A blast of winter weather throughout the Northeast region failed to deter a large number of attendees at the 2009 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York.
The show runs March 1-3 and is being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
Ron Mathews, industry vice president for Reed Exhibitions, said there was no official tally on the number of attendees Sunday; however, the day's attendance record is on par with that of 2008. He attributed the high-attendance figures to an increase in restrauteurs going to more local shows.
"People are traveling less and a local show is more appetizing right now," he said. "We also boosted our conference programs, which has a lot to do with cost savings and increased value."
Today's educational sessions include:
- "Turning Your Vendors into Partners," a panel moderated by Duke Marketing CEO Linda Duke - 10:30 a.m.-noon
- "The Green Restaurant Revolution - It's More Than Just Food," a panel moderated by Chris Moyer, manager of the National Restaurant Association's Conserve. Panelists include: George McKerrow Jr., from Ted's Montana Grill; Richard Young, senior engineer, director of education for the Food Service Technology Center; Michael Nischan, chef/owner of The Dressing Room; and Ed Smyth, manager, senior consultant with RLW Analytics.
Monday's show got off to a slow start, but by noon the aisles were beginning to fill.
"It's pretty busy and I'm happy about that," Mathews said. "But it would be impossible to say the weather's not going to effect us today. The key is, if you're a real buyer and have a real need, the snow isn't going to stop you."
Forecasts had called for up to 14 inches of snow for the New York City area Monday.
