FCSI are a new association partner for Commercial Kitchen 2017, which returns to the NEC Birmingham on 6-7 June 2017. The Society will host an exclusive panel session focusing on the topic of ‘How much value can the right consultant add to a foodservice project?’ and will feature five of the country’s leading foodservice consultants. Chaired by Michael Jones, editor of FCSI’s Foodservice Consultant magazine, the session will offer some great insight into best practices, standards and the tangible things that even the best consultants can do to become even better partners to their clients (1.15pm, 7 June).
FCSI panellists include Julian Edwards FCSI, chairman of FCSI (UK&I) and owner of GY5; Paul Arnold FCSI, project director at Tricon Foodservice Consultants; Roz Burgess FCSI, owner of Intelligent Catering; Duncan Hepburn FCSI, principal consultant at Hepburn Associates; and Radford Chancellor FCSI, director of Radford Chancellor.
“With such a wide choice of innovative equipment under one roof, and leading industry keynotes from across all sectors of the foodservice industry, it’s a must attend event for consultants and end-users looking to stay ahead of the latest innovations and trends in this dynamic industry,” says Edwards.
“Commercial Kitchen offers the industry something unique, not only commercial catering equipment but also excellent, relevant seminars. Our consultants, and a number of our clients, are looking forward to attending this exciting show,” says Chancellor.
Innovation
The event has also confirmed its Innovation Challenge Awards entries for 2017. The awards recognise the best new catering equipment, devices and tech for kitchens of the year.
Middleby UK, Electrolux Professional, Interflow UK, rexmartins, RATIONAL UK, and TME Thermometers are among the 22 manufacturers and suppliers looking to win over visiting buyers (including leading operators from across the foodservice and hospitality sector) to secure their place in the show’s Innovation Challenge final.
Voting opens at the Innovation Challenge Gallery from 10am on opening day and will run until 4pm (6 June). The exhibitors that have secured the most visitor votes will then be invited to ‘pitch’ their new innovations in the live final the following day. They’ll have just 90 seconds to impress this year’s expert industry judges, plus a packed audience of visiting buyers. Pitches start at 11.45am on Wednesday 7 June, with the results to be announced at 2pm.
Top speakers
The Cinnamon Collection’s executive chef and founder Vivek Singh has been confirmed for a headline Keynote Q&A at the show. Singh’s ‘in conversation’ session, with fellow chef and restaurant consultant Jay Morjaria, is set to reveal exclusive insights into the inner workings of the kitchens and kit at the heart of his top London restaurants; including The Cinnamon Club (launched in 2001 and now considered a benchmark for fine dining Indian restaurants around the world), Cinnamon Kitchen, Cinnamon Soho, and Cinnamon Bazaar.
“Commercial Kitchen is an important trade event, as it shows chefs the latest innovations and possibilities for their kitchens,” says Singh. “I’m really passionate about the equipment that makes our kitchens work for our teams and customers, and I look forward to seeing my colleagues and peers at this inspiring industry event.”
Singh isn’t the only professional chef lending his specialist expertise to speaker duties at Commercial Kitchen. Previously confirmed big names include world-renowned pastry chef Claire Clark MBE – the first person in the UK, and only female recipient, to be awarded the Master of Culinary Arts for outstanding craftsmanship (formerly known as the ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de la Grande Bretagne’); Chris Knights, group executive chef at Young’s Pubs and Geronimo Inns; Kumour Uddin, group executive chef at Anglian Country Inns; and Robert Quehan, formerly of The Ivy and now head chef at The Redwood Bistro at Bishopstoke Park (the UK’s first retirement village to be awarded an AA Rosette for its food).
Other new speakers, announced today, include James Douglas, co-founder and director at Red’s True Barbecue, Adele Hing, development manager (kitchen, equipment & food operations) at Nando’s UK & Ireland, and Chris Webb, catering operations manager at Punch Taverns. Douglas and Hing will be appearing in the ‘Multi-site restaurant kitchen panel’ alongside MEATliquor’s MD Scott Collins and, session chair, Peter Martin, VP of CGA Peach. While Webb, who heads up the team responsible for menu development, kitchen design and menu implementation across Punch’s estate – joins Knights and Uddin in ‘The pub kitchen panel’, which is to be chaired by Steve Dann, director at Fleet Street Communications.
Graeme Loudon, commercial director at insights firm CGA Strategy, will also be making his show debut. His session will give an overview of the current challenges facing operators across the market and how they are adjusting their offer and plans in response to the continued fallout from the Brexit vote. He’ll also be revealing the key trends to watch and their potential impact on the size and shape of the market in the months to come (3.30pm, 6 June).
Cutting edge commercial kitchen design and execution
CEDA – the show’s lead partner, will feature prominently in the seminar line-up. he CEDA panel (12.30pm, 6 June) sees five of the association’s former chairs appearing together for the first time (including Mark Drazen, MD of Caterware; Nick Howe, MD of Court Catering Equipment; Peter Kitchin, MD of C&C Catering Equipment; Iain Munro, MD of ScoMac Catering Equipment; and Jack Sharkey MSc, MD of Vision Commercial Kitchens).
CEDA’s Foodservice Kitchen Design Panel (2pm, 6 June), also led by Clare Nicholls, editor of Catering Insight, unites the CEDA Grand Prix Award winners of Best Small, Best Medium and Best Large Projects – Clive Groom, MD of CNG Foodservice Equipment, Paul Gilhooly, head of sales at Gratte Brothers Catering Equipment, and Nick Howe, MD of Court Catering Equipment (respectively) – to discuss their cutting edge commercial kitchen design and execution.
While Adam Mason, CEDA’s director general, will also be appearing alongside senior representatives from The ALMR (Kate Nicholls), FCSI (Julian Edwards), and HCA (Philip Shelley) in a joint association panel discussion at 3.30pm on 7 June.
Free registration
For further information, and to register to attend Commercial Kitchen 2017, visit www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk and enter priority code CK10 (alternatively, use direct link: https://registration.n200.com/survey/3d80hw89gt3j0?actioncode=CK10).
