AN OUTSTANDING LINE UP OF TOP CHEFS TO GRACE THE
“HOT SPOT” STAGE
AT THE WESTERN FOODSERVICE & HOSPITALITY EXPO   Two Hot Tamales; Bravo TV’s Top Chefs; The Modern Mixologist;
Thai Chef, Tommy Tang and Private Chef to the Stars Scheduled in the
Hot Spot Culinary Demonstration Area

NORWALK, CT June 27, 2007 – The Hot Spot Culinary Demonstration Extravaganza is back for a second year at The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and this year co-located with the Ferdinand Metz Food Service Forum. All restaurant and foodservice professionals are invited to visit this exciting and eye popping feature area on the Show floor. The trade show and conference will take place from Saturday, August 18th through Monday, August 20th at the Los Angeles Convention Center and the “Hot Spot” will be packed each day with celebrity appearances, cooking demonstrations by top chefs, notable newcomers and industry icons.

“The Hot Spot area was a huge success last year and we are thrilled to be working with the top culinary experts in the industry to bring together well-known chefs who will showcase their talent in a state-of-the-art culinary demonstration theater,” said Ron Mathews, event director for the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo. “Chefs from a variety of culinary specialties will prepare wonderful dishes while discussing technique and menu options with the audience. We highly encourage all restaurant professionals to make plans to attend these sessions.”

This year the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) will present its Student Showcase and Awards Ceremony in the Hot Spot on Saturday, August 18 from 4:00 – 6:00. Attendees to the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo can visit the Show website for updates: www.westernfoodexpo.com.. As of press time, the following schedule has been confirmed.

MASTER CHEF COOKING SERIES, Presented by the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum
The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum is pleased to announce three culinary legends who will be featured in the MASTER CHEFS COOKING SERIES: Master Pastry Chef Joseph Decker, Master Chef Frederic H. “Fritz” Sonnenschmidt and Master Chef Edward G. Leonard. Each will lead a one-hour cooking demonstration and presentation in the HOT SPOT.

Saturday, August 18, 2007 ~~ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
TWO HOT TAMALES
Watch the sassy cooking style of The Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales,
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. The duo have been business partners for over 20 years, beginning with the opening of City Cafe on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles in 1981. Currently they are hands-on owner-operators of the popular and critically acclaimed Border Grill restaurants in Santa Monica and Las Vegas. The pair also own and operate Ciudad restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles, featuring the bold and seductive flavors of the Latin world.

Sunday, August 19, 2007 ~~ 12:00 – 2:00 pm
TOP CHEF: TOP TRIO
Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive culinary demo featuring chefs from Bravo channel’s hit TV series “Top Chef”. New York’s “sexiest chef” Executive Chef Sam Talbot, the adorable and always entertaining Mike Midgley, and San Francisco’s own “hotty” Executive Pastry Chef Marisa Churchill will share their culinary secrets, their cutting edge dishes and inside information on what it’s really like to battle for Top Chef.

Sunday, August 19, 2007 ~~ 2:30 – 4:00 pm
“LATIN LIBATIONS”
The Modern Mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim will demonstrate all of the secrets to mixing great drinks. From shaking to stirring and muddling to blending, he will show the audience how easy it is to craft wonderful libations featuring his favorite ingredients from South of the border.

Monday, August 20, 2007 ~~ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
“MODERN THAI”
Tommy Tang, celebrity chef & host of PBS’s Cooking /Travel Series “Let’s Get Cooking with Tommy Tang”, will share his flair for creating unique, delectable cuisine from his native Thailand. Tommy's modern cooking combines elements of Japanese, Indian, American, and European dishes with traditional Thai flavor. This Emmy nominated Chef/Entertainer will present a high energy culinary demonstration!

Monday, August 20, 2007 ~~ 1:00 – 2:30 pm
“THE HOLLYWOOD DISH”
Hollywood’s celebrities turn to Akasha Richmond, Hollywood’s favorite healthy chef – especially when it comes to food. Learn her techniques to A-list cooking while she prepares a chic, healthy and delicious dish.

The platinum sponsor of the HOT SPOT is Cyndigo, who provides credit card processing services to the restaurant, retail and hospitality industries exclusively. Cyndigo offers a variety of contactless, multi-lane, customer-facing, pay-at-the-table and drive-thru payment solutions, each of which is designed to increase throughput by promoting quicker payments. Cyndigo will be in booth #1647.

ABOUT THE WESTERN FOODSERVICE & HOSPITALITY EXPO
In addition to the Hot Spot, this year’s Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo offers several features and Special Events, including the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum, the Pizza Pavilion & Competition, the Ultimate Barista Challenge ® USA, a Consultant Services Center featuring FCSI Consultants, an Energy Efficient Theater Kitchen, The Wine Grotto, an innovative New Product Gallery, an International Tasting Arena, a Multi Unit Operator Alliance and much more. The California Restaurant Association will host the American Express CRAVE…The Experience on Sunday, August 19, 8:30 – 11:00 pm at the Union Bank Coral Tree Plaza in Los Angeles. Tickets to The CRAVE are $175 per person and will be available in the Hot Spot during show hours on Saturday and Sunday. The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is produced and managed by Reed Exhibitions, and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association (CRA). The 2007 Expo will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from Saturday, August 18 through Monday, August 20, 2007. For more information call 800.840.5612 or visit the official Show web site at www.westernfoodexpo.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS
Reed Exhibitions, which manages more than 420 events worldwide, is a member of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leading provider of information-driven services and solutions. Reed Exhibitions offers integrated market access programs covering exhibitions, trade publications, direct marketing and the Internet to a database of 3.5 million in North America. (NYSE:RUK/ENL). Reed manages three shows for the foodservice and hospitality industry and altogether, more than 50,000 foodservice professionals attend the three shows. More information about these events can be found by visiting the official event web site at www.thefoodshows.com.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
The California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) has awarded nearly $900,000 in scholarships and grants since its inception in 1981. CRAEF works to enhance education and training programs within the hospitality industry. The California Restaurant Association is the definitive voice of the California restaurant and hospitality industry and has served to protect and promote its success since 1906. The restaurant industry is the largest private employer in California, representing more than 1.4 million jobs. Restaurants produce more than $54 billion in sales annually and generate more than $4.5 billion in sales tax for the state.
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For more information please visit their website at www.westernfoodexpo.com