The National Restaurant Association Restaurant Hotel-Motel Show | Events

NRA SHOW 2008 - The International Foodservice Marketplace

Events

Highlights Schedule at a Glance Education Sessions Special Events Kitchen Innovations Awards Ask the Design Experts Special Pavilions Culinary Scene Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore Wine, Spirits & Beer Event

Save the Date!
NRA Show 2009
May 16 - May 19, 2009
McCormick Place, Chicago

NRA Show 2008 Schedule at a Glance

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Saturday, May 17, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	2008 Hennessy/Hill Awards Breakfast Sheraton Ballroom, Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	Restaurant Executive Breakfast: “Surviving the Margin Crunch” North Hall, Level 4, Room N427
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ice Carving Classic
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore Book Signings: McCormick Place's Grand Concourse; NRA Show Bookstore: North Building Mezzanine
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ask the Design Experts South Hall, Level 3, Booth #1072
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Culinary Scene Booth #2493 (South Hall, Level 3)
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Kitchen Innovations Pavilion South Hall
10:00 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Craig Priebe Grand Concourse
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	What's a Chef Like Me Doing in a Place Like This? South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	It's All About Results: Sustainability in the Food Chain - Emphasis on Animal Products South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Get a Great Training Department! South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Paying for Sustainability: Using Technology Tools to Minimize Waste and Reduce Food Costs Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
11:30 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Art Smith Grand Concourse
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Women in the Hospitality Industry: Unique Perspectives South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	China's 1.3 Billion Consumers: Cashing In on the China Miracle South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Building a Strong Supply Foundation: A Template for Successful Growth South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	5 Things Operators Must Know About Energy Efficiency South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Differentiation in a Shifting Economy Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
1:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Grady Spears Grand Concourse
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Understanding the Millenial Employee: Harvesting Talent from Generation South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Recruiting in a Multicultural Environment South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	How Your Distributor Can Help You Compete South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Restaurant Marketing in a Digital World Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Trans-formation of Restaurant Oil Use: Greasing the Health Wheel South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Protecting Margins in the Face of Staggering Food Cost Inflation Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
2:30 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Mario Batali Grand Concourse
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.	International Reception North Hall, Level 4, Room N427
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.	21st Annual Salute to Excellence Awards Gala and Banquet Hilton Chicago

Sunday, May 18, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ice Carving Classic
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore Book Signings: McCormick Place's Grand Concourse; NRA Show Bookstore: North Building Mezzanine
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Kitchen Innovations South Hall
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Culinary Scene Booth #2493 (South Hall, Level 3)
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ask the Design Experts South Hall, Level 3, Booth #1072
10:00 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Robert St. John Grand Concourse
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Word of Mouth Marketing for Restaurants: Fill the Room Without Spending Money Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Protecting Your Investment: A Legal Compliance Guide for Restaurants South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	You Gave 'Em The Pickle... Now What? South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	How to Lower Your Food Cost 5% in 30 Days! South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	The Road to the C-Suite: Success Strategies for Women in Foodservice South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Dispelling the Myth: Automation DOES Benefit Your Business Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
11:30 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Govind Armstrong Grand Concourse
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Organic Growth: Being Green to Build Customer Loyalty South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Fundamentals: 7 Ways to Be Brilliant at the New Basics of Profitable Foodservice South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Kitchens of the Future Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	The Fast Casual Phenomenon South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	The Dollars & Sense of Responsible Alcohol Service South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Real Credit Card Data Security is More Than Compliance Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
1:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Sara Foster Grand Concourse
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 a.m.	Growth, Competition, and a Challenging Economy: Restaurant Mergers & Acquisitions South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.	Keynote Address: Jim Skinner Grand Ballroom, McCormick Place, Chicago
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Get Covered: Foodservice Public Relations Pointers Straight from the Editors South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Making Your Seafood Choices More Sustainable South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Click Here: How to Build Loyalty and Drive Revenue on the Web Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Casual Dining Goes Organic South Hall, 4th Floor
3:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Charlie Ayers Grand Concourse

