The National Restaurant Association is calling on foodservice equipment manufacturers to apply for its 2012 Kitchen Innovations Awards. Selected by an independent panel of experts, the award recipients represent the most groundbreaking equipment on the market that will cut costs and improve productivity and food quality in restaurant operations.
They will be featured in the Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at the
2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® (May 5-8 at Chicago’s McCormick Place).
“Product innovation is an important driver toward restaurant sales growth and cost management. By identifying back-of-the-house equipment that is truly cutting edge, we hope to help the nation’s nearly one million restaurants grow and succeed,” said David Gilbert, Chief Operating Officer of the National Restaurant Association.
Award recipients will be showcased in the Kitchen Innovations Pavilion in its new central location on the exhibit floor. Throughout the four-day NRA Show, there are countless opportunities to interact with U.S. and international dealers, distributors and chain, multi-unit and independent operators, corporate decision-makers and news media during one-on-one, interactive demonstrations.
All applications are judged by an independent, expert panel of industry leaders. New this year to the judging panel is Jim Krueger, Jr., chief F&B research and development, Headquarters, of the Air Force Services Agency HQ AFSVA.
Krueger will be joining other notable panelists including Dan Bendall (principal, FoodStrategy, Inc.), Martin Cowley (senior manager design and standards, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts), William Eaton (chairman of the board, Cini-Little International), Robert Forrester (principal, Restaurant Industry Solutions), Foster F. Frable Jr. (founding partner, Clevenger Frable LaVallee), Aaron LaMotte (director, Sodexo Performance Interiors), Robert Marshall (vice president, U.S. operations, McDonald's Corporation), and Kathleen H. Seelye (managing partner, Ricca Newmark Design).
The deadline to apply for the 2012 Kitchen Innovations Awards is December 21, 2011. Award recipients will be announced in February.