National Restaurant Association Calls for Applications for 2017 Kitchen Innovations Awards

Cutting-edge foodservice equipment and technology to gain industry-wide visibility at NRA Show 2017

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Sep 13, 2016, 05:46 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Restaurant Association is now accepting applications for the 2017 Kitchen Innovations Awards. Now in its 13th year, the KI Awards program recognizes and celebrates meaningful advancements in foodservice equipment and technology. Recipients of the 2017 KI Awards will be featured in the popular Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at NRA Show 2017, to be held May 20-23 at Chicago's McCormick Place.

"Receiving a KI Award means that out of a thousand different companies, we are recognized for having an outstanding product," said Michael Bush, President of IceLink, a 2015 KI Award recipient. "What it does is bring a sense of credibility, a sense of value, of recognition and lets everyone know that the product is one that is going to bring value to the industry."

Suppliers can apply for a KI Award at Restaurant.org/Show/KI. KI Award recipients enjoy exclusive benefits including publicity though the NRA's media relations efforts, listings in NRA Show marketing and promotional materials, placement on the NRA Show website, and featured placement on the NRA Show floor in the Kitchen Innovations Pavilion where thousands of operators, dealers, consultants and media professionals can demo the products over the course of four days.

The deadline to apply for a 2017 KI Award is December 5, 2016. To be considered, equipment and technology products must be introduced or have been introduced to the marketplace between May 2015 and May 2017. These products must demonstrate considerable benefits to foodservice operators as determined by our independent panel of industry experts, including Dan Bendall (Principal, FoodStrategy, Inc.), Jeff Cook (Chief Engineer, Restaurant Solutions Group, McDonald's Corporation), Richard Eisenbarth, FCSI (President/COO, Cini-Little International), Foster F. Frable, Jr., FCSI, Associate AIA (President, Clevenger Frable LaVallee), Randy Homer (Program Manager, Food & Beverage Operations Asset Management, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts), Jim Krueger, Jr., CMCE, NRAMF (Chief, Air Force Food & Beverage Policy, Procedures, Business Development & Strategic Initiatives Air Force Services Activity (AFSVA)), Aaron Lamotte (Senior Director, Performance Interiors, Sodexo Performance Interiors), Steve Otto (Director, Capital Equipment Purchasing, Darden), Kathleen H. Seelye, FFCSI, LEED (Managing Partner, Ricca Design Studios).

Visit Restaurant.org/Show/KI for more details on the KI program, to apply and to see a list of previous award recipients.

The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show^® is the largest annual gathering of restaurant, foodservice, and lodging professionals in the world. NRA Show^® 2017 will be held May 20-23 at McCormick Place in Chicago, and the 2017 BAR at NRA Show Event, held in conjunction with NRA Show, will take place May 21-22. The events attract 67,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and showcase the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues, and growth opportunities. For more information, visit the NRA Show and BAR websites at Restaurant.org/Show and Restaurant.org/BAR and find the NRA Show on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, Instagram @NRAShow, YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest and our year-round content hub Brainfeed.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 14.4 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest trade show (NRA Show May 21-24, 2016, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids' menu options. For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

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SOURCE National Restaurant Association