NRA Show Blog

New After Party Shakes Things Up

 By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

This year’s International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event is shaking things up with two new event features.
 
First up, the IWSB Star of the Bar competition on YouTube™ is on a quest to find America’s most creative mixologist. Did we mention the competition is open to everyone?! Yep, that’s right … come one, come all! We’re talking huge bragging rights for the winner including a $5,000 cash prize.

YouTube users will cast their votes and send six semi-finalists to Chicago to mix, shake and stir their cocktails live at IWSB on Sunday, May 23.

IWSB attendees will sample and vote that day for three finalists who will compete ice to shaker at the first-ever IWSB After Party on Sunday, May 23, 9 p.m. to midnight at Rockit Bar & Grill. In the end, Rockit Ranch Productions CEO/founder Billy Dec, "the modern mixologist" master himself Tony Abou-Ganim and other expert panelists will crown the IWSB Star of the Bar winner.

RSVPs to the After Party are available on a first-come, first-served (no pun intended, we swear!) basis ... hurry, get a move on!

Blog responsibly: IWSB Star of the Bar is sponsored by Bacardi. The IWSB After Party is sponsored by Bacardi and Crown Imports.

We're Glad You're Here!

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

If you live or ever visited Chicago for business or leisure, you more than likely have seen the ubiquitous "We're Glad You're Here!"® motto on everything from welcome signs at O'Hare and Midway airports to McCormick Place. But do you know it's history?

The National Restaurant Association first introduced "We're Glad You're Here!" to the world in November, 1970 (yes, that's right...it's ours). Restaurateur Rosellini coined the phrase. Rosellini was President of the Association in 1977-1978.

"We see the 'We're Glad You're Here!' motto being made the watchword not only for the entire foodservice industry but for every segment of the economy and every part of the nation," said former NRA President Martin L. Horn, Jr. (quoted in November, 1970).

We're very glad you're here and hope to have you join us at the Association's 91st NRA Show (May 22-25) and third annual International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (May 23-24) in Chicago.

NRA Show Hot Chef Challenge Gets Cooking

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

So you think you can cook, eh? Professional chefs, amateur home cooks, culinary school grads and foodies…show off your cooking skills by entering NRA Show Hot Chef Challenge 2010 at the National Restaurant Association’s NRA Show 2010, held May 22-25 in Chicago.

Submit a 2-minute (or less) video on YouTube^TM by April 29 demonstrating your original recipe using fresh produce as a key ingredient — for a chance to cook alongside celebrity chef and Bravo TV’s Top Chef Masters 2 contender Marcus Samuelsson in the World Culinary Showcase on Saturday, May 22 at NRA Show 2010.

The winner will also receive accommodations at Affinia Hotel Chicago and a special dinner for two at Chef Samuelsson’s C-House Restaurant, and the winning recipe and photo will be included in American Airlines American Way magazine.

What are you waiting for? Get cooking!

Photo by: National Restaurant Association/Matthew Fessenden

Are you a professional or amateur mixologist? Shake or stir your original signature cocktail for a chance to win $5,000. Create a 90-second video and upload it to YouTube by April 26. http://bit.ly/d0eHKd

McCormick Place and NRA Show Happenings

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

In follow up to this blog’s November 2009 post, here’s the latest from the “news desk.”

Floored! sat down today with Mary Pat Heftman, executive vice president of convention, National Restaurant Association to discuss recent McCormick Place and NRA Show happenings.

But first, let’s turn back time more than 60 years…after all, that’s when the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (NRA Show) first rolled into Chicago (although, this blockbuster show has been around for over 90 years). In 2006, the Association inked a five-year agreement to keep the NRA Show in Chicago through 2011 (which is set for May 21-24, 2011 in the Windy City!).Throughout the ages, err years, the NRA has worked proactively to make the McCormick Place experience better for exhibitors and attendees and is encouraged by recent events. 

