Event Review: The 2017 International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York

Disclaimer: In exchange for a review of this event, I was offered a press pass. Many photos attached.

The 2017 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, held at Manhattan‘s Javits Center from March 5-7, highlighted various food suppliers and wholesalers as well as – among many other facets of restaurant and catering life – pizza oven, furniture, hand sanitizer, broom, point-of-sale system, and stationery distributors. The event organizers will also be holding shows in August in Los Angeles, and in September in Orlando.

I was particularly interested in attending this event for the second consecutive year, not only to see if what nuances there were, but also because it’s not merely about food vendors. Sure, the plethora of bread and chocolate – and various combinations therein – commonly found at these events are always appreciated, but repeatedly chowing down on that dangerous duo considerably slows down my pace. When they had time, chatting up manufacturers of such products as 2-watt wireless transmitters (e.g., there’s a long wait at the restaurant, and the maître d’ gives you a device that buzzes when your table is ready), pesticides, booths and labels provided a different take on the foodservice industry.

“Theme” areas for this year’s show included a New Product Showcase, Taste of New York, a Culinary Demonstration Theater, a Japan Pavilion, The Pub, and a Pastry Competition.

So, photos anyone?

I’m frequently on the lookout for good hummus, and as with most products, the less ingredients there are, the better. That’s where Hummustir also gets it right.

Their four products – Classic (the original), Mediterranean (with lime and garlic), Village (with cumin and garlic), and Blazin (with habaneros) – lack the mumbo jumbo commonly found on other hummus labels. Yet, even though they don’t have preservatives, you can store them without refrigeration for months…though, after opening the packages inside, you should consume the hummus within seven (7) days. The description may not sound pretty, but it’s a brand worth getting to know.

The Truffleist is a Long Island City, Queens-based truffle outfit founded just in November 2013. Although the original product created by owner Jimmy Kunz for his family was truffle butter, their encouragement inspired him to add truffle oil, salt, mustard, and honey to the mix. Truffles are imported from Europe, but he also works with NY state companies to source other ingredients.

Indeed, as truffles are uniformly rich in flavor, you don’t need to overdo it. That said, I’ve rather enjoyed drowning bruschetta in the truffle oil…

Later this year, he plans to introduce a truffle sampler, with 1 ounce containers of salt, honey, and mustard. Personally, I look forward to trying the truffle cheesesteak, which can be found in the warmer months at various NYC outdoor markets.

Starting with the Japan Pavilion, this machine swiftly forms nigiri sushi (the oblong type, with the fish on top) rice. Pick up a clump, it almost immediately dispenses another.

They weren’t lying. The sushi machine staff were making maki (smaller rolls) with Vegheet. Sounds like a character from Dragonball Z.

Although last year’s Taste of New York was more rewarding – that harissa was my favorite condiment of the year – this year, there were a number of liquor, cider, and locavore-type manufacturers.

The demonstration at the time of my photo was testing if the microphone worked. Huzzah!

I finished it all. The forklift booth really came in handy after the show…

I left an awful lot of crumbs behind. Fortunately, this 120-year old company came to the rescue.

For the crumbs I neglected, the appearance of fruit flies was inevitable.

Balancing one’s diet is key. So, I threw in some mushrooms for antioxidant power.

Added a heaping portion of protein, courtesy of this newfangled shwarma shredder.

…and finished it off with more bread, in the form of pizza. We’re in NYC, so what else am I supposed to do? (By the way, those ovens have rotating discs that can cook a pie in one revolution.)