Saturday, May 19

NRA Show Welcomes More than 73,000 Attendees

Saturday, May 19 — The clatter of cutlery going through a polishing tumbler and the roar of chainsaws slicing through blocks of ice sound through an exhibit hall at McCormick Place in Chicago. The smoky smell of barbecue sauce mixes with a hint of maple syrup and permeates the air.

The 88th Annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel show has begun.

Between May 19 and May 22, the Western Hemisphere's largest gathering of foodservice professionals will attract more than 70,000 restaurant-and-foodservice operators to learn more about the products and services of nearly 2,200 exhibiting companies at McCormick Place.

The first day of the Show featured new twists on old products. NRA Show exhibitor the National Peanut Board touted its namesake product as free of cholesterol and trans fats. Other exhibitors combined existing products into new concepts, such as fresh-brewed iced tea in a beverage gun.

At Rose Packing's booth, some attendees "breakfast" on sausages, while others stopped at a booth displaying Italian statues laugh about having gelato for breakfast. Meanwhile a stocky bald man races down the convention floor wearing a kilt and a maitre d' t-shirt.

Brad Benson, chef at Fire Willows spa in Lincoln, Neb., peruses plates, silverware and glasses. He's just started the spa's restaurant and he says he's looking for a unique design to complement the nutritious, low-fat meals he prepares for clients.

Near the exhibit entrance, Peter Lifreieri, a product developer for exhibiting company Dart Container Corp., Deerfield Beach, Fla., discusses food trends. He says he attends the NRA Show to investigate growing trends so he can develop take-out packaging to support them. This year, he says soup seems to be a growing trend, as do "complete meals on the go."

Attendees were looking for more than trends and designs. Many came for the Show's "star power."

Hundreds of attendees lined up for book signings by Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group, Rick Bayless of Frontera Restaurants and Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. Others found inspiration from Michael Kornick, owner of Chicago's mk Restaurant, who participated in an education session. And many flocked to cooking demonstrations by former White House Executive Chef Walter Scheib.

Cooking and ice-carving competitions also were popular. On Saturday, the Ice Carving Classic featured the Simple Elegance competition, where ice carvers had to create two-piece, two-tiered wedding centerpieces. In one round, one carver created a family of swans, while his competitor created a dancing pair surrounded by flowers in an ice vase.

Interspersed between the Simple Elegance competition was the Instant Ice Carving contest. In just five minutes, competitors had to take a single block of ice and turn it into a sculpture using just a chainsaw, power sander and drill. Ice shards flew everywhere as the competitors raced to make a mockingbird and a fish. As they finished, a forklift entered with three, 350-lb. ice blocks to set up for the next Simple Elegance competition.

— by Dan Richards