BC Foodservice Expo features top chefs and hot trends

VANCOUVER, April 22 /CNW/ - Local foods, sustainable choices and organic produce are the hottest trends on Canadian restaurant menus - and they will be showcased at the BC Foodservice Expo, April 25 - 26 at the West Building, Vancouver Convention Centre.

These trends were identified in the first-ever CRFA Canadian Chef Survey, conducted for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association by independent market research firm BrandSpark International.

"Canadian chefs have recognized the hottest trends, and now industry professionals will see these up close at the BC Foodservice Expo," says John Bishop of Bishop's Restaurant. "Patrons are increasingly interested in the products and ingredients that make up their meals, so it's a dynamic time for chefs and restaurant owners."

The Expo will also feature many other items reflecting various trends from the CRFA Canadian Chef Survey, which identified these top 10 menu trends:

    
    1. Locally sourced food
    2. Sustainability
    3. Organic produce
    4. Artisanal cheeses
    5. Simplicity / Back to basics
    6. Nutritional / healthy cuisine
    7. Free-range poultry / pork
    8. Small plates / tapas / mezze / dim sum
    9. Bite size / mini desserts
    10. Superfruits (e.g. acai, goji berry, mangosteen)
    

Vancouver's top chefs take centre stage

As two of the city's most influential chefs, John Bishop (Bishop's Restaurant) and Pino Posteraro (Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill) will give a special presentation, 'La Technique,' at the Expo on Sunday, April 25 at 3 p.m.

Bishop will share the craft of cooking from the view of a classically trained chef, while Posteraro elaborates on 'sous-vide,' a cooking method that uses low temperatures over an extended period.

Bishop and Posteraro will also be available to autograph copies of the Chef's Table Society of BC's Vancouver Cooks 2, a cookbook with over 100 new recipes by 70 leading West Coast chefs.

"We are pleased to host these well-respected chefs and bring top menu trends to life at the BC Foodservice Expo," says Mark von Schellwitz, CRFA's Vice President for Western Canada. "The Chef Survey results offer show attendees a special opportunity, presenting a lens through which to view the myriad items on display this year."

The BC Foodservice Expo is owned and operated by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, one of the country's leading business associations. Through its trade shows, member savings, research and advocacy, CRFA works to create an environment that allows foodservice operators to grow and prosper.

For further information: Bruce Guerin, BC Foodservice Expo Show Manager at [phone] or [email protected]; or Prasanthi Vasanthakumar, CRFA Communications at 1-800-387-5649 ext. 4254