Catering equipment buyers, specifiers, distributors, and consultants from across the UK will be out in force at the NEC Birmingham next week, on 6-7 June – checking out the latest new products and services on offer at Commercial Kitchen.
The UK’s only dedicated trade show for the catering equipment industry is expected to welcome over 2,000 attendees for 2017.
Many of the country’s biggest food service operators, contract caterers, and equipment distributors will be among them; with over a quarter of all pre-registered visitors, to date, representing companies whose annual corporate spend is in excess of £500,000 (11% report over £1m, and a further 9% over £5 million).
“It’s great to have a show dedicated for the commercial kitchen, it’s the most relevant UK show in my calendar. I continuously look at equipment development, so I’m looking forward to meeting suppliers and seeing the latest innovative equipment in the market,” says Adele Hing, kitchen & equipment development manager – food operations at Nando’s.
Free Keynote Theatre
Leading chefs and high-profile brands – including Claire Clark MBE, Vivek Singh, Nando’s, Punch Taverns, MEATliquor, Red’s True Barbecue, and Young’s – will be sharing their expertise in the show’s Keynote Theatre. Full timings and summaries are available at www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk/education.
Tuesday 6 June
- How to make your kitchen more sustainable: Henry Unwin, sustainability manager at Nando’s; Dr Christian Reynolds, knowledge exchange research fellow (N8 AgriFood project) at University of Sheffield; & Andrew Stephen, CEO of The Sustainable Restaurant Association (chair)
- Exclusive interview and Q&A with Vivek Singh, executive chef & founder of The Cinnamon Collection (hosted by Jay Morjaria, chef and restaurant consultant)
- Speed, quality & consistency – the pub kitchen panel: Chris Knights, group executive chef at Young’s & Co; Kumour Uddin, group executive chef at Anglian Country Inns; Chris Webb, catering operations manager at Punch Taverns; & Steve Dann, director of Fleet Street Communications (chair)
- Connecting our industry – the CEDA panel: 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; Jack Sharkey MSc, MD of Vision Commercial Kitchens; & Clare Nicholls, editor of Catering Insight (chair)
- Improving care home kitchens – exclusive interview with Robert Quehan, head chef at The Redwood Bistro, Bishopstoke Park (hosted by Andrew Seymour, editorial director at Foodservice Equipment Journal)
- The foodservice kitchen design panel: Clive Groom, MD of CNG Foodservice Equipment; Nick Howe, MD of Court Catering Equipment; Paul Gilhooly, head of sales at Gratte Brothers Catering Equipment; & Clare Nicholls, editor of Catering Insight (chair)
- Exclusive interview and Q&A with Claire Clark MBE MGOB, owner/director of Pretty Sweet & The Claire Clark Academy for Patisserie Excellence (hosted by Andrew Seymour, editorial director at Foodservice Equipment Journal)
- How operators are adapting their offer to meet a changing market: Graeme Loudon, commercial director at CGA Strategy
Wednesday 7 June
- Partners in health – the hospital kitchen panel: Philip Shelley, immediate past national chair at The Hospital Caterers Association; Iain Robertson, hotel services manager – catering, Dorset Healthcare; & Andy Jones, MD of AJAssociates
- Rolling out innovation – the multi-site restaurant kitchen panel: Scott Collins, co-founder & MD of MEATliquor; James Douglas, co-founder and director of Red’s True Barbecue; Adele Hing, kitchen & equipment development manager food operations at Nando’s; & Peter Martin, vice chairman of CGA Peach (chair)
- The Commercial Kitchen Innovation Challenge Live 2017 – the pitches: Judges include Scott Collins, co-founder & MD of MEATliquor; Julian Edwards, chairman of the FCSI UK&I and owner of GY5; Pete Farrell, sales director at C&C Catering Equipment; Jack Sharkey MSc, MD of Vision Commercial Kitchens; & Chris Brazier, group event director of Commercial Kitchen (host)
- How much value can the right consultant add to a foodservice project? Paul Arnold, project director at Tricon Foodservice Consultants; Roz Burgess, owner of Intelligent Catering; Radford Chancellor, director of Radford Chancellor; Julian Edwards, chairman of the FCSI UK&I and owner of GY5; Duncan Hepburn, principal consultant of Hepburn Associates; Michael Jones, editor of FCSI’s Foodservice Consultant Magazine (chair)
- The Commercial Kitchen Innovation Challenge Live 2017 – the results: hosted by Chris Brazier, group event director of Commercial Kitchen
- How to run a kitchen in a prison: Chris Moore, CEO of The Clink
- Excellence by association: Julian Edwards, chairman of the FCSI UK&I; Adam Mason, director general of CEDA; Kate Nicholls, chief executive of The ALMR; Philip Shelley, immediate past national chair at The Hospital Caterers Association; Andrew Seymour, editorial director at Foodservice Equipment Journal (chair)
Market-leading exhibitors
With all stand space now sold, Commercial Kitchen will feature over 80 manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting the complete range of innovative equipment, devices and services required to run, refurbish or build a commercial kitchen; including (but not limited to) cooking equipment, refrigeration, ventilation, storage, warewashing, fit out and design.
“Commercial Kitchen is the two days a year where there the whole industry now gets together,” says group event director Chris Brazier.
“The kitchen is one of the most important investments any operator has to make, and Commercial Kitchen is the most comprehensive trade show of its kind, in this country. This year’s visitors can look forward to our most exciting line-up of speakers and exhibitors yet.
“They’ll enjoy opportunities to experience first-hand, ground breaking new products and services from leading industry innovators. Many of which won’t be exhibiting together at any other event in the UK this year. While leading chefs, caterers, equipment buyers, foodservice consultants, equipment distributors, award-winning kitchen designers, and association chiefs will be taking to the stage to share their knowledge, best practice advice and ideas. It all adds up to an unmissable event for operators who want to get the best out of their commercial kitchen(s),” he says.
For further information, the 2017 Show Guide is now available to view online at www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk/show-guide.
Free registration
Commercial Kitchen returns to the NEC Birmingham (hall 8) on Tuesday and Wednesday, 6-7 June. Show features include a free two-day seminar programme, the Innovation Challenge Awards, and CEDA Awards Gallery.
Advance visitor registration closes at 9.30am on Tuesday 6 June (after which a £20 door charge may apply). To register for a free pass, please visit www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk and enter priority code CK10 (alternatively, use direct link: https://registration.n200.com/survey/3d80hw89gt3j0?actioncode=CK10).