National Restaurant Association Announces Initial All-Star Chef Line-up and New Location for 2015 World Culinary Showcase

Celebrated chefs share tips, techniques and entertainment in Chicago on May 16-19

World-class celebrity chefs dish out their culinary expertise at the World Culinary Showcase at this year’s 2015 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and BAR at the NRA Show (Beverage Alcohol for Restaurants), taking place at Chicago’s McCormick Place on May 16-19. Guest attendees will have the opportunity to learn from acclaimed chefs at the new Lakeside Center stage such as: Top Chef winner Kristen Kish, Chopped judges Marc Murphy and Maneet Chauhan, as well as returning favorites like Rick Bayless, Anne Burrell, Robert Irvine and more.

“As a chef myself, I have a special affinity for the World Culinary Showcase at NRA Show and the way these celebrities give back to their industry through education,” says John C. Metz, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2015 and Executive Chef/CEO of Marlow’s Tavern, Aqua Blue, and Sterling Spoon Culinary Management. “The combination of inspiration gained from these renowned chefs, insights from the over 70+ education sessions, discoveries on the show floor, and countless interactions with industry peers makes the NRA Show 2015 a not-to-miss destination for any foodservice operator.”

The World Culinary Showcase, running all four days of the NRA Show, will feature chefs from across the country with a wide range of culinary specialties. See here for a look at the World Culinary Showcase. This year’s talent includes:

Rick Bayless – Winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and multiple James Beard award winner; author of seven award-winning cookbooks; chef/owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, XOCO and Tortas Frontera; founder of Frontera Farmer Foundation to attract support for small Midwestern farms.

Anne Burrell – Star of Food Network favorites Worst Cook in America, Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell and Secrets of a Restaurant Chef; author of Cook Like a Rockstar and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower.

Maneet Chauhan – Chopped judge, Iron Chef challenger, author and James Beard Award-winner; owner of Chauhan Ale & Masala House in Nashville, Tennessee.

Elizabeth Falkner – Award-winning chef, author and James Beard Foundation award nominee; returning participant on Top Chef, Iron Chef, and Kitchen Inferno.

Robert Irvine – Host of The Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible and Restaurant Express; also seen on Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, and The Next Iron Chef; author of two cookbooks Mission: Cook! and Impossible to Easy.

Kristen Kish – Having worked with high-profile award winning chefs such as Guy Martin and Barbara Lynch, Chef Kish went on to win on Bravo’s Top Chef becoming the second female chef to win the prestigious competition.

Jehangir Mehta – Participant on Food Network’s Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America; chef of Graffiti, Graffiti Me, and Mehtaphor in Manhattan.

Marc Murphy – Owner and executive chef of Benchmarc Restaurants and Benchmarc Events in NYC; Chopped judge and Iron Chef America participant; official spokesperson for Dine Out For No Kid Hungry program.

Barton Seaver – Executive chef; host of National Geographic web series Cook-Wise; contributor to National Geographic Weekend with Boyd Matson; member of the United States culinary Ambassador Corp.; Director of the Healthy and Sustainable Food Program at the Center for Health and Global Environment at Harvard.

Fabio Viviani – Chef/owner of Cafe Firenze, Firenze Osteria and Siena Tavern; appeared on Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, After Top Chef; author of best-seller Fabio’s Italian Kitchen.

NRA Show 2015 will be held May 16-19 and BAR at the NRA Show will be held May 17-18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. To register, please visit Restaurant.org/Attend/Registration.

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest annual gathering of restaurant, foodservice, and lodging professionals. NRA Show 2015 will be held May 16-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago, and BAR at the NRA Show 2015 will take place May 17-18. The events attract 63,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and the event showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues, and more growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the NRA Show and BAR websites at Restaurant.org/Show and Restaurant.org/BAR and find NRA Show on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook and Instagram @NRAShow.