The Restaurant Show 2017: Michelin stars, masterclasses and modernisation

Just as the leaves begin to brown, The Restaurant Show will be back in London on 2-4 October, and organisers say it’s better than ever

Held at the Olympia, this autumn The Restaurant Show returns with over 450 suppliers and an illustrious list of guest speakers. Exhibiting a plethora of entertainment and insight, organiser Dan Dixon, sales director at William Reed, guarantees that the three-day show is a “key calendar date for any professional within the industry.”

Whether it’s a Norwegian fjord trout masterclass by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Galmiche that catches your attention, or a front-row seat at the adrenaline-inducing live final of the National Chef of the Year competition, TRS is set to be a hotbed for industry know-how.

Star-studded speaker line-up
Heading the line-up will be Clare Smyth MBE, a Masterchef regular who is the only female British chef to hold three Michelin stars. Revealing her tricks of the trade from ‘The Stage’, Dixon expects Smyth’s live interview to be a highlight of TRS.

As if Smyth wasn’t enough to whet any industry professional’s appetite, Stephen Harris is also due to make an appearance. Having famously called his restaurant a ‘grotty run-down pub’, the man behind the Sportsman in Whitstable, Harris picked up the top prize at the National Restaurant Awards this year. He will be cooking live onstage and signing copies of his new book, The Sportsman.

Industry insights are equally high on the menu, with specialists such as Simon Stenning, executive director of strategic research consultancy MCA, holding several sessions covering the latest trends confronting the restaurant industry.

Live competitions
One major ‘stand-out’ aspect of TRS is its role as home to the live final of the National Chef of the Year competition. Running since 1972, previous winners include Gordon Ramsay and Mark Sargeant, and this year’s title will be presented alongside the Young National Chef of the Year award.

While the tense live final is bound to be a sure-fire hit at this year’s event, Dixon reminds visitors that “exciting live cookery competitions are just one part of The Restaurant Show. The event includes a whole host of inspiring speakers and masterclasses, plus a diverse range of exhibitors covering all aspects of running a foodservice business.”

Innovation: a central focus
Food-centric features may be a given at TRS, but innovation also takes high priority. Alongside the live showcases of top culinary talent, Nigel Barden will be on-hand to introduce the most innovative concepts, products and services from across the Show. Rounding up the October event will be the Great New Idea Award, rewarding the best innovations present at TRS, as voted for by show attendees.

“It’s going to be very exciting to see the winners of the Great New Idea Awards this year”, says Dixon. “Each year we see some incredible new concepts from exhibitors, so it’s always fascinating to see what’s next.”

The Restaurant Show 2017 will take place on 2-4 October at the London Olympia Conference Centre. Tickets gain entry to The Restaurant Show itself as well as The Bar & Pub Show, Conscious Hospitality Show and Catering Equipment Expo, which run alongside The Restaurant Show. Find out more and register at: www.therestaurantshow.co.uk

Emily Lewis

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