MUFES 2026
LIVE EVENT
February 2-4, 2026
Clearwater Beach, Florida
MUFES 2026 will return to the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa in beautiful Clearwater Beach, Fla. There will be two days of education sessions for foodservice equipment and supplies decision-makers, plus a full day of premeeting events. Don't wait! Register today!
REGISTRATION FEES
- Operators: $595
- Suppliers/E&S Dealers: $4195
- Consultants: $1895
- Service Agents: $1895
To register a spouse or significant other, please contact Christine Palmer.
What is MUFES 2026?
Organized by Foodservice Equipment Reports, MUFES is a one-of-a-kind event for foodservice equipment and supplies decision-makers from multiunit restaurant brands and noncommercial facilities. Two days of education sessions provide advanced, technical content. Attendees also will enjoy first-class dining, evening receptions and plenty of opportunities to network during the event.
Program planning is underway! Details to be released in July.
Where & When is MUFES 2025?
MUFES is being held Feb. 2-4, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa, Clearwater Beach, Fla. Meetings are on Tues., Feb. 3 and Wed., Feb. 4.
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
301 South Gulfview Boulevard
Approximately 12 miles from the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport airport and 21 miles from Tampa International.
Overnight self-parking is $15/night+tax.
The room block opens April 21 and will close on Jan. 5. Room rate is $294/night plus tax. The resort fee has been waived.
Gain insights into what's working in 2026. Connect and have fun.
The Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium is becoming known as a "can't miss" event.
You'll have the chance to hear from industry movers and have personal conversations with a wide range of professionals.
Unwind with golf, cocktails, dinners and plenty of networking opportunities as you refine your game plan for 2025.
Visit the MUFES 2025 Gallery to see video clips and pictures from last year's event.
Past Speakers
Jeremy holds the role of principal at Ricca Design Studios. He has over 23 years of foodservice consulting experience. He has successfully completed over 200 projects within the education, central kitchen, hospitality, healthcare, and business and industry markets. With expertise in design and project management in the foodservice industry, Jeremy is a specialist in preparing complex designs and documentation. His attention to detail and extensive experience working across various design platforms, specification writing and budgeting, result in projects that exceed clients’ expectations by delivering exceptional cost and operational efficiencies. At Ricca, Jeremy leads with a proactive approach to working with the design team and stakeholders to achieve their objectives to ensure a productive project and a successful approval through regulatory may it be DSA, local health department, FGI, CDPH or HCAI.
Ricca Design Studios
Principal
Laura Rea serves as the CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants. With over 20 years of experience in the marketing and information technology fields, Laura Rea continually inspires innovation in the Dickey’s brand while keeping spirits high with her witty sense of humor. In her time as CEO, Laura Rea has championed the brand's expansion and overseen the development of the first international locations with restaurants in the UAE, specifically Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Laura Rea also helped pioneer the third-party delivery program for the brand, contributing to positive same store sales in all digital channels. Under Dickey’s leadership, the brand also launched its first major menu addition in four years debuting six new signature sauces and adding pit-smoked chicken wings to the core menu. As CIO, Laura Rea implemented a new technology infrastructure for the brand bringing parity and integration to data reporting and information security. Laura Rea developed a proprietary data platform in 2015 called Smoke Stack which was profiled for its innovation by Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. Laura Rea also led the in-house development of several proprietary technology projects including a new POS system, online ordering system, loyalty program, consumer APP, CRM platform and inventory management system.
Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants
CEO
As a senior designer for environments at WD Partners, Brooke is responsible for understanding clients' brand standards, needs and pain points to create design-forward solutions. She collaborates with internal teams to ensure the brand's vision is consistently maintained as projects progress from concept to reality, keeping the design integrity intact even when challenges arise. Brooke's entrepreneurial background has equipped her with the ability to balance creative thinking with practical constraints, such as budgets, timelines and code requirements. Her strong communication skills, attention to detail and collaborative mindset enable her to approach each project with a client-first mentality, ensuring successful outcomes for every design she leads.
