It's Show Time!

Megan Rowe

It's a huge understatement to observe that the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show offers something for everyone. Its massive size (2,000 exhibitors, 73,000 attendees, six miles of exhibit space) and scope (cooking demos, technology classes, service seminars, affiliated galas and receptions, etc.) can be daunting to the first-timer. But the well-organized attendee can walk away with a boatload of information and inspiration as well as practical ideas that can be put to use back at home.

The newest addition to the Show is a program focusing on beer, wine and spirits. It will include a series of educational sessions devoted to trends in these three categories and to responsible alcohol service. In addition, at an Ask the Experts pavilion on the exhibit floor, beverage authorities will dispense free advice on building drink menus and increasing sales. A highlight of the program is a seminar in which Gourmet Magazine wine and spirits consultant Michael Green will discuss ways to make the spirits category more exciting and profitable.

Winners of the popular Kitchen Innovations competition are back for the second year in a specially designated Show pavilion. Visitors can take part in hands-on demonstrations provided by the award recipients, which have been singled out for their trend-setting equipment.

To help make this massive Show a bit more manageable, once again a number of special-interest pavilions have been set up. In addition to the Kitchen Innovations Pavilion, they include the International Cuisine Pavilion, which features a mix of foreign and U.S. exhibitors showcasing international and traditional ethnic food and beverage products; the Franchise Pavilion, bringing together top restaurant chains and financial companies; the Technology Pavilion, which highlights the latest in cutting-edge offline and online technology and hosts several hospitality technology seminars; the Frozen Food Pavilion, focusing on the quality advances in frozen foods; the Natural and Organics Pavilion, centralizing exhibitors offering certified organic food and beverage products and alternatives to traditional products; the EDGE Pavilion, offering design and décor-related products and services and educational sessions; the Minority Business Exchange Pavilion, designed to forge business relationships between minority suppliers and corporate buyers and provide a forum for exploring new products and services from certified minority companies; and the American Food Fair, where companies will display specialty foods and innovative products representing the flavors of their home state or region.

Operators seeking sound design advice can tap into the knowledge of both front-and back-of-the-house experts through Ask the Design Experts consultation appointments. Appointments can be made at www.restaurant.org/ show, and walk-up visits are also available throughout the Show.

On Sunday, May 21, attendees will have a chance to hear legendary broadcast newsman Ted Koppel, who will deliver the keynote address. Koppel, whose image from ABC's "Nightline" is etched in many Americans' minds, is now the managing editor for The Discovery Channel, a columnist for the New York Times and a regular commentator on National Public Radio.

A number of special industry events running concurrently with the Show offer attendees the chance to network and celebrate excellence:

Finally, the free educational programs that run through the four days of the Show will touch on the hottest topics in the industry, including nutrition trends, the latest technological developments, beverage consumption patterns, serving a multicultural audience and more.