Hi-tech and AI dominate present and future of the restaurant and hospitality industry

National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show 2024 leaves no doubt that the hospitality industry is in full recovery and expanding. With more than 2,240 exhibitors spanning over 720,000 square feet at Chicago’s massive McCormick Place, this year’s show features more than 700 companies debuting new products, and 1,500 companies returning to exhibit.

National Restaurant Show 2024 features Specialty Pavilions with more than 600 exhibitors in eight pavilions spread throughout the show’s three halls. In addition to curated offerings tailored to specific interests such as the Global Food Expo, Bellavita Italian Pavilion and the South Hall’s Organic and Natural products, the North Hall’s TECH Pavilion made it clear that hi-tech and AI are not only the wave of the future of the restaurant industry, but that the future is upon us now.

Acclaimed Celebrity Chef and humanitarian Jose Adres delivered the keynote address. In it, he explored the profound influence that food can have on communities in distress around the world and how his culinary journey is intertwined with his philanthropic efforts.

Hi-tech innovations were evident throughout the exhibit halls and utilized at every level of the restaurant and hospitality industry.  Both the back of the house and front of the house has been impacted by cutting edge technology that is advancing in real time.

Among the presenters were engineers and inventors demonstrating their latest innovations.  Jessie Lajan of UrHost Local of Austin, Texas presented a 3D cellphone app that allows the user to scan a local restaurant’s code and not only see its menu, but a 3-dimensional image of the actual menu items.

Elo United Architecture presented innovative retail solutions for restaurants, many of which are already in use. Automated kiosks that allow customers to order and pay for their orders is nothing new, but elo has expanded their capabilities to include security and accounting functions.

Elo is a global leader in interactive technologies. At this year’s restaurant show, it announced the launch of its latest outdoor open frame touchscreen display, which is packed with innovative features.

Providing maximum performance is guaranteed regardless of temperature or weather conditions, it makes perfect use of integrated technology to facilitate payment systems, charging stations, vending machines and more. Its virtually weatherproof touchscreen gives customers a seamless ordering and payment system at fast-food restaurants that is safe and secure.

Uber Eats and DoorDash were both on hand with huge pavilions that touted each of the company’s expanded services that not only included rapid delivery of restaurant meals, but the ability to customize orders, apply promo codes and coupons and track orders from the moment the order is placed to its arrival at your doorstep. UberEats is further expanding its delivery options to include other goods and services such as picking up prescriptions, laundry, dry cleaning, pet supplies, hardware and grocery items.

Imported foods and beverage suppliers and restaurant service providers were front and center at locations such as the Global Food Expo in the Lakeside Center and Bellavita Italian Pavilion, also at Lakeside.

As if to emphasize how rapidly technological changes are happening almost in real time in the restaurant industry, several of the engineers who hold patents on the latest advances being demonstrated on the convention floor, were on hand to talk about their newest products.

Peter Knight holds the patents for five products he invented for HIMI of New Tripoli, Pennsylvania. His Pre-Rinse Faucet for restaurants at the Instinct Commercial Faucets booth showed a robotic arm demonstrating his new high-pressure pre-rinse faucet.

“This squeeze valve requires absolutely no pressure at all while it emits one point five gallons of water per minute. It’s so easy to operate, that we’re showing it here with a simple robotic arm. It’s fully authorized to NSF standards, Made in America, and here on display in Chicago.

“I have over the past several years developed several new concepts that I have designed and patented that will be coming to market in the very near future,” Knight explained. “We have a number of innovations coming to fruition over the next few years that will meet the needs of the restaurant and hospitality industry. Our entire goal is to identify needs and problems and solve them through technology.”

Jose Andres delivered the keynote address. In addition to his humanitarian efforts around the globe, he also presented his new line of Jose Andres Foods at the Global Market at Lakeside Center.

Pere Seles is project manager with Jose Andres Group and Gourmet Foods International in Decatur, Georgia. He was present at the 2024 National Restaurant Show to present the complete line of Jose Andres Foods, including Potato Chips, Empanadas of Iberico, Sardines in Olive Oil and fruit flavored ice creams.

“I am project manager for Jose Andres Foods. I head the team that goes to Spain and identifies the producers that he will ultimately decide to use. If he likes them, we package them and present them under his brand. We have a company in Atlanta that processes them under his name and they are distributed in the U.S.” Go to joseandres.com for more.

“We have a potato chip from Chipmaster Rafael del Rosal which uses fine Spanish “Agria” potatoes brushed with a custom blend of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from ancient groves in the heart of Andalucía. The chips are then milled with pink sea salt from the foothills of the Himalayas. They are then slow-fried and sprinkled lightly with the salt before packaging in an innovative bag designed to deliver the chips perfectly, as if they were just cooked.”

It is a crunchy, fresh tasting chip that literally explodes in the mouth. In a word, the chips were awesome!

Wines of Macedonia was one of the major displays in the Lakeside Center with more than a dozen wine producers pouring samples of their latest vintages. It was a major attraction at the show.

“What most people don’t know is that winemaking in Macedonia has a history that goes back more than 4,000 years, even predating that of the Roman Empire,” said spokesperson Pere Stojanovski.

Located right next to the Bellavita Italian Pavilion, convention attendees got to taste wine varieties including single vineyard wines and blends using international grapes such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, Muscat and Cabernet Sauvignon, to regionals varieties such as Vranec and Muscat Ottonel. The flavor varieties were almost dizzying.

Among the long-time and major presenters at the 2024 restaurant show was Ecolab and its latest innovations promoting food safety and optimized operations.

The 2024 National Restaurant Association is the industry’s epicenter of foodservice innovation and inspiration. It united buyers, suppliers, manufacturers and industry professionals like no other vehicle. In addition, it is one of the world’s largest and oldest industry and trade shows.

“The show has long been the birthplace of innovation,” said restaurant association president Tom Cindric. “With an expansive show floor space larger than 12 football fields, we are thrilled to offer participants an unparalleled experience.

“Each year, industry leaders converge to shape the future of foodservice. We’re thrilled to offer participants an experience that ignites growth, fosters collaboration and inspires all who attend.” For more visit nationalrestaurantshow.com. dcasimere@thetimesweekly.com