WD Partners
Senior Designer for Environments
Serving as CEO of Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen, Chris draws from his New Orleans upbringing and culinary heritage to infuse bold flavors and joyful hospitality into the innovative fast-casual restaurant concept he co-founded in 2016. With a background in finance and a successful polo career, Chris’ journey into the culinary world led to the creation of Bolay, where he harmonizes nutrient-rich superfoods with tasty proteins, all served with a smile. His innovative approach and philanthropic endeavors have earned him recognition in the business community, while he continues to balance his professional pursuits with family life in Jupiter, Florida.
Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen
CEO
Eric serves as principal at Rippe Associates. He spent the first 17 years of his foodservice career in operations, managing bars, full-service restaurants, corporate dining facilities, and a decade in university dining. This wide variety of work experience gives him a unique perspective when looking at designing production and service spaces that will be efficient, safe and logical for operators, and ultimately improve the customer experience. During the past 10 years, Eric has successfully completed projects in multiple market segments and has mastered the craft of managing complicated relationships between customers, architects, general contractors, equipment manufacturers and end-users. Every project is important to him, as each facility impacts the daily lives of its staff and guests. Eric listens to his clients and collaboratively designs with them to achieve their goals using their collective experience and knowledge, his creativity and problem-solving skills, and the timeless design standards which have made Rippe Associates a leader in the industry.
Rippe Associates
Principal
Rob is the founder and CEO of the International Food and Beverage Technology Association. The IFBTA was launched at FSTEC (Foodservice Technology Conference and Showcase) 2014 which was founded by Rob in 1996, and is a nonprofit professional association promoting and advancing technology and innovation for the global food and beverage industries. Prior to establishing the IFBTA, Rob also founded ConStrata Technology Consulting and its predecessor companies, which have been providing information technology consulting services for the global hospitality, foodservice and retail industries and is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland since 1994. Rob has been a regular technology columnist for several industry and technology publications and has contributed articles to many other publications in the U.S. and abroad as well as co-authored and contributed to a number of books. He has spoken at over 1,000 industry shows, conferences and events around the world. He is a Conti Professor in the Program of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management (HR&IM) at Penn State University and serves on the industry advisory boards of the HR&IM programs at the University of Delaware and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Rob has served on the board of the National Restaurant Association and is an active member of the of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) having served as the chair of YPO’s Food & Beverage, Hospitality and Travel Networks. He is a triathlete having completed the Ironman in Lake Placid in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007 and Ironman World Championship in Kona in 2005.
International Food and Beverage
Technology Association
Founder & CEO
As senior principal, Dave leads the beverage practice at Technomic and has a broad portfolio of clients and interest areas in food, beverage and nonfoods. He has done work across nearly every vertical within the industry and has led a wide variety of client engagements and strategic assignments. He also has led much of Technomic’s custom international work in the past decade. Dave has appeared regularly on Bloomberg TV, Thompson Reuters, CNBC, Fox Business, MSNBC, CBS, NPR, ABC and MarketWatch, among others. He has been quoted in leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Crain’s Chicago Business, Reuters and Associated Press articles, as well as industry trade magazines such as Restaurant Business, Nation’s Restaurant News, Beverage Industry Magazine and Foodservice Equipment Reports. Before joining Technomic, Dave honed his international food experience working with Nestle Germany in Frankfurt. Prior to his food industry experience he was employed as a federal investigator in Washington, D.C.
Technomic
Senior Principal &
Head of Strategic Partnerships
As the senior vice president, operations strategy and design at WD Partners, Joanne is a visionary leader and a driving force in her field. With over 25 years of experience, she excels in creating innovative growth strategies that propel brands forward. Joanne’s passion for transforming the guest experience and optimizing operational efficiencies continues to shape the future of retail, making her a sought-after thought leader in the industry. Joanne leads a dynamic operations team that serves as a key differentiator in the company’s comprehensive service offering. Her team specializes in developing new concepts for front- and back-of-house operations across various verticals, conducting operations assessments, providing labor recommendations and executing logistical mapping. Joanne’s strategic insights and collaborative approach make her an invaluable liaison with the strategy and insights, brand and design, and architecture teams. Her unique perspective enables WD to deliver innovative solutions through meticulously crafted, business-right executions. During her tenure at WD, she has collaborated with prominent brands including Shake Shack, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Sweetgreen, Wawa and White Castle. She is a pivotal contributor to WD’s influential blog, Wayfind, and has authored numerous insightful POVs.
