CHICAGO — The National Restaurant Association has announced its lineup of celebrities to be included in the Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore feature at its 2008 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, to be held May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
In its second year, the bookstore will feature top celebrity chefs and star restaurateurs signing their latest books and sharing their expertise with show attendees. Select authors will showcase their skills in the Culinary Scene area. The onsite bookstore will feature a full range of industry-related books, in addition to books by the appearing authors.
Individuals to appear in the Celebrity Book Signings & NRA Show Bookstore include:
- Mario Batali — 2:30 p.m. May 17: Available at the show will be his latest book "Italian Grill, the ultimate handbook on Italian grilling."
- Rick Bayless — 1 p.m. May 19: Bayless' books — "Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico" and "Mexican Everyday," will be available at the show. Bayless will present a demonstration in the NRA Show Culinary Scene area at 10 a.m. May 19.
- Charlie Ayers — 3 p.m. May 18: Ayers' book, "Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef who fed Google" will be available at the show. Ayers will present a demonstration in the NRA Show Culinary Scene area at 1 p.m. May 18.
- Grady Spears — 1 p.m. May 17: His fourth book, "Texas Cowboy Kitchen," will be available at the show.
- Gale Gand — 2:30 p.m. May 20: Gand's book, "Chocolate & Vanilla," will be available at the show.
- Rick Tramonto — 10 a.m. May 19: Tramonto's new book, "Fantastico! Little Italian Plates," and "Antipasti from Rick Tramonto's Kitchen" will be available at the show.
- Govind Armstrong — 11:30 a.m. May 18: Armstrong's first book, "Small Bites, Big Nights: Seductive Little Plates for Intimate Occasions and Lavish Parties," will be available at the show.
- Craig Priebe — 10 a.m. May 17: His new book, "Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas," will be available at the show.
- Pino Luongo and Mark Strausman — 11:30 a.m. May 19: They put a personal spin on the divide between cuisine from Italy and the American variety in their fifth cookbook, "Two Meatballs in the Italian Kitchen," which will be available at the show.
