The 2015 National Restaurant Association Show, to be held May 16–19 at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center, will draw nearly 65,000 foodservice industry employees and operators looking to learn about new industry trends, gadgets, food products and cooking techniques, as well as attend tailored education sessions covering all kinds of topics, including environmental sustainability.
With so much going on, what should you see?
Here are six must see events at the Show that NRA’s Conserve sustainability team think you shouldn’t miss. If you don’t know a lot about sustainability or how to make your own business environmentally responsible, you can start with three sustainability learning sessions:
True Tales of Unexpected Triumph: The Bumpy Path to Sustainability, May 16, 11:30 a.m., in room S402b. If you like true stories told live, you’ll love this hour-long session, based on the popular “The Moth” storytelling series. Hear personal tales from industry insiders, like Starbucks, Sodexo, and Kendall College, about how they started their own environmental efforts.
Why Focusing on the Planet and People Builds Profits: Industry Movers and Shakers Explain, May 17, 10 a.m., in roomS402a. Sustainability champions at Yum! Brands, Starbucks, the U.S. Green Building Council and EcoLab will talk about how environmentalism attracts customers and builds consumer confidence.
Savvy Chefs Leading Sustainable Change, May 19, 10 a.m., in room S402a. Several renowned chefs, including Santa Monica-based chef Susan Feniger of Border Grill and star of two Food Network series, will talk about championing sustainability and how environmental responsibility will change the industry for the better, boost sales and increase customer loyalty.
Between sessions, make sure you check out these attractions on the show floor:
2015 Kitchen Innovations® Award pavilion, where award winning products from 23 different companies specifically designed their product lines to reduce water, minimize waste, and enhance energy efficiency, among other things. See them all in McCormick Place’s South Hall.
FOODamental and World Culinary Showcase, where some eco-minded chefs, like Barton Seaver, will demonstrate how to cook sustainably. At the World Culinary Showcase, chefs will serve up entertainment on stage by doing what they do best: cooking. Both events will be housed in the convention center’s South Hall.
Conserve booth and the Conserve Solutions Center, located at booth #581 in the South Hall, will offer information on and access to sustainability-focused products and services that save money, reduce waste, and conserve energy.
Get more information on sustainability at the NRA Show. To learn more about the NRA’s Conserve program, visit the website. Also, follow Conserve on Twitter @ConserveNow and Facebook at Facebook/RestaurantsConserve
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