LOS ANGELES, CA – Dozens of food & beverage education session led by leading subject matter experts will be offered at this month’s Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest Los Angeles taking place August 28-30, 2022 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The education is part of the Food & Beverage Academy offering unprecedented access to the full scope of hospitality-based education for restaurants, foodservice, specialty beverage, and café owners. The brand-new Education Summits will focus on the most important issues including business solutions, marketing tips, operational efficiency and staffing solutions in tracks for all segments of the industry – from independent owners to chains to specialty coffee and tea.
“We are thrilled to be bringing California restaurant, foodservice, specialty beverage and café owners back together for these two trade shows and conferences and to provide a strong education program, through our new Food & Beverage Academy which will feature dozens of subject matter experts discussing the most important topics facing the industry,” said Rita Ugianskis, Vice President, Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “During the three-day event, attendees will have access to four new Education Summits, Workshops, Coffee Fest Education, special presentations on Center Stage, workshops, and much more.”
The four new Education Summits will focus on staying on top of trends from inventory management and pricing; to strategizing how to keep customers coming back and staffing, hiring, and training. A few of the sessions that will be part of the Independent Operator Summit will be The Secret to Creating a Franchisable Restaurant Concept, The Way to Profitability Starts with a Sustainable Mindset, and Legal Center Live, presented by the California Restaurant Association (CRA). Click here for the full program.
The Multi-Unit and Chain Operator Summit will offer insight from subject matter experts on in-house vs. third party delivery, ghost and virtual kitchens, how to leverage customer data, sourcing and retaining talent, and more. Sessions will include The Big Pivot: Full-Service Restaurant Adds Market & Direct-to-Customer Wine & Whiskey, US Supreme Court Important PAGA Case Decision, and Menu to the Max: Creative Approaches to Menu Development. Click here for the full program.
Foodservice and dining pose a number of challenges that differ from a traditional restaurant. The Foodservice Summit, sponsored by US Foods, will address micro-markets or menu variety, foodservice or dietary needs feeding those in educational, medical, or corporate dining environments. Session will include Top 10 Leadership Traits in Hospitality, Leasing Restaurant Space – Negotiate to Win, and How to Build a Successful Beverage Program. Click here for the full program.
Navigating today’s technology landscape – from mobile payments to delivery and ghost kitchens, AI and machine learning, and more, is a challenge for everyone in the hospitality industry. Hear from leading technology experts in the Technology Summit, with sessions focused on: Virtual Brands: Are They Worth the Hype?, The State of Foodservice Technology and Turning Vendors into Partners: Considerations for Selecting Technology. Click here for the full program.
Attendees will have access to over 20 free seminars within Coffee Fest LA designed for Owner/Operators, Roasters, Baristas and New Start Ups as well as 30 paid workshops covering Business Operations Roasting & Green Coffee and Skills Training. Speed-session style education will take place on the trade show floor in the Conversation Corner sponsored by Odeko and the Business Building Essentials by DCS and Barista 22. For details on specific seminars, workshops and education only at Coffee Fest Los Angeles can be found at https://www.coffeefest.com/los-angeles/coffee-fest-la-education.
In addition, the Western Foodservice Expo has partnered with the San Francisco Wine School to host a special session on Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training in conjunction with the California Restaurant Association on Tuesday, August 30 from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Responsible Beverage Service training educates persons seeking employment or who are currently employed as servers of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption. It aims to provide servers the necessary skills to responsibly serve alcoholic beverages and mitigate alcohol-related harm in California communities. San Francisco Wine School is one of only 10 in-person providers authorized to train throughout this state. To learn more about the Responsible Beverage Service Training Act and complete the mandatory RBS Training by the Aug 31, 2022 deadline, click here.
Register for the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest Los Angeles before August 27 to receive advance admission pricing to both events and all free education sessions. Workshops are $99 if purchased prior to the August 27. On-site rates are $129 per workshop. The trade show and conference will take place Sunday, August 28 through Tuesday, August 30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is owned by Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. Clarion Events (us.clarionevents.com) produces 37 events across thirteen sectors of both trade and consumer events. The Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group also includes the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of Western, Coffee Fest and The NGA Show. Clarion Events acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion Events has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ.
