LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Thousands of hospitality professionals attended the 40th annual Bar and Restaurant Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Tuesday, March 24.
The event drew owners, operators, managers and bartenders looking to discover new food, drink and technology trends.
Live demonstrations and training sessions
The floor was packed with live chef demos, hands-on training and education sessions on how to run a bar or restaurant more efficiently.
Brandy Rand, vice president of hospitality for the expo, said over 8,000 people attended.
“This is the only place you can come and discover new products, everything you need to operate your bar or restaurant properly and efficiently,” Rand said. “We have technology. We have cool new beverage trends. We have food. We have equipment. We have everything that you would need.”
The expo featured a chef’s stage with live cooking demonstrations and a bar showcasing beverage trends from non-alcoholic drinks to cocktails.
Savannah Woods, with Sensity Creative Media Marketing, said the expo provides an opportunity for local businesses to connect with potential clients.
“Just being able to put a face to the name of the company and shake somebody’s hand makes all the difference versus just emailing or cold calling,” Woods said. “Being able to actually have a personality with your company and showcase that is probably what we consider the most important for our business.”
Actress Aisha Tyler attended the expo to promote her cocktail brand, Philosophy, a line of organic ready-to-drink cocktails.
“Everything I’ve heard is that this is the place to bring your product when you want to introduce it to restaurateurs and hoteliers and other people in the hospitality space around the country,” Tyler said.
Tyler said the expo kicked off with two inaugural events where her brand ran out of cocktails early.
The expo continues Wednesday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on site with a valid ID.
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