“We have returned to a normality that we are almost no longer used to – and which therefore feels extraordinary,” said Paolo Marchi recently to the Italian gastronomy magazine Identità Golose. The founder of the Identità Milano event, which once a year makes Milan the epicenter of international top gastronomy, speaks to the hearts and minds of many trade fair organizers. After all, it was precisely such major events that were negatively impacted by the Covid measures in recent years. Some even had to be canceled several times in a row. But that’s all now a thing of the past. Yes, there has been a buzz in the international trade fair industry since last year – especially in the F&B and gastronomy sectors. These sectors were clearly the ones most affected by sudden lockdowns and regulations. One thing’s for sure: In 2024, gastronomy trade fairs will be back at full throttle – and ensure that top chefs, producers and the “who’s who” of the food industry can come together again in unforgettable events. But where and when exactly will the best of these trade fairs for the gastronomy sector take place? And what exactly are they all about?
We present the ten hottest gastronomy trade fairs for chefs and restaurateurs in Europe, the USA and Canada for 2024 – and state clearly: Flock there in droves, because our industry thrives on exchange, on conversations – and on analog get-togethers away from Zoom, Teams and the like!
Image: Rational
International Restaurant Food Service Show
When: March 3 – 5, 2024
Where: New York, USA
This industry-only event is now known throughout the USA: It’s where the who’s who of the US industry meets up for two days. And it does so in all its inherent diversity. Exhibitors supply the trade audience with the latest products and bartenders compete in spectacular competition events. Above all, however, the food service show is always waiting for you with an impressive program. In their own separate rooms away from the hustle and bustle of the trade fair, experts in their field hold lectures and workshops on topics that affect every restaurateur, chef, F&B manager or sommelier.
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Identità Milan
When: March 9 – 11, 2024
Where: Milan, Italy
In recent years, Identità Milano has developed into one of the most prestigious gastronomy trade fairs in the world. Every year the event has a specific theme. This year it is disobedience. After all, “Without disobedience, there is no innovation,” the event founder Paolo Marchi stated in the beginning – and disobedience is urgently needed in times like these. At Identità, innovation is primarily understood in culinary terms, so the trade fair is mostly aimed at chefs. This year’s star guests will once again be a real treat: Alain Ducasse, Bruno Verjus, Massimo Bottura, Eduard Xatruch, Ricardo Camanini, Antonia Klugmann – the Creme de la Creme of the industry will take over there and provide lots of inspiration at the chef level.
Restaurants Canada Show
When: April 8 – 10, 2024
Where: Toronto, Canada
If you’re a restaurateur, chef or food professional living in Canada or looking to expand to Canada, this year’s must-attend event is Restaurant Canada Show. What distinguishes it from the successful gastronomy trade fairs in the USA? Only that it manages to bring Canada, a vast and diverse country, to life in a three-day culinary experience. And that’s a very impressive achievement when you know how dynamic cities like Montreal or Toronto are in terms of gastronomy. A multitude of exhibitors, talks and panels, competitions, tastings, and quite novel networking events have made the RCS (Restaurant Canada Show), as it is known in Canada, the most important inspirational event for the Canadian hospitality industry in all its facets.
Image: Chris Savage
National Restaurant Show
When: May 18 – 21, 2024
Where: Chicago, USA
In the USA, everything is always a little bit bigger. This is certainly the case for this event, considering that National Restaurant Show is regarded as the largest food and gastronomy trade fair in the western world. What makes it so successful? It focuses on business content, and understands it in all its complexity and detail. Sure, you can also find plenty of exhibitors in the main hall with everything that might interest restaurateurs. That said, the interactive lectures and workshops here cover every single possible topic – and are held by the best in their field. Whether supply chain optimization, quality management workflows, trend evaluations or tastings – there is something here for everyone in the industry and has proven itself to be well worth a visit for many years. Above all, managers in the industry can gain valuable insights here.
Rolling Pin Convention
When: Graz: May 13 – 14, 2024 | Berlin: September 8 – October 1, 2024
Where: Graz and Berlin, Austria and Germany
After Madrid Fusion – which already took place in January 2024 – the Rolling Pin Convention is now the largest and most important gastronomy trade fairs for international top gastronomy in Europe. What began around ten years ago as a small, sophisticated event in Vienna is now one of the most dazzling get-togethers of the world’s best chefs. But in addition to impressive cooking demonstrations, master classes and lots of inspiring exhibitors, the focus here is not just on the future for chefs. In panel discussions, successful hoteliers, industry experts, restaurateurs and everyone who shapes the hospitality industry in different ways will be discussing everything that drives the industry. By the way, there are also two highly successful events, the integrated Wine Days and Bar Days, which are aimed at all sommeliers, bartenders and beverage specialists.
