The hospitality industry is one of the largest employers in the world, encompassing bars, restaurants, hotels, and so much more. So if you’re involved in this exciting and ever-changing industry, this is the event for you to attend. Restaurants Canada invites food service and hospitality professionals to shop, taste, learn, connect and grow their businesses at the industry’s must-attend event of the year from February 24-26, 2019 at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

“This year’s RC Show is leading the conversation around the true meaning of sustainability for the foodservice and hospitality industry,” said Shanna Munro, Restaurants Canada President and CEO. “The key to sustainability is ability — the ability to harness the power of innovative products, pioneering people and transformative ideas to keep improving our bottom line in harmony with the planet. That’s what we’re looking forward to getting businesses excited about at this year’s show.”

Now in its 74th year, the RC Show has become a world-class event that foodservice and hospitality professionals can’t afford to miss. Attendees will have the chance to learn about the latest innovative products, gain industry insights and expand their network, all while enjoying an unparalleled experience.

What to expect at #RCShow19:

  • A dynamic trade show floor. Explore eight pavilions and five stages featuring industry-leading products and services across all categories, including breakthrough technology, equipment, décor, food and beverage — all curated to intrigue and delight the senses.
  • Three days of influential speakers. Experience a line-up of more than 150 presentations, panel discussions, workshops, culinary demos and masterclasses that will inspire, deliver insights from thought leaders and guide the industry to greater success.
  • A premium venue. Enjoy first-class guest rooms and hospitality suites at the newly opened Hotel X, offering food and drink experiences paired with extraordinary views, located steps away from the Enercare Centre.

What attendees will gain from #RCShow19:

  • Market insights and data. Get the inside scoop on top industry trends, including the emergence of plant-based menus, aquaculture, sustainable seafood and the risks and opportunities around cannabis within the culinary world.
  • Exclusive deals. Take advantage of exciting offers and incentives from top companies with the Meet the Buyer/Supplier Appointment-Scheduling Tool.
  • Menu solutions. Acquire new food and beverage inspirations from Canada’s top culinary talent, baristas and bartenders, and watch as they go head-to-head in this year’s Garland Culinary, Beyond the Rail Cocktail, Latte Art and Good Spirits Competitions.
  • Thought leadership sessions. Hear from industry experts at the RC Leadership Conference discussing People, Profits and the Planet. Meet industry game changers and the ones to watch for on the Speaker Stage. Learn about ideas and trends that are transforming the world of hospitality at the Breakfast with Champions event and congratulate the winner of the RC Leadership Award.
  • Revenue-driving solutions. Get tips on how to save money by saving energy, how going local can improve your bottom line, and take in Eco Pavilion workshops on how to reduce waste from single-use plastics and other sources, while learning about incentives and rebates.
  • Advice on starting a business. Learn how to start your own restaurant, or manufacture or develop a new product at the Mentor Series sessions, and get a sneak peek at new concepts, sustainable products and future dining operations by checking out the RC Restaurant Experience simulation.
  • Tools to overcome industry challenges. Get an understanding of best practices and discover new, innovative approaches that have helped businesses successfully navigate issues such as staffing, mental health, supply chains and product distribution.
  • Networking opportunities. Don’t miss the chance to connect with colleagues and peers while enjoying an impressive celebration of food and drink at RC Hospitality Week events.

The upcoming RC Show is leading the conversation around the true meaning of sustainability for the restaurant and hospitality industry. Recognizing that the future of foodservice is tied to the health of the planet as much as healthy profit margins, here’s a look ahead at the culinary and technological innovations coming to kitchens and menus near you:

Root-to-Stem Cooking — A new trend addressing food waste has taken root. Like the nose-to-tail practice when cooking meat, root-to-stem cooking focuses on vegetables and making use of all the parts we’d typically remove and throw away. Chefs have found that ingredients like broccoli stalks and leaves, beet greens, asparagus stems, carrot tops, jackfruit cores etc. all bring unique tastes, textures and colours to a dish and are 100% edible.

Restaurant Robotics — Bring on the bots! In 2019, a new generation of gizmos, gadgets, autonomous robots and artificially intelligent technologies will be making their way into our dining experiences. Innovations like the hands-free sushi-making machines from AUTEC and Sally from Chowbotics — the robot that serves customizable made-to-order salads, snacks, breakfast bowls and grain bowls — are revealing that the future is here, and the kitchen is evolving faster than ever. Expect everything from robots delivering meals, to AI providing training, to ordering systems replacing waiters and cashiers.

