show will feature more than 65 free education sessions focused on key industry issues and trends designed to deliver information as well as take-home advice. Divided into tracks, the Sustainability sessions include water and energy conservation translating into savings, “green buildings” and “green” marketing.
Among the thousands of products and services throughout the exhibit floor, there are many “green” options at this year’s NRA Show. Several of the Kitchen Innovations Award recipients have eco-conscious features, and the Organics & Natural Pavilion will feature sustainable food and beverage options.
