Toby Wand, Managing Director at Fresh Montgomery said: “With a new look and a new date in the calendar, Hotelympia 2014 is set, once again, to unite the very best in Catering Equipment, Food & Drink, Tabletop, Design and Technology, but this time in one purpose built space.”
A stellar line-up of speakers will grace the main stage at the show, including design guru and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran, Tom Kerridge, chef of The Hand and Flowers (the only UK pub to be awarded two stars in the Michelin guide), Bruno Loubet of Bistrot Bruno Loubet and Phil Howard, chef and co-owner of two Michelin-starred The Square restaurant in London’s Mayfair.
Groundbreaking technology and cutting-edge hospitality design will also have brand new forums via the HOSPACE Hub Seminars and Design Stage at the show. Both will benefit from targeted speaker programmes and boast ‘insightful presentations and lively panel discussions’ giving attendees ‘unrivalled access to new ways of thinking’ and the very latest trends shaping the market.
World-class culinary competition Salon Culinaire also makes a return to Hotelympia. For many of the 8,000+ chefs who visit the show each year the Salon Culinaire competition is the principle reason behind their visit.
New Salon chef director James Tanner has put together what he describes as “an exciting new competition programme for 2014” comprising “a fast-moving Live Theatre programme featuring a variety of different competitions, from 20 minute against-the-clock challenges, to preparing three course menus. Salon Display will also showcase stunning hand-crafted works in different mediums, with each exhibit enjoying a prime location along the central aisle of the show. Finally the La Parade des Chefs boasts a real-time lunchtime service in two fully-operational restaurants of 100 covers.
Days one and two of the show will also see the return of Careers in Hospitality – an event that brings together prospective employers with those seeking ‘fresh impetus and new challenges’.
With sustainability top of mind, 2014 will also see Hotelympia launch WasteWorks – a new, co-located event focusing on suppliers of waste solutions and services seeking to target the hospitality sector.
Hotelympia’s flagship Innovation Awards also return, providing exhibitors with a free of charge, high-profile platform for new product launches. Finalists will pitch their products behind closed doors in a Dragon’s Den style arena. Six finalists in each category – Tabletop & Design, Catering Equipment, Food & Drink and Technology – will test their product credentials against a panel of specially-invited industry leaders – Hotelympia’s ‘Innovation Idols’.
This year, the Hotelympia experience is set to be made even more unique by the presence of ‘Show Makers’ – a team of specially trained ambassadors – students from leading catering college, Westminster Kingsway – there to ensure visitors can make the very most of their time at the show. Show Makers have been trained by front-of-house expert, Esher Williams and Lisa Campagnola, the lady behind the training programme for the London 2012 Olympics Games Makers programme.
“The Hotelympia Show Makers can offer a warm hospitality welcome and help to tailor the show journey,” says Toby Wand, “while the single hall makes it even easier for visitors to navigate the attractions without the disruption of the central boulevard. The show is already 75% sold, so I encourage those companies who are thinking of how best to maximise their business profile in 2014 to get in touch with our team today.”
Visitors can go to www.hotelympia.com to register for a free ticket saving the £25 entrance fee. Meanwhile, readers can follow Foodservice Consultant’s coverage of the event online and via Twitter.
Michael Jones
