NRA Show Blog

Celebrate the Ice Age this summer

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Today marks the official start of summer, which means for all you Nug Nuts it’s time to kick back and relax with these cool, chewable nugget-inspired drinks.

MANGO MOCK-JITO
The sunny Caribbean is calling with this delightfully Mango-ey drink. For an adult version, add a shot of Captain Morgan spiced rum.
• INGREDIENTS
• 2 oz. Sabrosa Mojito Mix
• 3/4 oz. Monin Mango syrup
• 3 oz. Club Soda
• Glass: 14 oz. highball
• Method: Build over Scotsman Nugget Ice
• Garnish: Lime squeeze and mint sprig

100 calorie NoOodle meals

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Self-taught Chef Terri Rogers began serving the NoOodle – a 2011 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show exhibiting company smash hit – at her neighborhood bistro.

The NoOodle is made from high-fiber yam flour and water, making it a good source of soluble fiber, water and zero calories.

Guilt free plays the lead in these perfect-for-summer recipes.

Mamma Mia! Marinara
One 13 oz serving, 91 calories

8 oz NoOodle (Angel Hair)
½ cup Classico Tomato & Basil sauce
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

1. In a non-stick, Dry Fry NoOodles on medium heat until excess moisture is absorbed
2. Add sauce and mix for approximately 5 minutes
3. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

50 million Americans set to dine out this Father’s Day

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Nearly 50 million adults are expected to celebrate at a restaurant this Father’s Day, according to new National Restaurant Association research.

A vast majority of Father’s Day diners will choose Dad’s favorite restaurant to mark the occasion.
“Father’s Day is yet another important celebration that families will choose to spend at our nation’s restaurants,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “Our survey results show that the restaurant industry continues to play a significant role in honoring fathers.”

Dinner will be the most popular meal time on Father’s Day, with 67 percent of diners saying they will go out to a restaurant for dinner on June 19; 24 percent will head out for lunch, 10 percent for brunch, and 11 percent for breakfast.

NRA Show 2011 exhibitors donate over 37,000 meals to Chicago’s hungry

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Exhibiting companies at the 2011 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show donated more than 37,000 meals to the Greater Chicago Food Depository last month. 

"Being in the hospitality industry, it comes naturally to the vendors, suppliers and manufacturers that exhibited at NRA Show 2011 to give back to the local community and help feed the hungry," said C.W. Craig Reed, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2011 and Director of Food and Beverage, Broadmoor Hotel.

Vinegar, honey and other ways of drawing local fans

 
Restaurateurs hunting for ways to put more local and sustainable choices on their menus found a bounty of suggestions at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago. 

Old hands at sourcing locally and sustainably shared their secrets for finding adequate supplies at an affordable price. Here are some of the tips they aired during the Show’s more than 70 education sessions:

Think fermentation: Local wines are an obvious choice for a restaurant that wants to feature artisan products from its area. But many places overlook the option of vinegars made from local grapes. Some regional wineries ferment part of their output as a way of diversifying their product lines, explained Jay Keller, chef-forager for Bon Appetit Management’s feeding operations at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Others might be willing to produce vinegar if they had restaurants already lined up as customers, he suggested.

Think outside the (entrée) box: Many chefs who want to feature sustainable foods get hung up on finding an appropriate seafood or meat. “Why can’t we give the vegetables some credit?” suggested Barton Seaver, Esquire magazine’s 2009 Chef of the Year and chef at Hook in Washington’s Georgetown section. Local or sustainably grown sides may be much easier to find than a protein, he suggested. In any case, giving more plate space to vegetables and grains can offset the higher cost of a sustainable fish or meat.

8 state foods remain in “A Taste of America” race

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

"A Taste of America," a friendly competition is being run by Capitol Hill's CQ Roll Call and sponsored by the National Restaurant Association. Now in it’s fourth week of voting for America’s favorite food, only 8 of the 64-bracket list of states foods from across the country remain standing.  

Here are the eight finalists:

--SOUTH: Arizona (tamales) vs. Northern Marianas (coconut)
--MIDWEST: Indiana (pork tenderloin) vs. Nebraska (runza)
--NORTHEAST: Maine (lobster) vs. New York (chicken wings)
--SOUTHEAST: Texas (jalapenos) vs. Georgia (peaches)

Voting on the remaining contestants is open until Friday, June 10, at 5 p.m. ET.

Each game lasts a week with voting opening at 9 a.m. on Monday and closing at 5 p.m. on Friday, ET.

Next week, the “Final Four” will face off in the fifth and then head to the final judging, to be held on June 21 at Chef Spike Mendelsohn’s [a National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show celebrity chef participant] We, The Pizza restaurant on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Vote for your favorite state.

Making Headlines: NRA Show 2011 & IWSB

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Here's a tasty preview of news coverage of the 2011 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB).  

Browse the Delicious page!

Wrap your noodle around Nooodle and other funky food, dining innovations - Chicago Tribune, 5/25/2011

Food trucks in the driver's seat - Chicago Tribune, 5/23/2011

Innovation, waste reduction on tap at National Restaurant Association show - Chicago Sun-Times, 5/25/2011

Around Town, WGN TV (video): Part 1 / Part 2

NRA 2011: Kitchen Innovation pavilion shows green, more- FastCasual.com, 5/22/2011
Video from FastCasual.com

NRA 2011: Food Truck Spot doubles from inaugural year- QSRWeb.com, 5/25/2011

NRN at NRA Show – Nation’s Restaurant News

Highlights from the 2011 National Restaurant Association Show- WBEZ radio, 5/25/2011

A comprehensive recap of media coverage will be available later this summer.

Unprecedented programming reported at NRA Show 2011

 
Jeff Aguero, head of local consumer marketing at Google, presents his session "How the Web is Changing Where People Decide to Eat" at the Technology Pavilion during NRA Show 2011

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The 2011 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show programming was unprecedented in scope. This year's line-up included 83 NRA Show education sessions, including 3 "featured speaker" sessions and a special "add-on" session oriented toward helping exhibitors sell to the military.

In addition, 10 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) education sessions, a "Restaurant Executive Breakfast" panel discussion, 14 culinary demonstrations and presentations led by 22 leading culinary experts, 8 book signing sessions by 10 influential authors; and a keynote address by General Colin L. Powell (ret.) who provided his perspective on the momentous changes taking place around the world.

Restaurant operators reporting positive same-store sales, optimism

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) in April represented the fifth consecutive month in which the RPI stood above 100, signaling continued expansion in the index of key industry indicators, positive same-store sales and solid optimism.

 

Watch the National Restaurant Association’s SVP of Research & Knowledge Group Hudson Riehle summarize the April Restaurant Performance Index and highlights new research on recycling in restaurants at the recently wrapped 2011 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.