Floored! NRA Show 2009 News

Hot Spots

   
Did you know more “hot new” products, services and trends are unveiled at the NRA Show than any other industry event?

Here’s a sneak peak at some of the Hot New Products that will be showcased at this year's NRA Show. These products definitely have consumer appeal. Hey, foodservice can’t have all the fun!

Black Rock Grill – an incredibly successful dining concept from the other side of the pond will be launched for the first time in the U.S. only at the NRA Show. Now diners can cook a meal their way right at the table.

Ingenious Teapot – when tea is ready, simply place it atop a cup. A valve at the bottom will release: crystal-clear tea flows down, while the mesh filter retains all the leaves with the infuser. Presto!

Jittergram – dining out CAN be affordable - get exclusive deals from your favorite restaurant delivered to your phone via text message – walk in, show your phone and save.

The Magic Plate – for diners who haven’t mastered the perfect pasta “twirl,” this plate will help you look like a pro.  

The Smoking Gun Handheld Food Smoker – quickly infuse foods with smoky flavor and aroma without grilling or flame broiling.  This can be used with a variety of smoking materials, including small wood chips, dried herbs, cooking spices and teas.

Vignette Wine Country Soda - the perfect non-alcoholic alternative for fine dining, casual picnics, and every occasion in between.

Wine Saver – the perfect gift for your wine lover.  This first portable and affordable wine saver and serve system preserves and dispenses wine at its peak freshness—ensuring the wine's integrity for weeks at a time.

Also, scope out these top trends that will be on display on the NRA Show floor: healthy kids' meals, new/fabricated meat cuts, kids' vegetable/fruit side dishes, superfruits (including acai and mangosteen), small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum, artisanal liquor, and sustainable seafood*.

Alcohol trends micro-distilled liquor, culinary cocktails and organic wine* will be served up at the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event.

Not yet registered to attend? Do it now!

* National Restaurant Association "What's Hot in 2009" Chef Survey

Gold Rush

   

International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) exhibitor Dry Fly Distilling took the double gold at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Dry Fly Distilling, established in 2007, is Washington’s first craft distilled spirits producer of vodka, gin and soon (you heard it here first!), whiskey.

All Dry Fly Distilling’s ingredients are locally sourced. Small sustainable farm families provide the wheat used in the vodka and gin and six Northwest organic botanicals (including hops, yes, hops!) round out the gin.

The vodka’s caramel overtones and butterscotch nose are made possible by using only the sweetest “hearts” of the distillation run. They always double distill, never once, and only do a light filter to deliver the ultimate punch of flavor. That same award-winning vodka is the base ingredient for Dry Fly’s gin.

Attend IWSB to find out which big-name vodkas Dry Fly Distilling beat out for the double gold. Register today!

Vote for Your Hot Chef

 

The Hot Chef Grilling Challenge competition is heating up now that all systems are go for YouTube™ users across the country to vote for their favorite three videos. Don't delay, voice your choice, make a decision and vote through Thursday, April 30th.

You could be sending the lucky winner to sweet home Chicago for a cooking demonstration showcase in the Culinary Scene area at NRA Show 2009.

Happy voting!

Not yet registered for NRA Show 2009? Register today and see the Hot Chef Grilling Challenge winner in action and so much more!

Spotlight: 2009 Keynote Executive Panel

  

Prominent. Respected. Inspiring. Dynamic. Visionary. Innovative. These are all words to describe the distinguished lineup of “best in class” industry leaders who will take part in the keynote executive panel "Seize the Moment: Energize the Guest Experience and Drive Sales in This Economy" at NRA Show 2009.

This year’s new, interactive format will include wine maker and restaurateur Joseph Bastianich, chef-owner Daniel Boulud, Chipotle founder Steve Ells, hospitality analytics entrepreneur Damian Mogavero and Buffalo Wild Wings' Sally Smith. Award-winning journalist Steve Dolinsky (pictured above) will lead a lively exchange between the panelists and audience to identify cutting-edge and profitable steps you can take today in this fast-changing marketplace.

Also, National Restaurant Association chairman and co-president of Enovo Restaurant Ventures LLC Michael Kaufman will deliver a welcome address before the keynote and also lead the Faces of Diversity awards ceremony (created by the Association in partnership with PepsiCo Foodservice).

NRA Show 2009 and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the panelists prior to the event through Floored! (yeah, you got it, right here!) and also @NRAShow09 on Twitter and on Facebook.

