Bites & Sips: It’s (Restaurant) Show Time

Oddsmakers who pegged THC as the breakout star at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago won big: The Beverage Pavilion was awash in enough liquid enhancement to levitate the whole of McCormick Place. But the more than 55,000 attendees who traversed the aisles were able to keep their feet on the ground thanks to some compelling exhibitors and innovative products.

Protein Power

The noticeably lower profile of plant-based proteins this year was more than compensated by actual animal alternatives, like rabbit, a true mystery meat. The mystery: Why isn’t the nutritious, versatile and affordable product a menu staple? Natural State Rabbit aims to effect change and raise awareness with Rabbit Ambassadors: chefs who create recipes ranging from comforting, like Hearty Rabbit Stew with root vegetables, to sophisticated, like Roasted Rabbit Loin with pea purée and carrot ribbon salad.

Credit: Natural State Rabbit

No longer dominated by plant-based alternatives, this year’s exhibitors peddled less common animal proteins, such as rabbit.

Other boosters of underutilized animal foods included The Humble Goat, which promotes goat whey and cheese; North American Bison, which invited showgoers to “cut the bull” with bison burgers, steaks and more; Original Mekong Swai, a sustainably farmed, mild and tasty Vietnamese fish from Coast Beacon; and JuicyBite’s line of prepared duck breast products, including on-trend Korean bulgogi and gochujang-marinated options.

On a related note and given Chicago’s long history in the meat-packing industry, it seemed entirely appropriate that fifth-generation, family-owned South Chicago Packing was sampling beef tallow available as a cooking agent in pourable and sprayable versions.

Next Generation

The show doesn’t just introduce menu trends—it provides a laboratory to study their development and evolution.

A terrific example is boba, the Taiwanese tapioca pearls that have taken the beverage world by storm and created the market for super-sized straws to slurp up the little spheres. Some operators have experimented with adding boba as dessert toppers, but less expected menu applications were on display at the Kültee booth. The largest domestic manufacturer of boba makes its poppers from a range of natural flavors that opens the door to savory usage, as in Asian Cucumber Salad with soy-ginger boba on offer at the show. In a cool crossover, the company piggybacks on the pickle juggernaut with pickle boba that adds pop and pucker to Bloody Marys.

And speaking of texturally tantalizing wares, Japanese brand Myojo offered booth visitors a mini education on the nuances of ramen, showcasing a trio of noodles plus samples of recommended menu applications tailored to each’s texture and shape. In addition to basic descriptors like “smooth and balanced” and “rich and chewy,” each variety boasted its own catchphrases “it springs back,” “it glides,” “it holds”—to really drive home the points of differentiation.

Meanwhile, pizza may get a run for its money from pinsa, a lighter, crispier version of conventional crust that’s been nibbling around the edges of the category. DiMarco Original Pinsa Romana lays claim to creating the product, which is made with soy, rice and wheat flours and benefits from long fermentation. Immediately after the show, the company announced the first National Pinsa Day in the U.S. on May 28. Promotional activity included “authentic centurions” roaming the streets of New York City. Despite the lack of centurions of any stripe in Chicago, the brand told a tasty story and drew a steady crowd.

Credit: DiMarco

Boasting an airy texture thanks in part to its long fermentation, Roman pinsa could emerge as an intriguing alternative to pizza.

Trend watchers who’ve predicted that African ingredients are on the brink of menu mainstreaming stateside were validated by the compelling presence of Uganda, which sampled world-class, pantry-ready products like gourmet vanilla, specialty coffee and tea, single-origin dark chocolate and even gin.

And operators looking for the contemporary equivalent of a chocolate fountain to add an interactive spark and build buzz around catered events might consider Sprizzer, a first-time exhibitor from Italy. It promises to get the party started with an easy-to-use dispenser of the eponymous beverage that makes consistent quaffs every time and looks cute while doing so. There are also attractive accessories that hold garnishes and nibbles.

Audience Participation

Attendees were engaged from the get-go by a noisy but popular Plate Drop game. Centrally located to welcome attendees to the exhibit halls and with amplification adequate to break the sound barrier, it was impossible to overlook, and a long line of hopeful plate droppers formed to try their luck. The prize: free registration for next year’s show.

Less noisy but equally engaging, BolognaFiere’s Italian Pavilion of Wine, Spirits and Olive Oil offered expert-led tastings of Italian regional wines. Richard Hanauer, wine director at Chicago’s popular RPM Restaurants, conducted what he described as speed master classes on the subject, complete with professional wine-evaluation worksheets, spit buckets and palate-cleansing water.

Exhibits covered 720,000 square feet, and weary show warriors looking to rest their aching feet were encouraged to enjoy its alternative to a spa: pickleball courts. It was billed as the “ultimate activation space combining the thrill of pickleball with the convenience of Show Store North,” a vendor selling a variety of show-related merch, which was big this year.

Idea Factory

Menu data presented during a session by Technomic tells a dramatic story. The number of core menu items at full-service restaurants has risen 13 percent and 6 percent at limited-serves since 2021, a clear contradiction of earlier restaurant management vows of post-shutdown menu rationalization. What’s more, the number of limited-time offers jumped a staggering 134 percent in the past five years and are forecast to grow another 3 percent in 2026.

In the face of unprecedented menu competition, the NRA Show remains a reliable source of ideas and innovations to give operators the winning edge in an increasingly challenging business environment—pickleball, merch and broken plates notwithstanding.