Fine Food Australia will feature more than 100 speakers presenting across four stages at Sydney’s ICC next month.
There will also be four co-locating industry events, four industry competitions, and more than 850 Australian and international exhibitors showcasing the latest products, technology and services in foodservice, hospitality, catering, bakery, retail, import, export, distribution, manufacturing and more.
One leading speaker will be food expert and TV chef Adam Moore from food consultancy Culinary Revolutions. Mr Moore will be part of the new Concept to Consumer workshop on 13 September for those interested in innovating and creating their own food brand.
“It’s helpful for companies under cost pressures to visit Fine Food Australia to get insight into new kitchen equipment, processes and menu innovations to reduce costs,” says Mr Moore, who will present ‘Innovation through the lens of a culinarian’ on the Talking Trends stage. “Visitors get access to manufacturers, suppliers and producers offering invaluable solutions.
“Exhibitor Unox has the Evereo – the first ever hot fridge which preserves cooked food at service temperature for days. There will also be chefs demonstrating how to utilise ingredients to minimise wastage. When businesses can save money by working smarter, they can keep afloat and lower costs during cost-of-living increases.”
Another Talking Trends speaker, Tony Green from Australian Foodservice Advocacy Body, who will present ‘Advocating for change – empowering the future of foodservice’, says businesses have been forced to become more innovative post-Covid with QR code ordering and other technology.
“One trend we’ve seen is menus are getting smaller – chefs are doing fewer dishes with fewer ingredients and fewer costs,” he says.
Former Pittwater RSL Executive Chef John McFadden from consultancy Squizify will also share his story in ‘How to be a world champion chef’. In May, Mr McFadden was crowned overall 2023 World Food Championships winner in Arkansas.
“The food industry needs to grow with young people understanding there are other creative pathways in food other than cooking,” he says. “Attracting more talent to other parts of the industry will create exciting concepts and more innovative and efficient ways of doing things.”
Sissel Rosengren of Food Industry Foresight, who will present ‘What’s in store for our industry and what’s changed since the pandemic’, says it’s important to keep the overall picture in perspective.
“Despite the rising cost of living, the dining out market has rebounded strongly after Covid and things are largely looking positive,” she says.
“Australians don’t view eating out as a treat, they view it as a way of life. They may be going to more affordable places, but they are still eating out when they can. There’s still strong demand for breakfast dining, and people are flocking back to cafes.”
Elsewhere, new series Talking Tech, sponsored by Square, will delve into influences, opportunities, and advancements in technology. Returning will be The Source Kitchen, sponsored by Investment NSW, with interviews, culinary demonstrations, ingredient spotlights, and workshops.
Fine Food Australia will take place at Sydney’s ICC between 11 and 14 September.
For the speaker program, visit finefoodaustralia.com.au. Register for the event, here.