Clean Motherless Meat — As more and more meat lovers are becoming opposed to eating animals and concerned about the impact that raising livestock has on the environment, interest is growing in innovative alternatives. Lab-grown meats, or “clean meat”, is meat grown from small samples of muscle tissue from animals like cows, pigs, chickens etc. These small samples are then combined with stem cells to multiply growth and generate large amounts of meat without having to raise and kill any animals. Companies like Memphis Meats are working to get these products to market as soon as possible, and are expected to greatly impact the world by reducing water usage, taking up less land and significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Incredible Edibles — Now that Canada has become the second country to legalize recreational use of the herb nationwide, interest in cannabis is taking the country’s hospitality industry by storm. With regulations around edibles expected in 2019, new doors might be opening for chefs to introduce this green to their menus. With the potential for infusing dishes and beverages just around the corner, the possibilities are endless, and consumer expectations are high.

We Sea Greens — This year, expect to see more marine greens — anything from kelp noodles and jerky to fish alternatives made from algae. Seaweeds have been found to be a natural source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E, as well as being rich in minerals like zinc, iodine, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium and calcium. Turns out the ocean floor is a literal breeding ground for healthy, green ingredients with unique flavours that will add diversity to menu offerings.

The Plant-Based Movement — If you aren’t adventurous enough to test out lab-developed meat, you will still have a growing number of plant-based protein options in 2019. EcoIdeas Organic Jackfruit is working to bring innovative plant-based food to the mainstream with their delicious and convenient alternatives to meat dishes. With ingredients like heme and innovative products like Beyond Meat, as well as plant-based milks derived from pea protein and barley proving to be worthy animal product replacements, the future is looking greener than ever.

Pretty Please, Without Sugar — Once upon a time we were fighting against fat and now another opponent is in our crosshairs — sugar. The quest for creative ways to reduce sugar and sugary counterparts continues in 2019. We will start to see chefs substituting sugar, honey and agave on their menus for equally sweet but more nutritious alternatives such as carrot, sweet potato, golden beet, butternut squash and corn.

Culinary Cocktails — Forget the fruity and sweet. In 2019 we’ll be sipping on endless, refreshing blends of juiced herbs and vegetables, edible flowers, and splashes of tequila, brandy, rum or vodka. The bar industry has seen a shift in pallet from sweet to savoury. This can be attributed to the introduction of bitters and the resurgence of spirits like amaro, vermouth and sherry. The food and hospitality industry’s move to more sustainable practises can also be credited for these bar glass innovations, as chefs now have uses for the leaves and stems and veggies that aren’t quite plate perfection. Culinary cocktails have been popping up all over Canada’s finest bars and cocktail lounges. These drinks stray away from the typical tastes and work to bridge the gap between bar and kitchen by incorporating flavours and techniques used in dishes, all to provide customers with a flavourful experience from glass to plate.

In and Out — Kale has officially outstayed its welcome! In 2019 you can expect to see this leafy green replaced by gut flora-friendly ingredients, such as dandelion greens — a natural prebiotic — and amaranth — a hypoallergenic grain substitute for wheat, both pushing the notion that food really is medicine. Other trends you can expect to see making their way into your dining experiences include: oat milk and other dairy alternatives, dry and hot pot cooking, more substitutions for diners with food sensitivities, creative approaches to reducing waste from single-use items, virtual restaurants and cloud-based dining, spice palettes from countries such as Kazakhstan, Tajikstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, plus edible flowers are back — and they’ll be in your water glass!

Restaurants Canada has officially selected Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection, the city’s newest hospitality hotspot, as home to RC Show’s offsite industry events during RC Hospitality Week.

Located across from the RC Show venue at the Enercare Centre, Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection boasts impressive meeting spaces, stunning views and is the perfect backdrop for the trade show’s offsite festivities.

Here are a few events taking place at Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection that should not be missed during the 2019 RC Show and RC Hospitality Week:

  • RC Annual General Members Meeting in Fort Hall — Sunday, Feb. 24, 7 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
  • RC Leadership Conference in the Theatre — Monday, Feb. 25, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Top-to-Top Reception in the View and Nest — Monday, Feb. 25, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Breakfast with Champions in the Victory Ballroom — Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

How to attend #RCShow19:

Visit www.rcshow.com to see the full RC Show line-up and register 

  • $60 Pre-event price — register before Feb. 24, 2019
  • $80 On-site price (on/after Feb. 24, 2019)

Price includes three-day access to the RC Show and a ticket to the Opening Night Reception on Sunday, Feb. 24.

Join the conversation on social media: #RCShow19 #RCShowCanada

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.