“As we head back to Los Angeles for the 79th Annual Western Foodservice Expo we have added several new features giving our attendees access to the hottest trends and newest innovations,” said Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President for the Foodservice Events. “We are working closely with our partners at the California Restaurant Association, the California Craft Brewers Association, Sysco and our partners from Japan and Latin America to bring new experiences to the expo hall.”
New and returning highlights in the Expo Hall will include:
- NEW! Healthier Choice Pavilion– Consumer demand for healthier options has driven the creation of this new pavilion – designed to provide attendees with a new sourcing and purchasing options for the products delivering what guests are searching for. According to the latest NRA reports, 76% of consumers are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers healthy options.
- NEW! International Showcase – will be anchored by the new Pavilions — Latino Foodsand Japan Pavilion
- Japan Pavilion – Join us for this new gathering of foods and products solely dedicated to Japanese foods and flavors. Discover umami flavors to give your cuisine an edge with offerings created with Japanese ingredients.
- Latino Foods Pavilion – The Latino Foods Pavilion will focus on Hispanic and Latin American products for the restaurant and foodservice market, specifically new and traditional, authentic ingredients, flavors, products, prepared foods and private label products.
- Food Trends Experience – The Food Trends Experience is a tasting adventure providing direct access to products, flavors and ingredients driving the most recent trends in the market – healthy, organic, sustainable, ethnic, artisanal, and more! Presented within the Show, the Food Trends Experience is the fastest and most convenient way to see, taste, discover and learn about the culinary innovations that will inspire creative and fresh menu ideas, delight customers and drive profits
- The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum – 30+ sessions providing the gold-standard, industry-leading educational content that is practical and relevant for today’s foodservice professionals. Industry leaders deliver real, applicable business lessons, the latest information on trends and best practices in the market, and their own opinions of what creates success. Ferdinand Metz, Master Chef and Head of the Culinary Institute of America for more than 20 years, has handpicked industry experts to lead the education sessions, which will be held on the exhibit hall in classroom settings and in the Education Station.
- Culinary Clash – The Culinary Clash: Battle Los Angeles event, presented by Coca Cola is a cooking competition fundraiser benefiting the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) pitting industry heavyweights against each other in an ultimate battle of skill and mettle, and the ultimate prize – The Purse. Restaurant teams will be paired up with a ProStart® student or graduate as a sous chef. The competitors will include Black Bear Diner, Karl Strauss, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Hard Rock Café, Specialty Restaurant Corporation, Yard House, Chart House, and FreshPoint. Food tastes, Karl Strauss craft beer and Rodney Strong Wine Estates wines will be served for all attendees. This event will take place onMonday, August 24th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.
- Culinary Demonstration Theater – A highlighted feature of the event is an educational, interactive and entertaining area showcasing live demonstrations for restaurant and foodservice professionals who want to stay abreast of what’s hot in the food world.
- Los Angeles Chefs Mystery Box Cooking Competition Los Angeles – Top Rising Star Chefs will battle it out with mystery ingredients in a fast paced cooking competition where they only have minutes to create a winning dish! Moderated by Brad Metzger and judged by top esteemed critics and operators including Jet Tila, Chef/Restaurateur, Cutthroat Kitchen; Richard Drapkin, Manhattan House, Duff’s, Cakemix, Brentwood, BLD; and Mark Peel, Bombo.
- California Craft Brewers Pavilion – The CCBA is proud to represent the rich and diverse collection of artisans and entrepreneurs that make up the family of California’s craft brewers. 2015 Participating Brewers include: Karl Strauss, Trumer Pils Brewery, Tap It Brewing Company, The Dudes Brewing Company, KomBucha Dog, Mad River Brewing Company, and Dust Bowl Brewing Company, to name a few.
- Key Buyer Alliance – The Key Buyer Alliance is designed to deliver business solutions that meet the specific needs and business challenges of the Multi Unit Operator. The Alliance is designed to support organizations of all sizes.