Not yet registered to attend NRA Show 2009? Don’t miss your opportunity to ask questions and interact with the keynote panelists. Register today!

Seeing Green

 

Spring is in full bloom and Floored! is exploring our dark “green” side. Given that the restaurant industry is committed to doing the right thing for the environment, conservation is a top menu item.

With so much information out there on this topic, it makes it tough for restaurateurs to make sense of it all. So, many exhibiting companies at NRA Show® 2009 will showcase “green” and sustainable products and services. Also, a special series of green-focused education sessions will deliver information and tips you need to make your operation greener.

Additionally, several of the Kitchen Innovations™ Award recipients have eco-conscious features, and the Organic & Natural Pavilion will feature sustainable food and beverage options.

Among the thousands of products and services throughout the exhibit floor, there will be many “green” options at this year’s NRA Show, including: Big Green G, a revolutionary resource for restaurants to take green steps and for customers to find green businesses; PrimeWare by PrimeLink Solutions, LLC offers biodegradable tableware (along with several other exhibitors) made from bagasse (sugarcane) – this gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “now you see it, now you don’t,” and PureOFlow is changing the way restaurants and other foodservice businesses manage water needs (we also hear Pure Revolution's PureOFlow booth will feature a national drink recipe contest, an Austin Powers and other 60’s spy theme hi-jinks – groovy baby!).

The National Restaurant Association’s Conserve initiative, launched at last year’s NRA Show, offers these ten tips for sustainability: 1. Turn Off 2. Fix Leaks 3. Replace Lighting 4. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 5. Unplug 6. Use Less Water 7. Train and Inform 8. Clean and Maintain 9. Remodel or Build Green 10. Look for the ENERGY STAR Label.

Are you registered for NRA Show 2009? Register by Friday, April 10 to save 50 percent!

The Kogi Truck Is Coming!

 

Floored! recently caught up with Kogi BBQ’s Chef Roy Choi to find out what he’s cooking up in the Korean Pavilion at this year’s NRA Show.

F: Nice to meet you, Chef Roy! Thanks for letting us hop a ride with you on the Kogi Truck. We’re excited to have your crew at this year’s NRA Show. What would you say is the most popular item on your menu?
R: I’d have to say the Korean short rib taco is one of the most popular items.

F: How does Korean cuisine influence your cooking?
R: The spirit of Korea is translated through my cooking and captured through my personal experience as a Korean American living in L.A. The ingredients and soul are the most influential to me.

F: What are you plans in the near future?
R: To re-invent the taco stand in LA and NYC. Then expand the menu to highlight street food and underused proteins.

F: What do you usually cook at home when you’re not manning the Kogi Truck?
R: Honestly, I hardly ever cook at home. I’m lucky if I can boil a cup of ramen!

F: From working in the kitchens of top restaurants and hotels to cooking in the back of a truck serving tacos on the street, what is the major difference in catering to your customers?
R: The fundamentals are all the same: great service, quality ingredients, attention to detail, passion, cleanliness, and delicious food.

F: What are the biggest challenges you face?
R: The biggest challenge right now is the perception that this is a trend, when really it’s just great food at cheap prices.

F: How does your formal culinary training translate into street food?
R: My formal training has given me confidence in my cooking and has allowed me to cook in a simple way. I have nothing I need to prove to anyone. I can cook simple food without worrying about if I am as good as another chef.

F: OK, now for the final and most important question. What can we expect to sample at the Korean Pavilion in May?
R: We’ll be cooking up our signature chicken, short rib, and pork Korean BBQ Tacos.

F: Yum, we can’t wait! Thanks Roy, we look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

Are you curious to find out why so many loyal followers (and there are many, including Anthony Bourdain!) throughout LA keep an eye out for the Kogi Truck’s next stop? Check it out on Twitter today.

Get in on the action at the Korean Pavilion at NRA Show 2009.

Not yet registered for the NRA Show? What are you waiting for? Do it now! The Kogi Truck is on its way!

Photo credit: Eric Shin

Celebrity Sightings: April Showers Bring May Stars

 

Top chefs and restaurateurs will be out in full force in the Celebrity Book Signings showcase at this year's NRA Show (May 16-19 @ Chicago's McCormick Place). Floored! has the scoop on the star-studded lineup of movers and shakers making appearances, including:

Stephanie Izard (Saturday, May 16, 11:00 a.m.) The Season Four winner of Bravo's Top Chef and owner/chef of The Drunken Goat (opening fall 2009 in Chicago), Izard will be signing Top Chef: The Cookbook. Chef Izard will also be holding a culinary showcase in the Culinary Scene area on Saturday, May 16 at 12:30 p.m.