Image: Rolling Pin
Taste of London
When: June 12 – 16, 2024
Where: London, England
No other European city has a more diverse, innovative and far-sighted gastronomy than London. It goes without saying that the British capital is a melting pot of different cultures and culinary traditions, which has also contributed to it becoming the European gastronomic metropolis par excellence. But as a non-Londoner, it’s quite difficult to keep track of everything. However, if you are a chef or innovative restaurateur, things will get a little easier in this regard come June. By going to the Taste of London Festival, that is. Although called a festival because it takes place outside in Regent’s Park, it certainly has the character of a gastronomy trade fair with all the exhibitors, tasting workshops and gastro concept presentations by chefs who are often one step ahead of “mainland Europe”. This event is therefore an absolute place to be for any curious chef and enterprising restaurateur who wants to get to know the latest ideas.
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San Sebastian Gastronomika
When: October 7 – 9, 2024
Where: San Sebastian, Spain
This event is now legendary – at least to those who are interested in top gastronomy. There are few events where haute cuisine plays such a role and where chefs have probably come together more often over the last few decades. After all, San Sebastian Gastronomika was the first gastronomy congress in the world and has nevertheless retained its enviable relevance in the world of star gastronomy. The list of speakers who have been in the capital of the Basque country to date brings together – not surprisingly – the best of the best, from René Redzepi to Rasmus Munk, Leonor Espinosa, Alex Atala and Yoshihiro Narisawa. Although the program for this year in October has not yet been finalized, one thing’s for sure: It will once again be a must for any chef interested in fine dining!
Image: Javi Colmenero
BCB Bar Convent Berlin 2024
When: October 15 – 16, 2024
Where: Berlin, Germany
It’s all about high proof – and everything else bartenders need. As the largest trade fair for the bar and drinks industry in the German-speaking world shows, this now goes far beyond Caipirinha, Negroni and the like. What are the latest mixology trends? What bar concepts are out there and why do they work? Bar owners, bartenders, distributors and manufacturers from almost 90 countries explore precisely these questions – and each time deliver concrete answers that shape the industry. A must for all bartenders, mixologists and cocktail fanatics – and since it’s not just a trade fair, also for anyone who aspires to be one!
SIAL Paris
When: October 19 – 23, 2024
Where: Paris, France
In the Seine metropolis, everything revolves around the latest food and beverage trends – and whatever is new on the market in this regard. The trade fair is aimed exclusively at the specialist audience – and has developed into the leading format in recent years when it comes to sustainable production practices for the food of tomorrow. Although SIAL Paris is not a trade fair for the gastronomy sector in the narrowest sense, it is an event that is indispensable for any chef or executive chef, as well as for F&B managers or restaurateurs who want to stay up to date with the latest developments in the food industry. Which products work well – or not well – in which businesses, and why, is something you can get a feel for here like nowhere else.
The highlight of the exhibition is also the area called La Cuisine, which has become a hugely important meeting place for the food industry with live culinary demonstrations, a VIP restaurant and a culinary photo exhibition. If you want to boost your F&B expertise, you’ve come to the right place – and you can also gain inspiration by all the great restaurants in the gastronomy capital before and after.
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Alles für den Gast
When: November 9 – 13, 2024
Where: Salzburg, Austria
Although the international trade fair in Salzburg has been around since 1970, the appeal of this gastronomy trade fair has endured. This is where the entire gastronomy, hotel and food industry come together – and no longer just from the German-speaking world. Everything can be found here, from furnishing companies for the gastronomy industry to small-scale delicatessen businesses. In addition, the most pressing industry topics are discussed at round tables. The target group? Imagine an entire hotel with all its employees – from the receptionist to the sommelier to the general manager – going to “die Gast.” This gives you the idea for the desired range of audience, which represents the various professional roles in the industry. Those who want to know about the latest trends in tourism, gastronomy and hotels just before the Christmas business in December will definitely find their way to Salzburg in November.
Madrid Fusion
When: January 27 – 29, 2025
Where: Madrid, Spain
In the gastronomy industry, if you’re invited to the Madrid Fusion as a chef, it’s like receiving a knighthood. Over the course of its 22-year history, it has managed to be the most dazzling of all gastronomy trade fairs in the world, the most elite of all gatherings. Nevertheless, it has to avoid falling into the trap of self-adulation. Why? Because it is and remains relevant. The exchange, knowledge transfer and inspiration that happens and is passed on here trickles down from the most renowned three-star temples to the gastronomic middle class of every country. How do the masters of their trade cook? What is their philosophy? And why? It is these supposedly simple but often highly complex questions that are answered by eminent experts on the Madrid Fusion stage. The line-up for the next Fusion has not yet been determined. However, every dedicated top chef and restaurateur who relies on individual concepts that focus on the creative craft of cooking should mark the date of the upcoming Madrid Fusion in red on their calendar.
