The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, commonly known as “The NY Restaurant Show” is a great event full of insider stuff. Companies show up to showcase products exclusive to restaurants that most people know very little about; the show is strict “trade only”; meaning that you can only attend if you are in restaurant and foodservice industry. This is quite different from the Fancy Food Show which allows everyone to purchase tickets.Tickets prices have stayed pretty stable over the years, in 2009 tickets started at $30 and went to $70 dollars. In 2017 a 3-day pass cost $65.
Why go to The NY Restaurant Show
The show is a great way to stay abreast of trends in food & beverage and a great way to get to know new products and make some deals. The products exhibited there encompass the entire food industry. You can find sake, olive oil, furniture, POS systems and much more. If it can be sold to a restaurant it will be shown there.
The US Pastry Competition happens yearly at the NY Restaurant Show
Events at The NY Restaurant Show
The events vary from year to year, but if you attend, you will be able to enjoy
- The Exhibit Hall, this is where companies promote their goods and services. Last year there were over 500 vendors.
- Live demos and contests
- Educational seminars
- Taste NY & Craft Beverage Showcase
- International pavilions that showcase a country’s goods
- The US Pastry Competition (one of my favorites)
- And Award ceremonies like the Torch Awards
What Will I see at The International Restaurant FoodService Show of New York
We have attended multiple years. Here are a few highlights from years past:
Large Companies like Conagra
Conagra is usually one of the largest exhibitors. For those not familiar with this not-so-small company, Conagra is one of the largest food suppliers to restaurants and supermarkets in the US. They make everything from Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Egg Beaters, Pam, Hunts and much more. It was amazing how many products fall under their umbrella.
Gunter Wilhelm Cutlery from Antonio on Vimeo.
Artisinal Products like Gunter Wilhem
Although large exhibitors are quite visible at the show, there are some more boutique presenters at the show. Gunter Wilhem knives invested in a booth a few years back. Their knives were super balanced and cut beautifully. You can watch the video we made of their Edith Sims, their representative.
Local Purveyors Like Esposito’s Sausage
Esposito’s family owned pork store has been around since 1933. It is an institution to those of us in Nj & NY. All these places are in danger of disappearing, so it’s great to see Esposito’s embracing new media to allow their business to survive.
Non-Profits Like Action Against Hunger
Probably the most important table at the show was for Action Against Hunger, an international network trying to feed malnourished children and their families.
They work in 40 countries not only bringing food but also water, health care and sanitation making the lives of these children just a bit more bearable, it’s a truly noble cause. Take a few seconds to check out their site, donate if you can and pass the word around. Watch the video of Karen Dumonet who volunteers her time to Action against Hunger as the Senior Officer for Events and Donor Relations to get a better idea of what the organization does. And keep posted, we will be featuring their events on the site and expect to see all of you there.
Regional Organizations
Tod Schmidt from the Idaho Potato Commission was a blast when he attended. He really made potatoes fun.
He told us that the Russet Potato is the hard-working potato of the US, it made Idaho potatoes world famous. For anyone interested in potatoes, they are certainly the way to go. They are inexpensive, tasty and if you’re getting Idaho potatoes, you are also helping the local US economy by getting back to basics.
When is the 2018 NY Restaurant Show
Mark your calendar for next year, the 2018 event will be held at the Jacob Javits Center from March 4-6 2018.
655 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001
You can purchase tickets to the NY Restaurant Show here.