Monday, May 19, 2008
7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.	2008 SPIRIT Awards and FMP® Recognition Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore Book Signings: McCormick Place's Grand Concourse; NRA Show Bookstore: North Building Mezzanine
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	High School Visitation Day Program
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ice Carving Classic
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Kitchen Innovations South Hall
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Culinary Scene Booth #2493 (South Hall, Level 3)
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ask The Design Experts South Hall, Level 3, Booth #1072
10:00 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Rick Tramonto Grand Concourse
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Marketing to Conserving Customers: A Guide to Operating Green with a Triple Bottom Line South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Recruitment, Retention, Recognition -- Companies with Award- Winning SPIRIT! South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Profit and Loss Management 101 South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Supercharge Your Team's Performance and Instantly Drive Profits South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Impactful Local Store Marketing for Restaurants South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Table Management Solutions for Restaurateurs Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.	International Back-of-the-House Restaurant Tour
10:15 a.m.	Special Address: John McCain McCormick Place Grand Ballroom, S100
11:00 a.m.	International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony North Hall, Level 3 (entrance adjacent to NRA Show Booth #6782)
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.	Women’s Foodservice Forum 7th Annual Leadership Luncheon at NRA Show 2008 McCormick Place South, Vista Ballroom
11:30 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Pino Luongo and Mark Strausman Grand Concourse
11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.	Illinois Restaurant Association Annual Member Luncheon at NRA Show 2008 South Hall, Room S501B-D
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Focus on the Future: Turning Up the Heat on Your Menu South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	New Ways to Power Your Business South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Pre-Design Planning for Commercial Restaurants: A Win-Win Strategic Approach! South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Noncommercial Foodservice: The Value & Rewards of Strategic Pre-Design Planning! South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	E-Commerce Best Practices for a Profitable Website Strategy Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Developing Talent & Teams: The Mark of Great Leadership South Hall, 4th Floor
1:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Rick Bayless Grand Concourse
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 a.m.	Get Noticed! Public Relations and Marketing Techniques for a New World South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Crisis Planning: Business Continuity Workshop for Restaurateurs South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	New Trends in School Nutrition South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Food Smarts: Enhance Your Guest Experience & Increase Overall Sales with Business Intelligence Software Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Steve Ells on Food With Integrity: Creating a Sustainable Food Supply South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	If Only I'd Known You Were SOMEBODY! Strategies for Sensational Service South Hall, 4th Floor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	Are You Ready to Franchise Your Restaurant? South Hall, 4th Floor
3:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Tony and Cathy Mantuano Grand Concourse

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	High School Visitation Day Program
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ice Carving Classic
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore Book Signings: McCormick Place's Grand Concourse; NRA Show Bookstore: North Building Mezzanine
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Chef Day
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Ask the Design Experts South Hall, Level 3, Booth #1072
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Kitchen Innovations South Hall
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Culinary Scene Booth #2493 (South Hall, Level 3)
10:00 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Chris Schlesinger and John Grand Concourse
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Culinology® at the Table: Mixology and Creative Beverage Product Development South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Hotel Industry Leadership Panel 2008 Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Gaining the Competitive Edge in Guest Service South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Lean, Green, & Clean: Environmental Practices in Collegiate Foodservice South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Loyalty Programs: A Recipe for Success South Hall, 4th Floor
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Transitioning from Chef to Restaurateur: A How-To Guide South Hall, 4th Floor
11:30 a.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Cheryl and Bill Jamison Grand Concourse
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Profit Generating and Money Saving Ideas for Caterers South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Chef, Inc.: Building a Celebrity Chef Brand South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	To Infinity & Beyond... Leading, Managing, and Staffing the Restaurant Industry in 2020 South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Hottest Trends in Healthy Dining South Hall, 4th Floor
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	Taking the Mystery Out of Global Sourcing for Restaurant Supplies Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
Noon - 1:30 p.m.	SolveOne Session: Attracting Tomorrow's Leaders to the Food Service Industry South Hall, 4th Floor
1:00 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Ellie Krieger Grand Concourse
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	How to Reduce the Risk of Becoming a Breaking News Story! Technology Pavilion (North Hall, Level 3)
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	A Culinary Perspective on Menu Development South Hall, 4th Floor
2:30 p.m.	Celebrity Book Signing: Gale Gand Grand Concourse