National Restaurant Association Seeks Cutting-Edge Equipment, Technologies and Supplies for 2013 Kitchen Innovations Awards

Press Releases


September 12, 2012

National Restaurant Association Seeks Cutting-Edge Equipment, Technologies and Supplies for 2013 Kitchen Innovations Awards

Award recipients to be featured in exclusive pavilion at NRA Show 2013

(Chicago) The National Restaurant Association is calling on foodservice equipment manufacturers to apply for its prestigious 2013 Kitchen Innovations™ Awards. Selected by an independent, expert panel of judges, award recipients represent the most promising and cutting-edge equipment, technologies and supplies in the market today. Award recipients will be showcased in the interactive, hands-on Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at the 2013 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (May 18-21 at Chicago’s McCormick Place).

“Our Kitchen Innovations Award recipients are true pioneers of forward-thinking and efficient products, which are at the heart of every restaurant kitchen and top of mind for every chef and operator,” said Mary Pat Heftman, Executive Vice President of Convention for the National Restaurant Association. “Previous KI awardees have gained industry-wide visibility as the most remarkable commercial equipment available, designed to increase productivity and profit potential, as well as to creating and serving safe, nutritious and delicious meals.”

“We’re looking for things that are new and new technologies, but more importantly, it’s innovations that solve problems for restaurateurs,” said Robert Marshall, Vice President, U.S. Operations, McDonald’s Corporation and Kitchen Innovations judge.

All applications are judged by an independent, expert panel of industry leaders, 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), Jim Krueger, Jr. (Chief, F&B Research and Development, Headquarters, Air Force Services Agency), 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 2013 Kitchen Innovations Awards is December 7, 2012. To be considered, all equipment and supplies innovations must be introduced within the 24 months prior to NRA Show 2013. Award recipients will be announced in February. Visit Restaurant.org/Show for more details on the KI program and to see a list of past awardees, or contact Eric Rude at 312-853-2525 or erude@restaurant.org.

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals. NRA Show 2013 will be held May 18-21 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event attracts 61,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues and other growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the Show website at www.restaurant.org/show, and find the NRA Show on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, YouTube and its widely read blog Floored!

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest trade show (NRA Show May 18-21, 2013, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 19-21, 2013, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids' menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.