WD Partners
SVP, Operations Strategy & Design
Frank is an institute engineer and business unit lead for foodservice and agriculture at GTI Energy in Des Plaines, Ill. Since 1998, his R&D work has focused on residential/commercial appliance development and testing, receiving five patents. He has managed and/or was principal investigator on several projects that resulted in a new appliance being developed, field tested and brought to market, including convection ovens, conveyor ovens, steam cookers, warewashers and fryers. He also has conducted research in the areas of fuel interchangeability, low NOx burner development, water heating, space conditioning and indoor air quality. Plus, he teaches introduction to commercial foodservice classes at GTI Energy. Frank received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University, his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Kentucky.
GTI Energy
Institute Engineer
In his role as strategic business manager, food, Larry serves as an industry liaison and company ambassador for NSF, fostering connections within the food equipment and supplies sectors, helping to drive greater food safety across the nation. NSF is widely recognized for pioneering food safety standards and setting important benchmarks for the foodservice industry. Today, it is virtually impossible to build or supply a kitchen without NSF-certified equipment as many restaurants, chains and even regulators require proof of certification. Larry has more than 40 years of experience in the food equipment and supplies industry. His diverse background includes owning and operating restaurant equipment dealerships, serving as a manufacturers’ representative, leading innovation, purchasing and design efforts for national restaurant chains, and working as a hotel and restaurant construction project engineer. He is NSF’s corporate philanthropy lead for Feeding America.
NSF
Strategic Business Manager
As president and CEO of Famous Brands International, the parent company of Mrs. Fields and TCBY, Joe oversees a global network of over 360 franchises. Joe's entrepreneurial journey includes his role in the founding ownership group of Smalls Sliders, alongside NFL star Drew Brees and Brandon Landry, the founder of Walk-On’s. As president and CEO, he propelled the Smalls Sliders franchise platform from startup concept to over 40 agreements in less than nine months. Before that, Joe was CEO of Twist Brands, managing three national brands with over 380 locations across the U.S and internationally. These brands included Painting with A Twist, Color Me Mine and Chesapeake Ceramics. Under his leadership, the company added over 160 franchise locations in two and a half years, even during the pandemic. Joe's tenure at Smoothie King was equally transformative, serving on the executive leadership teams as president and CEO, member of the board of directors and vice president and general counsel, contributing to the brand’s growth from 39 to over 1,000+ stores, and generating over $350 million in systemwide revenues. In addition to his executive roles, Joe is an adjunct faculty member at Louisiana State University’s Business School and serves on the International Franchise Association’s Franchise Relations Committee.
Famous Brands International
(Mrs. Fields and TCBY)
President & CEO
Ali is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in operations within the quick-service restaurant industry. Currently, he serves as the vice president of operations at Jack In The Box, where he focuses on optimizing processes and enhancing customer experiences. Passionate about using technology to improve both customer and team member experiences, Ali is known for his innovative problem-solving skills and leadership abilities. He has a proven track record of driving efficiency and fostering team collaboration.
Jack In The Box
Vice President of Operations
At Dine Brands Global, Ernesto leads kitchen engineering efforts cross all three of the company’s brands—Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, IHOP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. As sr. manager, kitchen design, Ernesto is responsible for ensuring alignment on new restaurant opening project and remodel programs across cross-functional teams, like Culinary, Operations and Development. His expertise has been invaluable as the company value engineers Applebee’s Kitchen, explores its dual brands concept, and adapts second and third generation spaces. Prior to Dine Brands, Ernesto was at Restaurant Brands Int’l., where he led the development of Burger King’s kitchen layouts to help optimize production. Prior to RBI, Ernesto has held engineering roles across several industries and brands, including Whataburger and Lockheed Martin, an aerospace and defense manufacturer.
