Setting the stage for HRC

Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) is the UK’s largest and most prestigious event for the hospitality and foodservice industry. The show welcomes a wide range of suppliers, from big brands to innovative start-ups, showcasing ground-breaking products. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the very latest products across design & décor, foodservice, professional kitchen equipment, hospitality tech and pub & bar and meet the right suppliers to grow their business and elevate their offering.

“I’m eagerly looking forward to attending HRC again this year,” commented Malcolm Godfrey, General Manager, Stephens House & Gardens. “Having successfully found new suppliers and inspiration for furthering our business last year I cannot wait to see what this year has in store.”

HRC’s Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, will open with an industry update from Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UKHospitality, discussing the association’s latest talks with government and what 2023 might hold for the hospitality sector, followed by a global view of the industry from IGD, the Institute of Grocery Distribution.

Hospitality professionals will also have the opportunity to catch sessions from Hospitality Jobs UK, as the organisation reveals the results if the UK’s largest hospitality salary survey, Cornwall Insight, the energy market intelligence consultancy, will be providing advice on how the hospitality industry can tackle soaring energy costs and the Sustainable Restaurant Association will be discussing how to set the standards for the food of the future with CH&CO, The Pig Hotels and Hawksmoor.

Also on the Vision Stage, NED and board advisor Ann Elliot will be joined by Claire Smith of ABDA Design, Sam Edwards of Fifty Five Hospitality and Karen Fewell of Digital Blonde to discuss the part that psychology plays in hospitality design.

On the Tech X stage, Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality, will host a session on building a sustainable future for hospitality, joined by panellists Andrew Coney of The Hari Hotel Belgravia, Erin Ling, Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work at University of Surrey, Daniel Pedreschi of PPHE Hotel Group and Tej Wallia of Foxhills Club & Resort.

Hoteliers and hospitality professionals visiting HRC 2023 can also check out a must-attend session on how tech can transform accessibility in hotels, hosted by Ross Calladine of VisitEngland and featuring Paul Bayliss MBE of Hotel Brooklyn, Motionspot’s Ed Warner, Fiona Jarvis of Blue Badge Style and TranslateLive’s Peter Hayes.

In the show’s Networking Hub, in partnership with VisitEngland and AA Media, there will be guided discussion on ‘the quality of experience’ with Simon Numphud of AA Media, Janet Uttley of VisitEngland and Tej Wallia of Foxhills Club & Resort.

Elsewhere, Claire Smith of ABDA Design, Charlotte Raffo of The Monkey Puzzle Tree and Zaynib Khan of Benoy will be taking part in the session, ‘What is the ‘new’ luxury in hospitality experiences? – supported by Hotel Designs’.

A new addition to HRC for 2023 is Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing, a networking area, demo kitchen and stage where leading chefs from the UK and Europe will be discussing the trends and products that they’re passionate about, while whipping up some delicious dishes for the audience. Among the sessions taking place in Chef HQ are a demo from National Chef of the Year Ben Murphy, a presentation from Nathan Davies of SY23, fresh from wowing the judges on Great British Menu and securing his first Michelin star, and an interview with the chefs of The Future Plate, a collection of leading black chefs of African and Caribbean heritage sharing their culture through tasting menus.

Chef HQ will also feature A. Wong Chef Patron Andrew Wong discussing the art of dim sum, a behind the scenes look at the Bocuse d’Or with team UK coach Tom Philips and Chair of the competition Andreas Antona, and a ‘getting to know you’ chat with Kim Rathoroen, who will discuss her journey from a stage at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay to taking up the role of Head Chef at the chain’s London Chelsea premises.

For hospitality business owners looking to revitalise their drinks selection, new show section Drinks @ HRC & IFE combines the drinks offerings of HRC and sister event IFE, International Food & Drink Event, to create a single, centralised location to source a wide range of innovative drinks products.

For the very latest hospitality tech products and services, The Launchpad, located within the show’s Hospitality Tech section, is an exciting showcase of innovative tech providers that have been trading for less than 12 months.

HRC takes place between March 20 – 22, 2023. Head over to the website to view the full seminar programme and register to attend.

Main image credit: HRC