Charlie Ayers (Saturday, May 16, 12:00 p.m.) Former chef for Google Inc., Ayers is chef and founder of Calafia Café & Market a Go Go which serves up healthful, artisan-style and sustainable cuisine. His book Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef who fed Google will be available at-Show.

Rick Bayless (Saturday, May 16, 2:00 p.m.) Award-winning chef/restaurateur, cookbook author, and host of Mexico—One Plate at a Timeon PBS, Bayless owns and operates two of Chicago's hottest dining spots, Frontera Grill and Tobolobampo. Bayless is the author of Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, One Plate and Mexican Everyday. Don't miss Chef Bayless also in the Culinary Scene area on Saturday, May 16 at 12:30 p.m.

Daniel Boulud (Sunday, May 17, 12:30 p.m.) Boulud is chef-owner of The Dinex Group, made up of Feast & Fêtes catering company and nine award-winning restaurants, including the renowned DANIEL and the Feast & catering company. Boulud is the author of Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine, Café Boulud Cookbook, Letters to a Young Chef, Daniel Boulud Cooking in New York City and Daniel's Dish: Entertaining at Home with a Four Star Chef. Be sure to catch Chef Boulud participating in the NRA Show General Session and Keynote Executive Panel on Sunday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Marcus Samuelsson (Sunday, May 17, 1:30 p.m.) Samuelsson is the Executive Chef at New York City's Aquavit and Riingo, and Chicago's C-House, host of Inner Chef on Discovery Home Channel, and corporate chef of Townhouse Restaurant Group. He is the author of En Smakreasa, Aquavit, Street Food and The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa. Chef Samuelsson will be showing off his culinary skills in the Culinary Scene on Sunday, May 17 at 12:30 p.m.

Ming Tsai (Sunday, May 17, 3:00 p.m.) An Emmy Award winner, Tsai is the chef and owner of Boston's Blue Ginger and host and executive producer of public television's Simply Ming. Tsai is national spokesperson for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and his East-West meal solutions can be found in Target stores nationwide. He is the author of Blue Ginger, Simply Ming and Ming’s Master Recipes.

Ted Turner (Monday, May 18, 10:00 a.m.) Business mogul, environmentalist, philanthropist and co-founder of Ted's Montana Grill, Turner is the author of Call Me Ted. Turner will also be discussing green restaurant practices as part of an education session at the NRA Show called "Join the Green Restaurant Revolution" on Monday, May 18 at 12:00 p.m.

Art Smith (Monday, May 18, 12:00 p.m.) Chef and owner of Table Fifty-Two in Chicago and Art and Soul in Washington, D.C., contributing editor to O, the Oprah Magazine and Oprah.com, Smith has appeared several times on The Oprah Winfrey Show and is featured regularly on television programs, including NBC's Today. He is the author of Back to the Family: Food Tastes Better Shared with the Ones You Love, Kitchen Life and Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family.

Takashi Yagahashi (Monday, May 18, 2:00 p.m.) Renowned chef and restaurateur, Yagahashi owns Takashi Restaurant in Chicago and operates Noodles at Macy's on State Street. His first book, Takashi's Noodles, will be available at-Show. Chef Yagahashi will also be appearing in the Culinary Scene on Monday, May 18 at 12:30 p.m.

Gale Gand (Tuesday, May 19, 1:00 p.m.) Gand is the Executive Pastry Chef and partner of Chicago's Tru and host of Food Network's Sweet Dreams. Gale will be signing her new book Gale Gand's Brunch!: Fantastic Recipes for the Weekend's Best Meal, Chocolate and Vanilla and Gale Gand’s Just a Bite.

Joanne Purnell, Domenic Chiaromonte, Tim Lundy and David Peake (Tuesday, May 19, 2:00 p.m.) Eleven International Caterers Association chefs share recipes and their overall philosophy on cooking and food in Inside the Recipe Box of the Catering Chef. Complete with full color photography and the chefs' tips, this is a must-own for every professional culinary master.

Not yet registered for NRA Show 2009? Register today and save some clams!