The Pizza Tomorrow Summit and the Florida Restaurant Show, held November 6 through 7 at the Orange County Convention Center, were a resounding success and attracted nearly 4,500 industry professionals from across the pizzeria, restaurant and hospitality markets. The event, which united pizzeria operators, pizzaiolos, restaurateurs, chefs, suppliers and thought leaders, showcased the latest trends, products and innovations from 325 exhibiting companies occupying 600 booths on a sold-out show floor.
Featuring two full days of dynamic exhibits, competitions, live demos and expert-led seminars, the event has quickly become a vibrant platform for networking, education, and business development.
“We’re thrilled with the success of this year’s events, which exceeded our expectations in terms of attendance, increased qualified buyer saturation, exhibitor engagement, and the enthusiasm of participants,” said Glenn Celentano, partner & CEO of Restaurant Events LLC, owner of the events. “The sizzle and energy on the show floor was palpable, and the positive feedback from attendees and exhibitors has been overwhelming. We’re already looking forward to returning next year with even more ways to connect and inspire our industry over a newly expanded three-day format.”
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The show floor was buzzing with live cooking demonstrations and competitions, equipment showcases and tastings, all of which highlighted the latest in pizza-making techniques, restaurant technology, sustainable practices and more.
A new feature on the show floor was The Operator’s Choice Award, where attendees voted on the best new product at the show. The winner was Lilly’s Fresh Pasta for their Jalapeño, Birria & Birria-Jalapeño Fettuccini. A $500 gift card was awarded to participating attendee Juan Mata, executive chef of K-Bob Restaurant in Orlando.
This year’s education program featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including industry veterans and innovators who discussed topics ranging from digital marketing and customer engagement to food trends and operational efficiencies. Subject matter experts provided valuable insights into the changing landscape of the restaurant and foodservice sector, equipping operators with actionable knowledge to drive growth in their businesses.
There were many new educational sessions, including a sold-out food-and-wine pairing event, featuring sommelier Brian Connors and a Pizza Dough Workshop. Among other new sessions were: Funding the Future; Keys to Effective and Fun Leadership; AI Marketing; 10 Steps to Great Service; Negotiating Leases; Tax-Free Tips for Employees; Creating an Exceptional Guest Experience; Enhancing QSR Efficiency; and many others.
Restaurant owners and their staff took advantage of the Restaurant Management 201 Workshop led by Darren Denington and Alison Anne, who guided management teams through the process of becoming a cohesive team with strong leadership. In addition, Rev Cianco from Yeah! Management and Chip Close from Restaurant Strategy led a new half-day Restaurant Marketing Playbook workshop, which focused on best marketing strategies.
The Culinary Innovation Theater featured live demonstrations with Maneet Chauhan, award-winning Indian chef and owner of eet in Disney Springs; celebrated chef and culinary educator Jennifer Hill Booker; Matt Catherincchia, founding member of Chefs Feeding Kids; Chef Jamie Culliton from the Nonna Slice House in Safety Harbor, Florida; social media influencer and Michelin-trained Chef Alex Trim; Kareen “Chef Coco” Linton; and ACF Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski. The Culinary Innovation Theater was sponsored by Halpern’s Steak and Seafood and Gordon Food Service.
In partnership with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Central Florida Chapter, three new ACF-sanctioned, live-action competitions were held. ACF judges (pictured above) included current ACF President Rene Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC; Past ACF Presidents Reimund Pitz, CEC, CCE, AAC, HOF and Keith Keogh, CEC, AAC; and apprentice judge Tim Recher, CEC, AAC.
The 3rd Annual Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup Competition, presented by PMQ’s U.S. Pizza Team, was a highlighted feature at the Pizza Tomorrow Summit. The competition featured over 50 competitors and $15,000 in prizes, including two trips to Italy to compete in the World Pizza Championships.
Grand prize winners of the two trips to Italy were Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup ChampionPatt Miller of Pizza Patt’s in New Vienna, Ohio, and Galbani Cup Acrobatic Champion Michael Testa of Jersey Pizza Boys in Avenel, New Jersey. Best Cheese Pizza Finalists were 1st place winner Enrico Aguila of Uncle Rico’s in Fort Myers, Florida, and 2nd place winner George Taylor of Taylors’ Pizza House in Endwell, New York.
Other culinary competitions included:
The Rapid-Fire Market Basket Competition winner was Michael Clemons of Chef Secret in Sunrise, Florida, who prepared pan-seared Red Snapper with eggplant puree.
The Mystery Basket Fruit & Vegetable Carving winner was Maria Yolanda Diaz from Mayodi’s Fruit Carvings and Displays.
The Cake Decorating Competition winner was Nicole Zimmerman of Dark Delights Confections.
The Pizza Tomorrow Summit was named one of Trade Show Executive’s 50 fastest-growing trade shows in 2024 in net square feet and total attendance and recognized as No. 1 in the number of companies growth category.
The Pizza Tomorrow Summit and Florida Restaurant Show will return to Orlando on November 2-4, 2025, at the Orange County Convention Center.
