Dallas will host this year’s 2022 Texas Restaurant Show, set for the second weekend of July. The Texas Restaurant Association expects over 5,000 food experts and restaurateurs to attend the event, which will be held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
VRA Partners and the Texas Restaurant Association will kick things off on July 9 with a Capital Investment Bootcamp. The boot camp will offer “exclusive insights from industry experts to guide attendees through the process of franchising, becoming a franchisor, or growing a brand through capital investment.”
Following the boot camp is the Diversity, Inclusion, and Bias (DIBs) Workshop, hosted by James Pogue of JP Enterprises. The three-hour workshop will introduce participants to the DIBs model. While attendance is free, registration is required.
Those attending will learn why Pogue believes the DIBs Assessment is critical to organizational and individual growth as he analyzes workplace biases.
“Attendees will be challenged to make meaning out of the session, see how you may apply concepts to your business, and commit to taking action,” Pogue says.
The event will also feature local, state, and federal leaders, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Abbott will present a keynote about the future of the restaurant industry in the state on July 11. A meet-and-greet with Abbott and TRA PAC members will follow.
On the last day of the Texas Restaurant Show, the ProStart Champion Management and Culinary Team Exposition will show off the skills of Dallas’ own Ben Barber Innovation Academy students, the 2022 State Champions for culinary and management.
“The Texas Restaurant Foundation’s Texas ProStart program is one of the largest high school culinary and hospitality management initiatives in the U.S.,” the press release explains.
More than 40 teams annually compete for the title of State Champions. Winners progress to compete at the annual National ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C. Last month, Ben Barber Innovation students placed first in management and fourth in culinary at the national competition.
Other 2022 Texas Restaurant Show features include employment workshops, panels, and discussions on combining technology and the restaurant industry. On July 10, there will be a Keynote Fireside Chat with Norman Abdallah, the CEO of Gordon Ramsay North America (GRNA).
TRA President and CEO Emily Williams Knight and Abdallah will discuss introducing GRNA in the U.S. during a pandemic and what comes next for the company that has become a “household name,” according to the press release.
July 9 will feature:
- “Diversity, Inclusion, and Bias (DIBs) Workshop” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- “Capital Investment Bootcamp” from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
July 10 will have:
- “Sourcing, Hiring, and Managing Employee Chargebacks: TWC Employment Workshop” from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. – A workshop to advise employers on hiring tools and resources.
- “Protecting Your Business From the Unexpected” from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – An insurance panel discussion led by insurance experts.
- “Customer Feedback and Data: The Fuel to Drive Your Business” from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Showing restaurant professionals how to understand and use data.
- “Maximizing Your Money: Making Today’s Tech Work for You” from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. – Helping business owners learn to use today’s new technology.
- “You’re Going to Need a Drink for This Part II” from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. – A continuation of the previous year’s presentation, focused on trends and issues in the industry.
- “Ghost and Virtual Kitchens: What’s Next?” from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Led by Carl Orsbourn, experts discuss ghost and virtual kitchens.
The final day of the show, July 11, will feature:
- “The Workforce Crunch, Part I: Immigration Reform for the Restaurant Industry” from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. – Melissa Stewart will lead a discussion on immigration and the restaurant industry.
- “Can You Beat the Chef Who Beat Bobby Flay?” from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – Chef Robert Hale will discuss his experience going up against Chef Larry Delgado.
- “Show Keynote: Governor Greg Abbott” from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.
- “Dishing on Delivery” from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. – Educating restaurant owners on delivery services.
- “The Future of Fast Casual” from 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – Fast-casual experts discuss the industry’s growth.
- “ProStart Champion Management Culinary Team Exposition” from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- “The Workforce Crunch, Part II: Leveraging Tech to Hire, Train, and Retain Employees” from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Helping business owners learn to attract and retain new employees.
This will be the 85th year of the Texas Restaurant Show, which is estimated to bring over $2 million in revenue to the Dallas area. Last year’s event took place in San Antonio.