Kevin Hochman needs a bigger awards shelf: After a long day at the Show, hundreds of folks got gussied up and headed to Chicago’s Union Station Saturday for the 71st annual Gold & Silver Plate Awards, presented by IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. Silver Plate awardees were named earlier this year, but the coveted Gold Plate winner remains a secret until the big event. This year’s honor went to Kevin Hochman, CEO and president of Brinker International, who was lauded for his turnaround efforts at casual-dining chain Chili’s Grill & Bar. In receiving the award, Hochman noted that, “Dining out is not dead,” and he stressed the importance of focusing on operational fundamentals and listening to those on the front lines of your restaurant. Hochman held up his hands to the crowd and said, “If you look at my hands, these hands have never worked a day in a restaurant, OK? So, if you want me to tell you what to do, how to run a restaurant, we’re going to be in big trouble. But if we listen to the people that actually do the work, we’re going to win every time.” In April, Hochman accepted the Restaurant Leader of the Year Award from Restaurant Business. – Heather Lalley
AI becomes more than a buzzword: There was plenty of AI at the Show this year. But it wasn’t always as obvious. Tech providers are starting to talk more about what AI can actually do for restaurants, rather than just using the AI buzzword to get attention. “Last year, everyone was kind of leading with AI,” said Bryan Solar, chief product officer for POS supplier SpotOn. “People are now talking about the benefits. And I think the delta there is, last year it was mostly smoke.” SpotOn is using AI in a new tool called Profit Assist that integrates with restaurants’ accounting software and looks for ways to save money. Solar described it as an “AI CPA,” but the company is framing it as a way for restaurants to lower costs rather than as an AI tool. – Joe Guszkowski
Ingredients matter: The restaurant Show is a unique opportunity for restaurant operators to meet food producers. Exhibiting for the first time was two-time Super Bowl winner and MVP Von Miller, who comes from a family of farmers. Miller now owns Greener Pastures Chicken in Elgin, Texas, which he said is the nation’s only certified organic chicken that is also certified pasture raised. The farm uses regenerative techniques, with the chickens moving daily to a new patch of grass, where they can eat the bugs they like and live a happy chicken life. It also allows the farm to be a better steward of the land. The processing plant is also right on the farm, so the chickens don’t have to be packed into cages and transported on a truck to wait for processing. The result is a better product, produced more humanely, said Diego Salvatore Di Verde, of Greener Pastures. Available in some supermarkets, Greener Pastures Chicken is also used by Michelin- starred restaurants in Texas. And the farm has attracted industry investors, like Kiwi Restaurant Partners, founded by Pepper Lunch CEO Troy Hooper. – Lisa Jennings
Meal replacements: Fifty-six percent of consumers are replacing meals with snacks for financial reasons, finds the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Restaurants can take advantage of this by repackaging appetizers, sides and desserts, and charging less to bring in snackers. Rebrand the items as mini meals; create appetizer, side and dessert combos, appetizer flights and themed pairings. That’s just some of the advice presented in the Show education session, "Winning with Snack-Inspired Menus,” presented by Suzy Badaraco, president of Culinary Tides. - Pat Cobe
Here's your milk paper: The Milkadamia booth has an innovative new way to make oat milk. The product is made from organic oats that are fermented, then 2D printed in sheets. It's lightweight and easy to ship and store. Once rehydrated, it has a creamy oat milk texture and good flavor. Sustainable, plant-based and zero waste for coffee cafes and other concepts. – Pat Cobe
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