CHICAGO — The 2009 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show will be held this year May 16-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
This year's show marks its 90th anniversary and will attract exhibitors and attendees from more than 100 countries. Programs include the International Back-of-the-House Restaurant Tour, International Cuisine Pavilion, International Reception and international buyer programs by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Commerce.
The International Back-of-the-House Restaurant Tour will provide exclusive opportunities for international show attendees to visit Chicago-area restaurants to learn about operational trends. There will be two tours this year and each will visit two of Chicago's renowned dining establishments. The tours will be held May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tour 1 will visit Hub 51 and Custom House; Tour 2 will feature Macy's on State Street and Signature Room at the 95th.
Chefs, owners and other buyers can learn the latest ethnic food and beverage trends by visiting the International Cuisine Pavilion (ICP) — located at the front of North Hall, Level 3.
NRA Show 2009 also is supported by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Buyer Program (IBP), which helps foreign restaurant operators organize their show visits to explore U.S.-produced goods and services. Interested parties should contact the commercial or agricultural trade specialist at the nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to learn more about the show or to join an official delegation.
In addition, the annual International Reception will be held May 16, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in North Hall, room N427. To assist international attendees and exhibitors at the show, the International Trade Center will provide a lounge area with free beverages, private meeting rooms, and international business matchmaking services. Additionally, a multilingual staff is available to assist with interpretation. Languages spoken include Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
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