First Star of the Bar Competition Stirs $5,000 Prize

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Shake it up or stir it! Get ready to step out from behind the bar and into the national spotlight by entering the first-ever Star of the Bar competition on YouTube™ - a nationwide search for the country’s most creative mixologist at the National Restaurant Association’s 2010 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event.

People across America including professional mixologists, amateur “bar chefs” to your Aunt Sally and cousin Bobby are encouraged to submit a ninety-second video on YouTube of themselves mixing up their original signature cocktail – using at least one Bacardi product – along with its written recipe by April 26, 2010.

The winner will take home a whopping $5,000 cash prize, in addition to their cocktail included in American Airlines American Way magazine and featured on Chicago’s Rockit Bar & Grill menu through May 2010.

Making Quick Work of Cleaning

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The National Restaurant Association’s annual 2010 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show 2010 Kitchen Innovation Award recipient The Scrub N Go™ Cordless Floor Scrubber Vac System by Ecolab continues our KI blog series this week.

No matter how hard we try, it’s almost always impossible not to leave some soil deposits behind. Swishing and swirling a dirty mop in dirty water isn’t clean. Add to that the chore of getting someone excited about doing aerobics with a heavy, wet mop for an hour (forget it, not this blogger!).

“Receiving the Kitchen Innovation Award is a great honor. We developed the Scrub N Go to eliminate the mop and bucket and to revolutionize how floors are cleaned. To be recognized by the industry and to have the Scrub N Go featured at the convention [NRA Show] will help us significantly grow our business,” said Michael Rubiera, director of marketing, Ecolab QSR.

2010 Hot Chef Challenge's Photo Finish

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Chef Marcus Samuelsson was named Celebrity Chef Judge for the National Restaurant Association's NRA Show 2010 Hot Chef Challenge contest.

Today's video and photo shoot at Affinia Chicago for the 2010 Hot Chef Challenge was a blast. Floored's very own food and recipes blogger and National Restaurant Association NRA Show 2009 Hot Chef Challenge winner Kristina Vanni flew in from Los Angeles to help with the "making of the 2010 announcement video."

While filming, Affinia Chicago and Marcus Samuelsson's (check out this flickr photo of Marcus at NRA Show 2009 - can't wait to have him back this year, too!) C-House team rolled out the red carpet and treated the National Restaurant Association's NRA Show team and bloggers Chicagonista, Second City Soiree and I Like to Eat to a delicious "meet and eat."

Stay tuned for more 2010 Hot Chef Challenge details coming later this month.

Photo by: National Restaurant Association/Matthew Fessenden 

A Champion That Takes Flight

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

This week’s nod in the 2010 KI Award blog series goes to Champion® Industries and their Heat Recovery with TempSure technology and new E2 Series Flight with Quad Rinse. These award-winning innovations along with the other award recipients will be displayed at the National Restaurant Association’s annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, May 22-25, in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Pavilion (booth #4412 to be exact, yeah, we’re on it!) at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

“We work diligently on our patented technologies to help our customers save money and energy, and we’re happy to be recognized by such a prestigious organization,” says Erik S. Nommsen, president, Champion Industries. “These awards prove that others in the industry appreciate and support Champion innovations and we could not be more proud.”

Saving Never Tasted So Good

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

If you love to eat out (and who doesn't?), then get ready to sink your teeth into this mouth-watering special of the day. A $100 gift certificate is being served up for "the best steak anywhere" at Morton’s The Steakhouse.

How do you enter you ask? Book your hotel stay for NRA Show 2010 or International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event through NRA Show Official Housing and be entered for a chance to win.

Click here to make your hotel reservation and see how much you’ll save compared to 2009. The travel discounts provided by American, Delta, United and Porter Airlines and Amtrak also make for a sweet treat.

If you haven't registered for NRA Show 2010 or IWSB yet, get a move on it. Early registration savings ends April 16. Don't say we didn't warn you!