EVENT PREVIEW: HRC 2023
You can discover the future of food-to-go, as HRC – along with sister show IFE – returns to London once again...
Hotel, Restaurant and Catering (HRC) returns to ExCeL London on 20th to 22nd March to inform and inspire the foodservice and hospitality sector. Across the three days, visitors to the show will have the opportunity to discover innovative suppliers, hear from a wide range of industry leaders and network with fellow hospitality professionals.
This year’s event will showcase suppliers across categories such as hospitality tech, design and décor, foodservice and professional kitchen, with The Pub Show @ HRC also packed with suppliers catering specifically to pub and bar businesses. HRC, along with sister events International Food and Drink Event (IFE) and IFE Manufacturing, will collectively feature 1,500 quality suppliers showcasing thousands of products for the food and drink sector, with over 90 countries represented.
Valuable industry insights
The Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, will be at the heart of HRC 2023, with a seminar programme covering a diverse range of important trends, topics and talking points in foodservice and hospitality. Kicking off the seminar programme on day one will be a global view of hospitality from Nicola Knight and James Walton of IGD, who will be running through their predictions for 2023 and examining the impact of global events on the UK hospitality industry.
This will be followed by a session on setting the standard for food for the future, moderated by the Sustainable Restaurant Association and featuring Clare Clark, head of sustainability for CH&CO, James Golding, group chef director for The Pig Hotels, and Huw Gott, co-founder of Hawksmoor. Gott says: “Every restaurateur and caterer knows they must do more to ensure they reduce the impact of the meals they serve. Come and join this session to find out how you do that and how it'll make your business better."
Other highlights on the Vision Stage include a keynote interview with HRC chef ambassador Monica Galetti; an examination of driving profit through low and no offerings; a discussion on the psychology of hospitality design; and an in-depth look at the impact of soaring energy costs on the sector with Cornwall Insight. Blake Gladman, strategy and insight director for KAM and host of the Low and no: The secret money maker session, says: “It will be focused on the £800m tapwater opportunity in pubs, bars and restaurants. Recent research by KAM found that 22% of customers who don’t intend to drink alcohol while in a venue will default to tap water.
“This equates to a £800m opportunity to upsell them to something more inspiring and profitable! We’ll talk about the importance of a great alcohol-free range, how to communicate effectively in venues, and ultimately discuss how we can better serve those who don’t want alcohol.”
Meanwhile, the show’s Tech X stage will host a number of hospitality tech-focused discussions, including how accessibility can be transformed through technology with Ross Calladine, head of business support for VisitEngland; Paul Bayliss MBE, regional general manager for Hotel Brooklyn; Ed Warner, chief executive officer (CEO) of Motionspot; Fiona Jarvis, CEO of Blue Badge Style; and Peter Hayes, CEO and co-founder of TranslateLive.
Bayliss comments: “It's great to be asked to speak on a subject of technology and accessibility because, without it, we’d struggle to communicate with, and deliver, the kind of experience a guest with challenges requires from a luxury hotel. I’m really looking forward to talking about how it helps our Hotel Brooklyn properties thrive in delivering a great experience for all, and just how much we continue to learn on the subject.”
Introducing...Chef HQ
A new feature for this year’s event will be Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing, a new stage, demo kitchen and networking area for chefs and hospitality business operators. A key session taking place as part of Chef HQ is an interview with The Future Plate, a culinary village made up of the leading black chefs, including MasterChef semi-finalist William Chilila, Muse by Tom Aikens head pastry chef Jermaine Cunningham, and Michelle Trusselle, executive chef and owner of Myristica.
Paul Ainsworth will be at Chef HQ discussing his experience as a judge alongside Gordon Ramsay on the hit US show Next Level Chef; Restaurant Story executive chef Tom Phillips and Bocuse d’Or chairman Andreas Antona will be talking about the UK Bocuse d’Or competition; and Andrew Wong, chef founder of A.Wong, will be taking the audience on a journey into the technically precise art of dim sum.
Wong says: “Globally, around 50 examples of dim sum are widely known when, in fact, there are over 2,000 varieties. At Chef HQ, I will be talking about how the artisanal knowledge and skillset required to make authentic dim sum mirrors the skills of the finest pastry chefs.”
Chef HQ will also welcome 2022 National Chef of the Year Ben Murphy and Niall Keating, founder of Lunar, whose Paradise Carriage will be serving as the demo kitchen for the feature. Finally, visitors will have a chance to hear from winners of the Roux Scholarship, as they discuss how their lives have transformed since winning the iconic title.
Quality hospitality and foodservice suppliers
As always, HRC will be packed with exciting, quality suppliers across a wide range of specialisms. In the show’s Foodservice section, visitors can meet with companies such as La Lorraine Bakery Group, a family-owned company with more than 83 years of experience in the milling and bakery sector, or Barfoots of Botley, who grow, process, pack and market a range of fresh produce.
In Professional Kitchen, suppliers such as commercial catering equipment manufacturer Fagor UK will be offering buyers the chance to test out their products and consult on how they might work for specific types of hospitality business.
Sustainable, luxury home fragrance brand F.Y.G. can be found in the show’s Design and Décor section, along with Black and Stainless, an all-in-one designer, manufacturer, installer and service provider of steel shelters and furniture. Plus, in addition to designing the Vision Stage for this year’s event, Harp Design will be on hand to provide complimentary half hour design consultations.
In the Hospitality Tech section, visitors can speak to Brigad about its app connecting high-quality self-employed professionals to hospitality businesses, or to Tenzo, whose analytics and sales forecasting platform integrates with point-of-sale, labour and inventory tools to bring all data together in one app.
The Pub Show @ HRC
Returning for 2023 is The Pub Show @ HRC, a one stop-shop for all things pub and bar, from equipment to entertainment to beverages to tech. Visitors to this section can meet with suppliers such as Flightcase Bars, who provide draught systems in ready-to-roll flightcases. Also in attendance will be Mix and Go Cocktail Maker, a user-friendly and ultra-compact cocktail making machine that allows users to choose from a menu of over 50 classics, along with options to add bespoke recipes. Touch2Play, the world leader in digital entertainment, will be present discussing the durable, exciting and easy-to-maintain games it has been providing to hospitality businesses for over 30 years.
The Pub Show @ HRC will once again be home to popular feature The Taproom, where visitors will have the chance to sample a wide range of craft and independent beer and cider brands, including Renegade Brewery and Siren Craft Brew.
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), meanwhile, will be the host of a dedicated pavilion. It will be on hand with key partners to provide advice and support to visitors in the form of Helpline Live, which will be brought to life offering drop-in sessions and presentations providing much-needed and valuable expert advice. Steve Alton, CEO of the BII, says: “Join us with some of our key partners and Helpline providers for live advice and support, and to find out more about becoming a BII member.”
Essential info
What? HRC 2023
Where? ExCeL London
When? 20th to 22nd March
More info: www.hrc.co.uk
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