The home of hospitality innovation

Obit, Hotelympia, the UK’s greatest hospitality event, returns in early 2016, promising more product innovation than ever before, with the most comprehensive range of suppliers yet, plus all-new competitions and some of the UK’s most celebrated chefs.

Registration is now live for Hotelympia, the biennial four-day show, taking place on 29 February to 3 March. Relevant for every sector of hospitality, from hotels and restaurants to pubs; cafes; contract catering; casual dining; the cost sector and beyond, Hotelympia will see to the unique needs of visitors catered for by some of the world’s most pioneering exhibitors in food and drink; catering equipment; technology; interiors and tableware; careers and sustainability-focused waste-works.

Toby Wand, managing director at Fresh Montgomery, comments: “It may seem a contradiction in terms to describe an event on the sheer scale of Hotelympia as having the feel of a bespoke, tailored show, but in 2016, that’s exactly the experience we will deliver.

“How do we achieve this with so many ground-breaking exhibitors, from multiple sectors, all under one roof? The answer lies in knowing the market, understanding the trends that keep this vibrant industry ticking, showcasing companies that share in this vision, true innovators, keeping things fresh and, most importantly, relevant to you. So, whichever day you choose to spend with us, and whatever attraction, innovative new product, key exhibitor or insightful speaker is on your hit list, this experience will be individually tailored to you, the requirements of your business and your customers. Your show.”

Catering equipment
With over 120 exhibitors already confirmed in the equipment hall – the largest line-up ever amassed under one roof – state-of the art catering equipment is yet again set to be one of the jewels in the Hotelympia crown. New for 2016 is a unique and impressive ‘Meet the Buyer’ Programme, created in partnership with the Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) which will see buyers’ requirements matched to the exhibitor whose equipment best meet their needs.

They will then be able to speak directly and confidentially to manufacturers on everything from technical specifications to energy saving benefits. Crucially, they will also be able to compare and contrast kit and try before they buy.

Keith Warren, CESA director, said: “As the largest hospitality exhibition in the UK calendar, CESA and its membership is proud to support and continue our successful and established association with Hotelympia, which helps to fund many of CESA’s activities throughout the year.

The 2016 event is set to have the largest selection of catering equipment on show anywhere in the UK, while the new Meet the Buyer programme adds yet another compelling reason for visitors to make London the only destination they need visit for all their equipment requirements in 2016 and beyond.”

A host of leading industry lights will be offering insight-packed presentations on The Stage including: the master of service, restaurant manager of the world famous, Three Michelin-starred Waterside Inn, Diego Masciaga; Eric Partaker, co-CEO of casual innovators Chilango; leading designer and sustainable architecture pioneer, Oliver Heath; former Hotel Manager of The London Edition, Edwin Kramer; Martin Williams of London city restaurant, M; restaurateurs and master foragers, Richard and Oliver Gladwin; Michelin-starred chef, Mark Sergeant and star of TV’s The Apprentice, now a designer in her own right, Ella Jade Bitten.

The hum of The Hub
With Discovery, Delivery and Efficiency as key watchwords, the technology-focused HOSPACE Hub will offer a number of panel discussions around acquisition, service experience and efficiency for both guests and diners. Hot-button subjects will include: distribution; reservations; marketing and loyalty; point-of‑sale; up-selling; table management; in‑room technology; service automation; supply chain and inventory management.

The Hub will welcome a number of key influencers and experts onto its stage, including: Google UK’s head of hospitality, Terri Scriven, who will be talking about how sites can, with limited resources, make digital channels a boon rather than a bane; Denis Collet, CEO of Hotelympia Innovation Award winners, Orderella, who will be discussing functional technology and how its development is being driven by a whirlwind of customer demand; Digital Blonde Karen Fewell and My Ly, senior marketing manager for YO! Sushi, who will be debating the merits of digital marketing on a budget; and Tom Valentine, co-founder of Secret Escapes, who will be investigating the developing relationships between booking agencies and restaurants and hotels.

The staff canteen live
Held in conjunction with The Craft Guild of Chefs, The Staff Canteen Live – Skillery in association with Westlands, will be showcasing the skills of 16 of the country’s leading chefs, comprising some 20 Michelin stars. The line-up includes: Clare Smyth, chef patron of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay; Tom Kerridge from two Michelin-starred The Hand and Flowers and The Coach at Marlow; Claude Bosi of two Michelin-starred Hibiscus; Nathan Outlaw of his eponymous two Michelin-starred restaurant; Paul Ainsworth from one Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at Number 6; Tom Aikens, the youngest British chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars and Simon Rogan one of most accomplished, unique and best loved chefs in the UK.

Each day will see a changing line-up of chefs performing interactive demonstrations on stage in front of a live audience offering recipe guidance, cooking tips and sampling opportunities.

Encouraging innovation
With class-leading chefs in mind, International Salon Culinaire returns to Hotelympia in 2016 with a brand new Chef Director, executive chef of the Royal Garden Hotel, Steve Munkley, and a host of programme changes aimed at ensuring the world’s premier culinary competition stays fresh and relevant to modern hospitality.

New for 2016 is The Skills Theatre which will give chefs at the very beginning of their careers – including apprentices and students, and those who have not competed before – the chance to experience the thrill and bright spotlight of competition with classes including butchery, fishmongery, pastry, sugar‑craft and many more. Another first for Salon, front-of-house staff will now also get to demonstrate their skills and put their efforts to the test in a selection of service classes.

It’s not just about food, Hotelympia’s Drinks Cabinet and Drinks Innovation Theatre will grow to encompass craft beer, cider, spirits and wine as the drinks scene moves from strength-to-strength. The Drinks Innovation Theatre will not only house talks on the profitability of alcoholic beverages, but also how getting your hot drinks offering right can be equally as rewarding.

Toby Wand adds: “For almost 80 years this show has been the only show that the entire hospitality fraternity builds up to; the only show with the breadth of exhibitors and products needed to make business-changing decisions; the only show where you will leave with more than you arrived, buoyed by the weight of insight and innovation at every turn.

“In 2016, we’re taking the show to you. So if it’s the very latest ground-breaking catering equipment you’re looking for, this is your show; but what about the world‑class chefs that rely on these innovative machines daily? And the food and drink products – from leading suppliers and burgeoning producers – that go into making menus really stand out from the competition?

Or the beautiful flat and glassware that is the customer’s first experience of an establishment, the key design and décor elements that help set the tone, the lighting; the technology that keeps service running smoothly? Hotelympia 2016 has these key elements and much more in abundance.”

Making the show
After the shining success of 2014, the Hotelympia ‘Show Makers’ – a team of specially trained young ambassadors – will be on hand throughout the four days, offering advice and guidance on forthcoming attractions and creating bespoke pathways through the show, depending on visitor criteria and interests. Yet again the Show Makers have been recruited from leading catering college, Westminster Kingsway, with students trained by Lisa Campagnola, the lady behind the London Olympic Gamesmakers.

Also making a second appearance at the Hotelympia 2016 event will be Waste‑Works – a new, co-located event focusing purely on suppliers of waste solutions and services seeking to target the hospitality sector. The attraction will consist of a high‑level speaker programme, alongside a large number of specialist exhibitors.

Further information
www.hotelympia.com