NAFEM Show: New Ideas, New Results

The NAFEM Show: Essential Info

Feb. 10-12

10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, Fla.

Attendees: 20,000+

Exhibitors: 500+

Educational Tracks: Daily and divided into three areas: corporate responsibility, innovative thinking and future trends

Events:

• Global Networking Event, Wed., Feb. 9, Hilton Orlando
• All-Industry Celebration, Fri., Feb. 11, Peabody Orlando Hotel

Registration Cost: $30 before Jan. 8, 2011; $60 after

thenafemshow.org

Association Events:

• CFESA Spring 2011 Conference Feb. 7-9, The Peabody Orlando   cfesa.com
• FCSI-The Americas Seminars Feb. 9, Orange County Convention Center   fcsi.org
• FEDA Box Lunch Seminar Feb. 11, Orange County Convention Center   feda.com
• HSM Certified Professional in Hospitality Supply Exam Feb. 9, location TBD   ism.ws

If you seek fresh results but keep doing the same things the same way, you won’t get far, right? You need new ideas.

Fortunately, The NAFEM Show is coming Feb. 10-12 to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., and promises to help with on-target educational sessions.

The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers will start sessions each day with a spotlight speaker presenting from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Spotlight topics will include corporate responsibility, innovative thinking and future trends.

On the corporate responsibility side, Tim Sanders, CEO of Deeper Media and author of “Saving the World at Work,” will discuss how the concepts of social responsibility and sustainability are expanding in the new marketplace. Sanders will explore how you can find ways to integrate socially responsible practices within your companies and attract talent and customers in the process.

From the innovative thinking front comes Peter Sheahan, an entrepreneur and author of “Flip: How to Turn Everything You Know on Its Head and Succeed Beyond Your Wildest Imaginings.” He’ll discuss his view that the way to innovate and develop new ideas is to be counter-intuitive and look for opportunities in undiscovered places. Sheahan will bring his experience as a former general manager of a $10 million hotel business to his presentation.

And on the topic of future trends in culinary tastes, Brad Barnes, a Certified Master Chef with the Culinary Institute of America and author of “So You Want to Be a Chef?,” will review the ways food and flavor trends affect foodservice and the equipment used to prepare it.

Lead Me To The Breakouts

In addition to the three spotlight speakers, NAFEM will host two afternoon breakout sessions each day of the show. At press time, show organizers were still finalizing details on some of the six sessions, but here’s what they told us:

On Fri., Feb. 11, Joey Terrell, owner of the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified Denny’s Restaurant in the country, will share how he pursued green initiatives—some big, some small—to save money and natural resources. In a presentation entitled “The Low-Hanging Fruit is Green,” Terrell will explain how he introduced energy-smart devices such as LED lighting, specially insulated walls and  roofing materials, instant hot water heaters, skylights and energy-efficient fryers and dishwashers to his facility. Terrell’s LEED unit is in Joliet, Ill.

The two breakouts planned for Sat., Feb. 12, will spotlight efficient operations. Greg Christian, founder and CEO of Greg Christian Consulting, has worked to transform foodservice operations in ways that enhance the sustainability of food resources. In his presentation, “Sustainable Food Programs and the Future of the Industry,” Christian will suggest ways to recognize trends in the global food system and create strategies to incorporate practices that optimize sustainable policies. Christian’s strategies have been slated for implementation in the foodservice contract for The Field Museum in Chicago.

In the other Saturday session, you’ll hear how school foodservice pros are addressing changing expectations from parents, students and school boards while managing a federal program that serves 30 million meals a day. Nancy Rice, program director for school nutrition for the Georgia Department of Education, will discuss “What’s Hot? What’s Not? What’s Cool in Schools?” She’ll review emerging trends and changes in school nutrition programs, plus demands for more efficient operations. A registered dietitian, Rice has served in leadership positions with the Georgia Dietetic Association and the Georgia School Nutrition Association.

CFSP Students: Time To Test

The NAFEM Show will again provide an opportunity to take the Certified Foodservice Professional exam on Feb. 10 and 11 at the Orange County Convention Center. To register, complete the CFSP Personal Data Form and application and send it to NAFEM Headquarters with the $150 fee. Preregistration is required and available by calling Vonceil Roberts at NAFEM headquarters in Chicago, 312/821-0216.

In addition, the NAFEM Show schedule includes five-hour ServSafe Food Safety Training sessions before the show begins, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, and the first day of the show, Thursday, Feb. 10.

Last Bits Of Info

For NAFEM Show registration info, consult thenafemshow.org. The registration fee is $60. If you choose to register onsite, the registration desk hours will be 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

And for those who <I>really<I/>like to plan ahead: The next NAFEM Show is scheduled for Feb. 7-9, 2013, back at the Orange County Convention Center.

And f you see something unique or innovative on the show floor, stop by our booth and let our editors know. We’ll be at booth 818, tweeting about the latest finds and newest technologies.

Bigger, Better: What’s Hot! What’s Cool!

The NAFEM Show’s organizers plan to dazzle you with what has become a signature event-within-the event–the What’s Hot! What’s Cool! gallery. This year you’ll find 50% more products than appeared in the 2009 WHWC pavilion, which translates to nearly 120 items from 116 manufacturers.

Designed as a one-stop shopping area that highlights innovation in labor savings, sanitation, food safety and more, the WHWC pavilion hosts items screened by NAFEM based on several criteria. All new and/or updated products were made available for sale after the last NAFEM Show, and all offer a significant benefit to users. Product submissions were solicited from all of the 500+ NAFEM Show exhibitors.

The WHWC pavilion will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and your show badge is all you need to wander through.—MR