The UK’s first permanent catering exhibition centre will open in Bristol on the 19 September 2017. Showcasing products from over 50 leading equipment brands all under one roof, the National Catering Equipment Centre (NCEC) is being billed as a centre of excellence for the catering industry, providing a variety of users, from operators to dealers, consultants to chefs, with a unique venue to discover, train, network and to become immersed within everything to do with catering equipment.
Laura Clarkson, NCEC manager is extremely excited about the imminent opening:
“Until now, the hospitality industry has not really had somewhere to call home. Football has Wembley, Rugby has Twickenham and now the hospitality industry has the NCEC. We believe the NCEC will quickly become the place to visit for anyone involved with catering equipment, from dealers to distributors, through to operators, consultants and chefs.”
The aim of the NCEC is to inspire, educate and provide impartial advice for visitors, as well as offering services and products from a wide range of exhibitors. Brands that have already confirmed their involvement in the NCEC include Dynamic, Olympia, Samsung, Hoshizaki, Thor, Winterhalter, Burco, Lincat, Pira, Polar, LEC, Buffalo, Waring, Churchill and Steelite.
An exciting initiative
Keith Warren, director of CESA, has given his support to the initiative. “The NCEC is an exciting initiative for the hospitality industry. By allowing customers to try equipment before they buy it, it will provide a real service to both operators and the supply chain,” he says.
Launching as a permanent space to showcase many leading brands, the NCEC will also boast a fully functional training and demonstration kitchen where NCEC onsite development chef, Dean Starling will be available to provide advice on all types of equipment, as well as helpful hints on menu development and onsite catering.
With so many brands in one place, Clarkson believes the benefits are clear. “One of the key benefits of having all of these superior brands within one place is that demonstrations can be set up in the kitchen, allowing a customer to test drive a particular oven, blender or induction hob (for example) before making the purchase. As visitors will be able to touch, feel and see the equipment in action, they will be able to make a more informed purchasing decision,” she says.
Further details:
For more information, visit www.ncec.co.uk.
