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<\/a>It\u2019s always so fun, and successful for everyone who participates, on any level.\u00a0 And, as promised in my preview of last year\u2019s event, I\u2019m sharing the highlights of my discoveries at the 2015<\/em> Expo, so that you\u2019ll have an idea of what to look for at this 2016 version. (And also at your city\u2019s restaurants!)<\/p>\nBefore I tell you about all that, though, I want to share a remembrance of how I participated more than usual last year.<\/p>\n
On the first two days, I was a judge for a new event with the fun moniker, \u201cPitch the Press.\u201d\u00a0 It wasn’t a contest<\/em>, per se.\u00a0 This is how it worked: On the first day, each of us four press panel members chose several companies we deemed to be special.\u00a0 We nominated them to the fabulous Amy Riemer, who coordinates all the press, and together, we narrowed it down to about fifteen companies.\u00a0 Then, on the second day, their reps got to pitch their wares to the entire panel.\u00a0 It was a fabulous opportunity for them, and for us, as well, because we learned about new products and companies.\u00a0 I was proud to be a part of it!\u00a0 [And here’s an interesting note–none of the quartet of us chose the same items!\u00a0 That was perchance due to the fact that the expo is always so massive!]<\/p>\n The entire event was even a bit more wonderful than it had been in recent years, maybe due to some new special aspects to it.\u00a0 One of my favorite parts was that the California Restaurant Association had the equivalent of a VIP Room right in the middle of the convention floor! \u00a0 If you restaurateurs ever needed another reason to join the association, that would be it!\u00a0 They not only had a wonderfully comfortable area to sit in comfort and privacy, they also had several snacks and beverages, a few little gifts, and best of all–a private masseuse doing chair massages!!!\u00a0 What luxury in there!<\/p>\n While I appreciated just about everyone I met and every product I discovered there, I, of course, did have some highlights last year.\u00a0 Here they are:<\/p>\n Gelati Celesti<\/strong>–Not all gelatos are created equally, and this brand, from our very own South Bay, is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.\u00a0 It’s so rich that I can’t even eat more than a small serving at a time!\u00a0 It’s so delicious, and their booth was constantly surrounded at the show.<\/p>\n Upper Crust<\/strong>–This brand was chosen by none other than the makers of Nutella to partner with.\u00a0 I seriously couldn’t get enough of their beignet-type puffs filled with the substance, although my pals enjoyed their chocolate or sugar cookies filled with the same.\u00a0 Yu-um!!!<\/p>\n Karoun<\/strong>–This dairy featured enough products to keep us trying a different one each day for a couple of months, but my favorite was their grilling cheese.\u00a0 If you heat that wonderful substance on the grill, you don’t even need the bread to make a grilled cheese sandwich!<\/p>\n O Olive Oil<\/strong>–My co-judges actually introduced me to this company, who not only made superior olive oils for all occasions, but they also manufacture individual packs for travel and such!<\/p>\n Coconut Bliss<\/strong>–My vegan pal found this one for me.\u00a0 I thought it was real ice cream, and I went nuts over its creaminess!\u00a0 But then she told me it’s dairy-free, sugar-free, and gluten–free.\u00a0 But it’s definitely not flavor-free!!!\u00a0 OMG!<\/p>\n I can\u2019t wait to see what I discover there this year! I hope to see all members of the industry at this year’s expo, which will be happening on August 28-30. It\u2019s really a \u201cdon\u2019t miss\u201d event. For the official info on it, please check-out their site, here: www.westernfoodexpo.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WESTERN FOODSERVICE & HOSPITALITY EXPO 2016 PREVIEW I\u2019m so excited that one of my favorite events each year, the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, is here in Los Angeles again this summer! (In recent times, it\u2019s been skipping a year.) I think you all know that even though I don’t review solely restaurants anymore, I<\/p>\n<\/a>My associates and I really enjoyed meeting just about everyone at the Expo, and learning about all the different aspects that go into owning and running a successful eatery.\u00a0 It’s astonishing!\u00a0 A vegan pal of mine is opening a wellness center in Los Angeles, and she was thrilled with all the vendors she found there.\u00a0 It’s definitely eye-opening, on so many levels.<\/p>\n