More than 100,000 attendees visited 2,200 exhibitors from the food service and hospitality industries at the 2026 National Restaurant Association Show which was held from May 16–19, 2026, at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The event featured a keynote presentation by tennis legend Andre Agassi.

Want to know who the new chef might be at your local restaurant? It just might be something with the initials ‘Ai’. In these economically challenging times, automated food service solutions are not just a thing of the future, but of the here and now.

Still, there were a number of celebrity chefs on hand to demonstrate the latest in cooking techniques and cuisine.

Rick Bayless led the roster of Michelin Starred chefs at demonstration stages around McCormick Place. Celebrated chefs included Michael Mina, Chris Cosentino, Jet Tila, Leah Cohen, Lamar Moore, and Sarah Grueneberg.

There was no shortage of automated food service solutions. Alto-Shamm was front-and-center with its new line of cutting-edge automated cooking systems. Their demonstration stage showed how the latest Converge® Multi-Cook Ovens, can create several meals at once, cooking different food ingredients at different temperatures and in different preparation styles all at once.

“How much does it cost to hire a line chef?” the demonstration chef asked a crowd of attendees crouching over the edge of the demonstration stage counter. ” You’re paying them no less than $25 an hour. Plus, you’d need several hands-on deck to keep up with the order flow. Our multi-cook ovens do it all in a fraction of the time and half the expense.”

Recipient of the 2022 Kitchen Innovations award, Alto-Shamm’s oher product innovations include Vector® Multi-Cook Ovens, Prodigi™ Combi Ovens, Cook & Hold Ovens, and a variety of heated holding solutions.

In the same vein, UNOX commercial ovens unveiled its new CHEFTOP-X commercial ovens using OPTIC cooking.

The system does more than just cook; it recognizes food and automatically starts cooking processes using a state-of-the-art optical sensor. 

When the cooking is done, the oven waits for expert feedback in order to improve its cooking performance. Artificial Intelligence then uses that feedback to cook every ingredient to perfection. 

The Vegetable Lasagna with its multiple layers of al dente vegetables and creamy sauce was a perfect example of the nimble versatility of this scientific wonder.

AUTEC, the nation’s leader in commercial Sushi robotics showcased its new labor-saving robotic sushi makers.

Chef Kaz Mitsui from the famed restaurant Hog Salt Chicago crafted unique sushi dishes using AUTEC’s Maki Maker to portion, shape and cut sushi pieces to perfection.

There were an abundance of international and domestic flavors on hand with live cooking demonstrations and plenty of food samples to digest!

The Taste of the States dominated the North Hall with flavors from North Carolina and Louisiana, up through Illinois and across the East and West Coasts.

Cheeses from California and Steaks from New York vied for attention against grilled meats from Texas.

Chef Kenny dazzled taste buds with his collection of SPICE AND SAUCE BLENDS for Barbecuing and Grilling. 

Chef Kenny Gilbert @chefkennygilbert is a nationally recognized chef, restaurateur, and former Top Chef competitor known for his bold Southern flavors. He is the key culinary leader at Grove Bay Hospitality Group @grovebaygroup where he drives menu innovation while continuing to compete and appear across major food platforms.

Chef Owner at Beast of the Kitchen LLC, Chef Kenny is also a Franchise Owner; House of Birds & Drop Biscuits.

Chef Kenny is also a Cookbook Author, Southern Cooking Global Flavors. He is also affiliated with 

Pennsylvania Culinary Institute and Grove Bay Hospitality Group of

Miami, Florida.  

I was honored to meet Chef Kenny in person and taste his sauce wizardry firsthand!

There was also an array of beverages that tickled the tastebuds and quenched your thirst with new flavor profiles. 

Tractor Beverage Company came to the 2026 National Restaurant Association show with major momentum behind its Organic Craft Haymaker ready-to-drink line.

Included were four Food and Beverage 2026 Awards presented by the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (FABI Awards) and a coveted FABI Favourite recognition for Haymaker Citrus Ginger.

Each of Tractor’s four Organic Craft Haymaker ready-to-drink flavors — Citrus Ginger, Dragon Berry, Apricot Peach, and Passion Mango — received a 2026 FABI Award, recognizing products that demonstrate creativity, taste profile, menu versatility, and operational ease for foodservice operators. 

Haymaker Citrus Ginger was additionally named a FABI Favourite, a distinction awarded to a small group of standout products selected by FABI judges.

John Murphy, chief revenue officer at Tractor Beverage Company, said, “The recognition comes amid growing industry attention around lower-sugar refreshment, ingredient transparency and beverages that balance operational ease with evolving consumer expectations.”

 From ready-to-drink cans to bubbler systems and catering-ready concentrates, Tractor’s platform is designed to help operators deliver a premium beverage experience across dine-in, delivery, and off-premise occasions.

There was also wine to be sipped thanks to WINEBOW international distribution.

UGO GIARDINO AGRICOLO from Italy poured a variety of semi-sweet to dry Proseccos made in northern Italy near Venice.

Federico Ricci of Luca Ricci Azienda Agricola discussed the bubblies as I tasted them.

“GIARDINO means ‘the garden’ in Italian. The garden is the place where you experience peace and well-being. It’s where Man and Nature work in harmony.” Amen to that!

Uganda in Africa is already world-renowned for its spectacular coffee. But did you know that it also creates a delicious Gin? Brian Kwessiga of the Embassy of Uganda in Washington, DC, poured me samples of his Lemon and Ginger flavored Gin. Its exotic flavor needs no accompaniment.

Over at The Beverage Place, Rahsaan Sales of GLOBAL BEERCO of Reno, Nevada, introduced me to his stand-alone brewing system which allows bars to create handcrafted beers in the flavor profile of their choosing using minimal space and at low cost.

“You can produce a beer that costs you less than $3 a glass. You can imagine the profit margins that it will allow bar and restaurant owners to benefit from,” Rahsaan said.

What would a restaurant show be without pasta? A radiantly smiling Tim Minefee of Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb North of Chicago near O’Hare, shoved a steaming plate of BARILLA PASTA under my nose. I just couldn’t resist grabbing a fork and diving into its tomato -based goodness.

 BARILLA’s Fusilli pasta was just one of the exclusive Al Bronzo line of spaghetti and pasta with a variety of tempting pre-made sauces.

 Bronze cut pasta is the top-of-the-line form of pasta. It is an ancient technique that uses specially crafted blades made from bronze to cut the pasta dough. The resulting extruded pasta has a roughened texture that allows the sauce to cling to it more readily, thus enhancing the flavor of your pasta dish. Abbondanza!

The National Restaurant Show 2026 was an extravaganza of sights, sounds, flavors and experiences. It is the largest trade show of its kind and, outside of the Chicago Auto Show, clocking in at over a century.

Like the Auto Show, it also has its origins in Chicago.

The National Restaurant Association Show is 107 years old. It was first launched in 1919 as a vital gathering place for foodservice and hospitality professionals. That tradition continues today 

Here’s to many more. Bon Appetit! For more on the association and its many ongoing programs, visit nationalrestaurantshow.com