California Restaurant Show Returns to Southern California with Innovative Exhibitors, Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion and Expert-Led Education

ANAHEIM, CA – The California Restaurant Show, featuring the Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion returns to the Anaheim Convention Center from Sunday, August 23 to Tuesday, August 25, bringing together thousands of restaurant, foodservice and hospitality professionals for three days of innovation, education, culinary experiences, competitions and networking.

With more than 7,000 industry professionals registered, 340+ exhibit booths, including 110+ new exhibitors, and a show floor that is 4,000 square feet larger than last year, the 2026 event reflects continued growth and momentum across California’s restaurant and hospitality industry. Attendees will include independent operators as well as representatives from nationally recognized restaurant, foodservice and hospitality brands.

The expanded Show will feature more than 60 hours of education, live culinary demonstrations and tastings, hundreds of products and solutions, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion, the California Pizza Challenge, and programming developed in partnership with leading industry organizations, including the California Restaurant Association and Latino Restaurant Association.

The Culinary Innovation Theater will serve as a hub for live demonstrations, tastings and mainstage conversations throughout the three-day event. Acclaimed restaurateur, chef, author and Food Network host Tyler Florence will take the stage to discuss his career, the evolution of the restaurant industry and his newest cookbook, American Grill. The first 75 attendees at the session will receive a complimentary copy of the book.

Additional highlights include a dramatic whole Yellowfin Tuna carving demonstration; an interactive Food & Wine Pairing Experience hosted by Sommelier Brian Connors; and the fast-paced Future of Kitchen Performance Competition, sponsored by UNOX, where professional chefs will compete in a rapid-fire culinary challenge using UNOX combi oven technology.

60+ Hours of an Expert-Led Education Program will address the most pressing issues facing restaurant and hospitality operators today, with sessions focused on artificial intelligence, restaurant technology, online engagement, legal and regulatory issues, workforce and team building, strategic partnerships, menu trends, food costs and profitability.

Attendees can also participate in intensive add-on workshops, including Restaurant Transformation Formula: The Systems That Turn Chaos into Process; Restaurant Management 201: Foundational Track; and Restaurant Management 301: Growth Track, providing actionable strategies operators can take back to their businesses.

Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion brings together pizza operators, chefs, suppliers and innovators to explore one of the restaurant industry’s most dynamic segments. The pavilion will showcase products, equipment, ingredients and solutions specifically for pizzerias and pizza-focused concepts.

Hosted by the U.S. Pizza Team and sponsored by Real California Milk, the California Pizza Challenge (CPC) will put competitors to the test through four culinary competitions and four high-energy pizza athletic events, combining serious culinary talent with plenty of entertainment for attendees.

Over 340 Exhibit Booths including 110+ New Exhibitors will be featured on an expanded trade show floor, giving attendees the opportunity to discover the latest products and solutions from across the restaurant and foodservice industry. The exhibitors will showcase everything from premium food and beverage products and ingredients to kitchen equipment, technology, packaging, back-of-house solutions and business services.

With more than 110 exhibitors participating for the first time, attendees will have even more opportunities to discover new products, meet emerging brands and find solutions designed to improve efficiency, enhance the guest experience and grow their businesses.

“The California Restaurant Show is bringing together an incredible cross-section of the industry at a time when operators are looking for new ideas, new products and practical solutions to help their businesses thrive,” said Glenn Celentano, Partner & CEO of Restaurant Events, LLC, producer of the California Restaurant Show. “From experiencing live culinary demonstrations and tastings to discovering hundreds of products, learning from industry experts and connecting with thousands of peers, there will be something happening throughout the Show for every segment of the restaurant and foodservice community.”

The California Restaurant Show will take place August 23–25, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. For additional information, including registration, the complete education program, exhibitor list and schedule of events, visit the California Restaurant Show website.

The California Restaurant Show is produced by Restaurant Events, LLC, which also produces the Florida Restaurant Show and Pizza Tomorrow Summit, taking place October 25–27, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida; the New York Restaurant Show, taking place March 7–9, 2027, at the Javits Center in New York City; and the new Carolinas Restaurant Show, launching June 16–17, 2027, in Charlotte, North Carolina.