The newly renamed California Restaurant Show (previously the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo) will bring restaurateurs together in Los Angeles next month for educational sessions, cooking demos, the California Pizza Challenge, and exhibits featuring the latest industry products, technologies and services.
The event takes places August 25 through 27 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. According to a press release, it’s “designed to provide restaurant professionals with the latest industry insights, trends and practical knowledge to help them succeed in the rapidly evolving food service landscape.” Sessions, workshops, and panel discussions will be led by industry experts and thought leaders, who will explore topics such as sustainable practices, technological innovations, culinary trends and effective business strategies.
“We are thrilled to offer an education program that is not only comprehensive but also highly relevant to the current needs of the restaurant industry,” said Glenn Celentano, Partner & CEO of Restaurant Events LLC, producers of the event. “Our goal is to provide attendees with actionable insights and practical tools that they can implement immediately to enhance their operations and drive success.”
The educational sessions were developed in partnership with the California Restaurant Association and a brand-new Conference Advisory Board. It will focus on topics including Increasing Catering Orders; Food Friendly Financials; Steps to Great Service; Digital Hospitality; Effective Leadership; Team Building; Food and Beverage Trends; Legal Advice; Workplace Violence; the FDA’s Traceability Rule; Reducing Food Loss and Waste; AI’s Impact on Foodservice; Direct Mail; Negotiating Leases;and more.
The Culinary Innovation Theater will feature distinguished American chef Rocco DiSpirito; James Beard Award-winning chef Stephanie Izard; plant-based chef Nina Curtis; master sommelier David Glancy; Chefs Feeding Kids founder Glenn Cybulski; and chef and author Eric Greenspan. The stage will be hosted by Deanna “Bomb Chica” Colón of “Dishing with Deanna Chef Colón,” who will interview the chefs during their culinary demonstrations.
The Culinary Innovation Theater will also feature the Rapid Fire Challenge Sizzling Skirt Steak Competition sponsored by Sysco. Chefs who are interested in participating for the chance to win $1,000 and recognition can click here to submit an application.
Attendees can also register for the Restaurant Management 201 Workshop led by Darren Denington and Alison Anne, who will guide the entire management team through the process of becoming a cohesive team with strong leadership.
For pizzeria owners or those interested in adding pizza to their menu, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion, provides new sourcing opportunities, plus several educational opportunities, including a culinary demo by Cybulski, a certified Italian pizzaiolo, and Kira and Mark Zabrowski, owners of Much Ado About Pizza.
The expansive trade show floor will spotlight more than 200 exhibitors showcasing new products, services and technologies from leading suppliers and innovators in the industry. The Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion—a new feature area on the show floor—will become the new home of the California Pizza Challenge (CPC), sponsored by REAL California Milk and hosted by PMQ Pizza’s U.S. Pizza Team. Celebrating California’s long history of producing some of the country’s finest cheese, the CPC will feature four culinary events to showcase California cheese as well as four pizza athletic categories.
Additionally, Coffee Fest Los Angeles offers a trade show, education program and competitions for those involved with retailing coffee, tea and related products while staying at the forefront of emerging trends.
The California Restaurant Show is sponsored by the California Restaurant Association, the uniting force of the restaurant industry throughout California. To register for the trade show and conference, click here.
The California Restaurant Show is owned by Restaurant Events, LLC ,which also produces the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and the Pizza Tomorrow Summit, to be held November 6-7, 2024, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, and the New York Restaurant Show taking place March 23-35, 2025, at the Javits Center in New York City.
