THE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT & FOODSERVICE SHOW OF NEW YORK
As a long-time restaurant critic, (although I’ve obviously branched-out, with not just this E-zine, but my TV show before it,) I always recommend these restaurant expos to everyone in the foodservice industry. I try to attend a couple in New York and Los Angeles each year because they’re so eye-opening.
All photos by Karen Salkin.
Even though I always make my suggestions, of what I find there, available to the restaurant owners I deal with, I really feel that every single person who works in the food business, on both coasts, should attend these multiple-day shows because they’ll benefit from seeing the wares for themselves.
I want to share just a few brief highlights of the experience I had last month at the latest one at the Javits Center in New York, the reason for my choice of dates to be in that city to begin with.
One of the interesting things for me is that I went through all the exhibitions on two different days with people from both ends of the restaurant-owning experience. On opening day, I brought my favorite young friend, (yes, he’s still my favorite even though he’s now nineteen rather than the more fun ages of five through twelve,) Ronnie Hazel, Jr., who works in the industry with an eye to being an executive chef and owning his own eatery on day. (He’s aiming for a winery, as well!!!)
Ronnie was obsessed with the up-standing knife on the right.
The next day, I attended alongside a pal who’s owned restaurants with his family since he was seventeen and is now in his fifties! So, dining establishments are virtually his life. He had almost the same exuberance as Ronnie did over the many discoveries we made at the show, (especially the fresh octopus that turned-out to be sold right near his Brooklyn diner!,) although Billy did not share Ronnie’s enthusiasms for every aspect of the show, such as cutlery and to-go bags. (Have I mentioned I love that kid?)
We found many worthwhile food products, that I’ve already shared with many restaurant owners, but none more special than the Belgian waffles from Pika’s Farm Table, which features sugar beads mixed into the dough! Yum!
Our table of entries in the pastry competition.
Many of you know that dessert is my true weakness, and Ronnie and I were thrilled to take part in the pastry judging. They had a special section roped-off for the press participants to taste the contestants’ confections. We sat at tables with waiter service and champagne. There was a menu of the nine cakes that were in contention, and we chose the winners by the letter below each. It was really fun and classy.
As much fun as pastry tasting with Ronnie was, getting beneficial chair massages with Billy the next day equaled that experience. They knew what they were doing to have those magic hands on-site for those of us who walked, and carried, much more than our backs were really capable of.
I can’t wait till the next Restaurant Expo, which will be in Southern california this summer. Info below.
The 2012 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo:
August 12-14, 2012
Anaheim Convention Center 888-334-8705 www.thefoodshows.com
