2014 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show has returned to Orlando to bring together thousands of restaurant and food service professionals from all over the country. The show is a place for these professionals to gain knowledge from insightful education to palate-pleasing food and drink trends as well as new product and service options.
The show started yesterday and runs through to Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando and we popped along today to take a look at what was going on.
Over 400+ exhibiting companies were present and the highlight of the day was a culinary demonstration given by Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse as he entertained hundreds while he cooked.
Ron Mathews, Vice President, Restaurant and Foodservice Events Portfolio commented: “We are thrilled to be offering several new and exciting special features at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show including the Fresh from Florida Pavilion, the Roam Food Truck Academy, culinary demonstrations from Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse, and others as well as returning highlights including the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum, the Food Trend Experience, the prestigious ACF Culinary Competitions and much more.” “
Highlights of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, include:
- Fresh from Florida Pavilion – The top restaurant menu trend is focused on local sourcing and The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is sponsoring the new Fresh from Florida Pavilion. This new pavilion, is part of the Food Trends Experience on the show floor, offers tantalizing organic, sustainable, artisanal, gluten-free and ethnic ingredients giving restaurant and food service operators the opportunity to source local, Florida offerings.
- Culinary Demonstrations – Emeril Lagasse, American award-winning celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author conducted a culinary demonstration at the Show on Monday, September 8 at 1:00 pm. He was be joined by Chef Ryan Vargas, Chef de Cuisine at Emeril’s Tchoup Chop, located at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal® Orlando. The chefs came together to give an exclusive demonstration that focus on the local and seasonal offerings from Florida.
- Food Truck Academy and Pavilion – Mobile vending continues to grow in cities all over North America and now represents $1Billion in revenue. For those restaurant and food service operators wanting to open food trucks or carts they can now find practical education and support services at the Roam Food Truck Academy. The one day fast track mini Roam Food Truck Academy gives restaurant and food service professionals all the fundamentals they’ll need to launch a successful mobile food business. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from national experts about business planning, permitting, equipment, production and food ideas, profits, sales and marketing.
- The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum offering dozens of sessions focused on operational excellence, winning teams, maximizing profits, hot trends, and building loyalty. Sessions include the Foodservice Council for Women, Fine Dining – Is It Dead?, Making Menus Matter for Healthy Diners, Airport Franchising, What’s Hot in the Social Media World for Restaurants, Trends in the Industry, and many more.
- The 2014 American Culinary Federation Culinary Arts Competition presented by US Foods. Chefs compete in the R.L. Schreiber Apprentice/Jr. Member Florida State Championship Team Skills Competition; Taste of Elegance Pork Signature Recipe Competition, sponsored by Iowa Pork Producers Association; the USA Culinary Cup Team Competition, sponsored by Bari Beef International, Creekstone Farms, Dole, Rich’s, Maple Leaf, MillerCoors, Barry Callebaut, McIlhenney Co., Wisconsin Cheese, Fresh from Florida, and Bar Harbor Seafood; The Florida Pastry Challenge, sponsored by The Culinary Source and Barry Callebaut; and the Florida Department of Agriculture Shrimp Signature Recipe Competition. Many of the award winning meals will be served during the Chef’s Table Luncheons, a four-course surprise lunch prepared by the participating chefs.
- The Food Trends Experience is where attendees have direct access to product, flavors and ingredients driving the most recent trends in the market – healthy, organic, sustainable, ethnic, artisanal, and more. A few of the companies participating in the Food Trends Experience include: Amoroso’s Baking Company, Captain Foods, Carmi Flavor & Fragrance Co Inc, Fresh Origins LLC, La Chiquita Tortilla, Northfork Bison Distribution Inc, Teaspoon Willie’s, in addition to 50 more.
- $35K Giveaway – Show Management will be giving away $35,000 in product vouchers – redeemable from the 2014 Distribution Partners. Attendees can win $500 or $1000 vouchers to cash in for new products or menu items.
The show comes at a great time for Orlando as September is the time for Orlando’s Magical Dining Month. This is the month where you get chance to satisfy your craving for haute cuisine as Orlando celebrates the cuisine it has to offer the world as select Central Florida restaurants offer a three course, prix fixe dinner for just $33 per person. It’s a chance to indulge your inner gourmet with an appetizer, entree and dessert at a variety of trendy bistros and upscale dining destinations. Further, one dollar from each meal will be donated to this year’s charity which is the Foundation for Foster Children. A great cause and tomorrow we’ll be giving you more information on which restaurants are participating so you can go along and enjoy a superb meal out.
More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com
