From cucumber gelato to milk made from macadamia nuts, the National Restaurant Association’s annual trade show was chock-full of food products, kitchen gadgets and the latest in food service industry technology. Vendors purposely smashed dishes against garbage cans to show their plates just won’t break, while others displayed rustic restaurant tableware just perfect for farm-to-table chic.
Each year more than 65,000 people attend the restaurant association trade show that fills the expansive halls of McCormick Place in Chicago. Educational sessions inform restaurateurs on hot topics including sustainability practices, nutrition menu labeling and, yes, how to keep up with demand for gluten-free.
Up and down the miles of aisles, especially in a section called Alternative Bitestyles, it was gluten-free-a-go-go. There were Cheatin’ Wheat GF pancake mixes, GF bar mixers and pizzas, of course. Highly notable was Cup4Cup gluten-free flour from the award-winning French Laundry restaurant in Napa Valley. Meanwhile, premium pastas and artisanal breads, especially flat breads, were in full force even though full of gluten.
Dueling trends seem to drive diners, so restaurant owners have to seek out the best in ingredients for vegetarian and vegan cuisine, as well as make sure they’re doing business with sustainable seafood suppliers and the best meat companies. Atlanta-based Halperns’ Steak and Seafood commands a bustling booth at the restaurant association trade show each year, serving up samples of prime beef and burgers to help sell their services nationwide.
Millennials and the Menu
An educational panel was dedicated to discerning the dining habits of the social-media-savvy millennial generation. What matters most, it seems, is a restaurant brand’s backstory revealing more about where the food comes from, as well as charitable and environmental efforts. Panelist Christian Hallowell, executive chef for Delta Air Lines at Gate Group, said, “We’re doing this huge, great sustainable fish purchasing program with Alaska fisheries and it’s this great story to tell.”
Another example of tracing the food chain for customers is northeast-based Luke’s Lobster, which opened its first location in Chicago during the National Restaurant Association’s show week. Lines formed early for Maine lobster rolls and New England clam chowder as a delivery truck pulled up with boxes marked “perishable” carrying lobsters just flown in from Maine. A map on the wall identified ports in Maine where the lobsters were landed.
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