We have made it! It is with great pleasure that I can say foodservice industry gatherings are back!

After a pandemic-induced, two-year hiatus, the National Restaurant Association’s trade show was back in business in Chicago. And, wow, did it feel great to catch up on some of the newest equipment innovations and, more importantly, reconnect with our great industry colleagues. There was so much to see and take in, but here are a few thoughts and observations.

The National Restaurant Association Show named 11 products as the recipients of its 2022 Kitchen Innovations Awards. The following is a list of the KI winners along with a description provided by the NRA Show and edited by FE&S for style and clarity. 

Michelle Korsmo was appointed president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, effective May 1, 2022. In this capacity, Korsmo will also serve as CEO of the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation too.

Restaurant industry sales will reach $898 billion in 2022, per the latest forecast from the National Restaurant Association. The NRA released this data as part of its 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report.

The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation introduced their 2022 board officers and directors.

The National Restaurant Association named John Zimmermann, vice president of

Tom Bené will resign from his post as president of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. A 30-year veteran of the food and beverage industry, Bené is returning to the beverage distribution sector, per an NRA release announcing this news.

While the restaurant industry continues to its climb back from the challenges brought forth by the pandemic, lots has changed in the past year and many of those changes have staying power – including how consumers use eating and drinking establishments, according to the National Restaurant Association’s mid-year update to its 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report.

The National Restaurant Association added Brennan Duckett to its public affairs team as technology and innovation policy director. In this role, he will handle policy issues related to electronic payments systems, data security and privacy, gift and prepaid cards, intellectual property and trademark issues, music licensing, and ADA reform.

The National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief introduced the 20 recipients of

For the second consecutive year the National Restaurant Association Show has fallen victim to COVID-19.

The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) named their 2021 board officers and directors. Brian Casey, president of Oak Hill Tavern and the Company Picnic Company, will serve as

Overall restaurant industry sales will total $548.3 billion in 2021, per projections from the National Restaurant Association in its 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry report. This is $240 billion less than the $899 billion the NRA projected heading into 2020 – before the pandemic. While the NRA’s projections for 2021 represent a $50.7 billion (10.2%) increase compared to 2020, industry sales this year will remain down significantly from 2019’s total of $615.9 billion.