Chefs and Mixologists at NRA Show® 2022

The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show today announced it will feature dedicated areas to celebrate the latest adult beverage and menu trends. The Beverage Room will showcase the top mixologists, suppliers, ingredients and products to keep beverage programs on the cutting edge, while several of the world’s most influential chefs and industry leaders will share their experience, unique skills, and insights on the biggest culinary topics and innovations in The Culinary Experience. The National Restaurant Association Show is the premier event to learn about foodservice technology innovations, unique ingredients, and emerging trends in the restaurant industry and will take place May 21-24, 2022, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Chefs & Mixologists at NRA Show® 2022

“The Beverage Room and The Culinary Experience are sure to be two of the most popular destinations at the 2022 National Restaurant Association Show,” said Tom Cindric, President of Winsight Exhibitions. “Here, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from celebrated chefs, beverage experts and other influential foodservice professionals who can share how to leverage the latest food and beverage trends to boost sales and keep businesses on the cutting edge.”

The Beverage Room

In The Beverage Room, located in Lakeside Center Level 3 (Booth 11430), attendees will find an exclusive area to discover bold flavors, scope out new products, stay on top of trends and make business decisions about their beverage programs. Several master mixologists and beverage experts will be on site to share their creations and perspectives on the new art of hospitality, strategies to enhance beverage programs, and the latest in beer, wine and spirits, including:

Angela Barnes and Renauda Riddle (Co-owners, Nobody’s Darling; 2022 James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Bar Program nominee)
Chris Sayegh (Founder, The Herbal Chef; Owner, Nostalgia Bar & Lounge)
Liz Pearce (Lead Mixologist, Aba Restaurant, Lettuce Entertain You)

The Beverage Room will feature 18 education sessions and demos covering beer and wine sales, “Instagrammable” adult beverage concoctions, food and beverage pairings, spirit-free alternatives, new flavors and techniques and more. Session and demo highlights include:

Insights to Action: Growing Bar Sales (Sunday, May 22) – Attendees can join Donna Hood Crecca, Principal at Technomic, and other leaders in the beverage space will provide current insights on the key factors for developing successful beverage programs, including labor, menu presentation, drink promotions, category trends and off-premise sales.
Cannabis Infused Beverages (Sunday, May 22) – Chris Sayegh, Nostalgia Bar & Lounge Mixologist Bianca Sterling, and The Herbal Chef Beverage Director Bradley Fry will demonstrate different ways to infuse beverages and will share a high-level overview of the current legal landscape of CBD/THC infusions and what’s in store for the future of the cannabis consumption market.

The Culinary Experience

The Culinary Experience, located in Lakeside Center Level 3 (Booth 10448), will feature celebrated chefs who will demonstrate techniques, tell stories and show off the latest trends and innovations in food and beverage. The 2022 celebrated chef lineup includes:

Lanie Bayless (Spirits Director, Frontera Grill and Frontera Hospitality) and Rick Bayless (Award-Winning Chef and Author)
Tiffany Derry (Chef, Owner, TV Personality and Restaurateur)
Edward Lee (Chef, Author and TV Personality)
Maria Loi (Internationally Renowned Entrepreneur, Chef, Author and TV Personality)
Lamar Moore (Executive Chef – Eleven Eleven, Community Advocate, TV Personality)
Deborah VanTrece (Award-Winning Chef, Author, Founder – VanTrece Hospitality Group)
Andrew Zimmern (Award-Winning Chef, TV Personality, Author and Teacher)

With 13 educational sessions and demos, The Culinary Experience will feature big-name industry leaders, culinary innovators and celebrated chefs addressing the most critical topics in culinary and foodservice. Session highlights include:

The Power of Successful Chef & Restaurateur Collaborations (Saturday, May 21) – Chef, Restaurateur, Author and TV Personality Fabio Viviani and COO and Consigliere at Fabio Viviani Hospitality Ken McGarrie will share the keys to their success and how others can bring these types of partnerships to their own businesses.
Novel Menu Trends to Drive Business and Delight Guests (Sunday, May 22) – Attendees will hear from Ana Maria Rodriguez, Chief Food Innovation and Quality Officer at Pizza Hut International; Steve Madonna, Senior Vice President of Culinary at Bar Louie; Dave Henkes, Senior Principal, Advisory at Technomic; and Lizzy Freier, Director of Menu Research and Insights at Technomic, about how operators are innovating menus in today’s climate and what menu trends are on the horizon.
Let’s Talk Womxn Entrepreneurs: Power, Parity and Positive Collaboration (Monday, May 23) – NBC 5 Chicago Feature Reporter LeeAnn Trotter will join a powerhouse panel of restaurateurs, bar owners and chefs to learn about unique models to advance businesses via the power of collaboration.
The Next Generation of Chefs: Conversation, Cooking, and Call to Action (Tuesday, May 24) – This part panel discussion part demo will feature Chef Kimberly Brock Brown, President of the American Culinary Federation, who will lead a discussion with acclaimed chefs and culinary leaders centered around how operators can best attract, train and energize emerging culinarians. Simultaneously, Acclaimed Chef and Winner of Top Chef Season 13 Jeremy Ford will assist up-and-coming chefs from the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program as they demo their signature dishes.

Access to The Beverage Room and The Culinary Experience are included in general registration.

The National Restaurant Association Show brings together more restaurant and hospitality buyers and equipment manufacturers than any other industry event. For more information and to register, visit nationalrestaurantshow.com. Connect with the Show online on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.