NRA Show Blog

From pol to purveyor

After serving as ambassador to New Zealand, Carol Mosely Braun wanted to do something related to natural and organic food. She had a farm in Alabama, but after Sept. 11, 2001, the former Illinois congress woman wanted to be close to her family.

So she started Ambassador Organics, a company that sells organic and fair trade tea, coffee and spices. This year, she wanted to expand to the foodservice market, so she decided to come to the National Restaurant Association Show.

“We’d been going to the organics show, but we wanted to be industry wide,” she said.

VIDEO: First-ever Foodie Flash Mob a smashing success

NRA Show's first-ever Foodie Flash Mob moved to Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" this morning at the McCormick Place Grand Concourse. If you weren't there in person to see chefs shake it, here's the next best thing:

There's nothing like a good party to close out the industry's best event. Thanks to all participants. See you on the floor — both dance and Show — in the future!

See all NRA Show video on YouTube

Get kids to eat healthy by keeping meals delicious, simple, nutritious

Kids are notoriously picky eaters and can pose quite a challenge to restaurant owners interested in creating a kids’ menu. Chef Jeffrey McClure, director of culinary services for Sodexo USA, was on hand at the NRA Show's World Culinary Showcase to offer tips on how restaurant operators can create appealing kids’ options.

International tour offers inside look at operations, back of house

International attendees at the NRA Show toured some of Chicago’s restaurants as part of a yearly event at the Show.

The International Back-of-House Restaurant Tour gave participants a chance to go behind-the-scenes of two restaurants and discuss operations with chefs, managers and employees.

Attendees from Canada, Norway, South Africa, France, Australia and many other countries participated, and walked away with tips on how to improve operations at their own restaurants.

Top 4 trends in restaurant design

Restaurant design means more than dramatic interiors, eye-catching exteriors or perks like laptop workspace. In addition to what patrons see, it's also about what they don't see. And the NRA Show, which opened Saturday in Chicago, is the perfect place to find elements for both.

NRA Show exhibitors offer design solutions for front-of-house, as well as what goes on behind the scenes, such as food safety, emergency preparedness, process flow and menu development. Every function of an operation has potential for improvement or cost-savings. Operators are focusing on more than return on investment. At the NRA Show, they’re looking for elements or services to help them to respond to rapid changes in the industry. Here’s a look at a few exhibitors who can help with four key restaurant design trends.

NRA Show 2010 in photos

Our fantastic team here at McCormick Place created a slideshow of images from NRA Show 2010. We will add to it as we receive more photos from the Show floor.

See the NRA Show 2010 slideshow

Special Report: FE&S Magazine Returns

 
By Joseph Carbonara, Floored! guest blogger and FE&S Magazine's editor-in-chief

After being briefly shuttered by its former publisher, Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine is back in business. 

And our first official action since resuming operation is to host FE&S’ annual Dealer of the Year and Industry Awards Gala, which will take place the evening of May 22 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. The magazine holds this event each year in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association's NRA Show and it has become a rallying point for many dealers, consultants, operators and manufacturers. 

The next day I will represent the magazine by moderating a pair of dealer-focused education sessions at the NRA Show. The first presentation, “Going Green, Making Green,” will take place at 10 a.m. on May 23. In this session Gawain Guy of C &T Design and Equipment Co. (FE&S 2010 Dealer of the Year) and I will look at ways dealers can help their operator customers make their businesses more environmentally friendly in a way that makes both businesses more profitable.

Early-bird Registration Ends April 16

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Tell everyone you know in the restaurant and hospitality industry to register by this Friday, April 16 to receive up to a 50 percent discount for the 2010 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (NRA Show), May 22-25, and the International Wine, Spirits, and Beer Event (IWSB), May 23-24 at Chicago's McCormick Place.

Early-bird registration is only $40 for the NRA Show and $95 for the NRA Show and IWSB. After April 16, registration is $80 for the NRA Show and $135 for the NRA Show and IWSB (that's one badge for two shows!).

Register today!

Education Delivers Social Media Rules to Win

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

A recent Nation’s Restaurant News article recognizes restaurants across the country are ramping up their social media strategies. This, of course, is nothing new to the National Restaurant Association or industry.

As people increasingly use online communities to stay connected with friends, family and their favorite businesses (including restaurants!), savvy restaurant operators will take their promotions to where their customers already spend their time. Using word of mouth marketing and social media strategies can be a highly effective and the cost-saving icing on the cake.

The impressive lineup of word of mouth marketing- and social media-focused education sessions at NRA Show 2010 will help restaurateurs take their social media game to the next level (or learn how to play the game, for newbies):

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