Dine Brands Global
Sr. Manager, Kitchen Design
Rob serves as associate vice president, operations strategy and design at WD Partners. He has over 25 years of experience in the restaurant, grocery, retail and convenience industries. He focuses on helping clients develop a service model that meets customer expectations as well as the operational needs of the business. Rob leads a well-rounded team of industrial engineers, space planners and foodservice designers that develop new concepts for front-of-house and back-of-house operations, and he is responsible for managing multiple aspects of a project to meet timelines and budget specifications. Rob contributes to the success of numerous programs by providing insight that helps to develop the brand through accurate sized facilities and equipment packages, efficient back-of-house processes and layouts, and effective labor deployment practices. He works directly with clients to outline the parameters of each project, establishing the goals to deliver the largest ROI for each initiative. Throughout his career, Rob has worked with major brands in a variety of industries including Shake Shack, Nike, Publix, Target, Darden Restaurants, 7-Eleven, Whole Foods, Tim Hortons, BP and Aramark.
WD Partners
Associate Vice President,
Operations Strategy and Design
Angel serves as senior manager, innovation initiatives at ReFED—a U.S.-based nonprofit working to catalyze the food system toward evidence-based action to stop wasting food—where she works closely with food waste solution providers to develop, scale and fund high-impact innovations. After originally working in the education field for seven years teaching underserved communities, Angel received her Grade Diplome at the French Culinary Institute and worked through New York City’s top restaurants, including Morimoto and two-Michelin starred Atera, and with foodservice companies like Compass Group. During that time, she witnessed the significant amount of food being wasted in the hospitality industry and decided to work with the Food Waste team at World Wildlife Fund. As an expansion of that, she worked in supply chain and led strategic sourcing and procurement with a focus on food waste reduction at Manhatta restaurant, part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City.
ReFED
Senior Manager, Innovation Initiatives
Richard is the director of outreach at the Frontier Energy Food Service Technology Center, an unbiased, commercial foodservice, research-and-training facility. Trained as an electrical engineer, Richard started his career in alternative energy, changing from energy-generation to energy-efficiency when he joined the FSTC research team over 35 years ago. He is a contributor to the USGBC's LEED rating system and the EPA’s Energy Star program. Richard has lectured at UC Berkeley and UC Davis and taught a foodservice sustainability class at Diablo Valley College. Richard is a former member of the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve Advisory Council and is a past fellow of the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability. Richard is currently an advisor to the Mission College culinary education program and the Worldchefs Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals program. Richard focuses his efforts on translating Frontier Energy’s 36 years of foodservice research into practical information. He has created and delivered over 1,500 presentations and classes during the last 30 years and authored numerous research reports and articles in magazines, newsletters and on the web. He also is the creator and author of the online Foodservice Energy Efficiency Expert (Fe3) training and certification program (fethree.com).
Frontier Energy
Director of Outreach
David is vice president of Frontier Energy, a consulting firm focusing on driving economic growth while lowering environmental impact, and manager of the Food Service Technology Center, the leading resource for energy efficiency in commercial foodservice. In addition to managing the FSTC, David focuses on connecting with major stakeholders across the commercial buildings sector to create new opportunities for energy optimization through utility and government sponsored programs and industry collaboratives. This effort has been a major catalyst for change in the industry, opening new markets for innovation. David has a passion for food, constantly monitoring (and sampling) the latest culinary trends. He balances his interest in good food with his hobby as an amateur film photographer. David has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and 30 years of experience in energy efficiency research.
Frontier Energy
Vice President
Allison Rezendes
Foodservice Equipment Reports
Chief Content Officer
Lauren Coughlin
Foodservice Equipment Reports
Managing Editor
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations before Mon., Dec. 1 will receive a refund minus a $25 cancellation fee. Cancellations after Mon., Dec. 1, will receive a full credit towards attending MUFES 2027.
Registration fee can be transferred to another attendee at any time.
For more information, please contact Christine Palmer.