The Four Most Important Days in Foodservice

Touted as The Four Most Important Days in Foodservice, The National Restaurant Association Show of 2014 will head to McCormick Place in Chicago on May 17-20. One of the biggest conventions in food offers attendees 2,000+ exhibitors, 62,000 foodservice professionals, 80+ education sessions, celebrity chef appearances and special events surrounding innovations, products and demonstrations. The culinary showcase covers topics that range from staffing & labor to waste reduction to menu development, and helps direct and shape the year to follow in terms of trends and themes. Celebrity chefs will have live, on-stage presentations to share tips, recipes and techniques. Well-known and recognizable chefs such as Rick Bayless, David Burke, Anne Burrell and Andrew Zimmern are just some of the talent on hand for demonstrations and instructional sessions. During the day, the NRA show will feature more than 70 educational sessions aimed to inspire and inform. Here’s a glimpse into the four-day food frenzy: Food Selfie  5/17: 9:30 AM  - 10:15 AM 

• Learn how to take the perfect beauty shot of food for social media and website needs to drive diners' appetites.

Green Practices To Achieve Youth And Millennial Loyalty 5/18: 11:30 AM  - 12:30 PM

• Learn how students are taking hold of core concepts in sustainable hospitality and food sourcing.

Crowdfunding Your Restaurant 5/19: 10:00 AM  - 11:00 AM

• The federal government has paved the way for small companies to raise money from investors, and crowdfunding is the next big thing in the investing world.

The Chop Shop Monday 5/19: 3:45 PM  - 4:30 PM 

• Watch the pros showcase the art of nose-to-tail butchery.

How to Choose And Operate A Franchise For My Son Or Daughter Tuesday 5/20: 10:00 AM  - 11:00 AM 

• With unemployment rates still high for 20- and 50-somethings, more parents are buying a franchise and going into business with their children. But is this a smart idea?

Operators, culinary professionals, dealers, distributors and retailers can also take advantage of keynote speaker, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who  is described by NRA Show Convention Chair Sam Facchini as, “The embodiment of the American Dream in general, and the spirit of the restaurant industry in particular.” 2014 marks the NRA show’s 95th year, and continues to be the event where audiences have the opportunity to access all that is restaurant, hospitality and foodservice. Attracting more than 65,000 attendees from 50 states and more than 100 countries –you’re bound to learn (and taste) something new.