Catersource
The only catering-specific tradeshow in the industry!
The Catersource Tradeshow is an exciting part of the overall Conference experience!
Tuesday, March 12 (11:00am – 6:00pm)
Wednesday, March 13 (9:00am – 2:00pm)
Las Vegas Convention Center
Get thousands of ideas while you take advantage of the many show specials, meet with your vendors face-to-face and discover new suppliers that want to do business with you. Click here to see our list of 2013 Exhibitors. Of course, you’ll also sample some of the best catering-tailored foods and beverages you won’t find anywhere else.
The 2013 Tradeshow floor will be highlighted by several special areas and events:
Spectacular Sweets
Pastry Showcase
presented by Chef Rubber
Back for a second year, the Spectacular Sweets Pastry Showcase will highlight some of the sweetest creations in sugar, chocolate and more. Last year a World Record was broken during the Tradeshow, get ready for even more exciting surprises this year!
AFR Design Challenge
sponsored by AFR Furniture Rental
Watch an exciting display of creativity as an industry veteran is challenged by an up-and-coming design star in a fast paced competition on the Tradeshow floor.
Tabletop Contest
View, vote and get ready to be inspired. This contest is always a must-see on the show floor! Dozens of caterers have pulled out all the stops to compete. You’ll see on display some of the most inventive and original ideas from caterers coast to coast. Celebrity event planner David Tutera will once again comment on each tabletop design and award his favorite pick - you and your camera don't want to miss this exciting display!
Interested in competing? Click here for more details!
ACF Las Vegas Culinary Challenge
presented by Southwest Gas
Visit the Culinary Challenge to see some of the most talented chefs compete for prestigious ACF awards. This two-day professional-grade competition will give both rising and established culinary stars an opportunity to compete in a variety of cooking, cake decorating, decorative centerpieces, sugar centerpieces and carving competitions.
Interested in competing? Click here for details
Ice Carving Demonstrations
presented by The National Ice Carving Association
You’ll get chills as you watch six exciting ice carving demos. Take in the talents of these artists and browse many more precarved display pieces on the Tradeshow floor!
Masters of Catering Roundtable
Wednesday, March 13
9:00am - 11:00am
This session takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is limited to 100 participants.
The Masters of Catering Roundtable session is specifically designed for owners and key managers who have seen and done it all! Produced as a joint venture by the ICA and Catersource, this two hour session will feature roundtable discussions focused on the issues and challenges faced by market leaders in today's catering and events marketplace and will provide you the opportunity to share solutions and ideas with your peers. This session is designed for those who:
. are owners or key managers
. own or manage a company with an annual revenue exceeding $1 million
. own or manage a company that currently has or plans to add more than one division or profit center
. own or manage a company that services a medium, large or regional market with the opportunity to produce events with reasonable or high budgets
To participate in this session, please click here to fill out an application.
100 qualified participants will receive an invitation to attend.
Learn Magic Tricks for Successful Plated Dinner Service: A Hands-on Demonstration
Wednesday, March 13
1:15pm – 2:00pm
New for 2013, this class will be focused on learning or improving your company’s back-of-the-house techniques for producing successful seated dinners, regardless of the size of the event. Take your place on the plating line as the expediter or the executive chef and learn the best practices for serving beautifully plated courses.
Class is limited to the first 50 participants on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Exhibition Stages
Learn even more at the Tradeshow by taking in short presentations throughout the two days on one of the Exhibition Stages. Topics to be covered include:
| TUESDAY LVCC | Culinary Stage | Design Stage |
| 12:45pm - 1:15pm | Using the Southern Pride Yield King Smoker for the Perfect Rack |
Building a Bar: How to Turn Your Bar into a Design Element and Serve a Lot of Drinks Quickly |
| 1:30pm - 2:00pm | Scott Conant in the Catersource Kitchen | Sneak Peek: Style Me…Again |
| 2:15pm - 2:45pm | From Bacon to Chops: Appetizers and Entrees Using Pork | Unique Equipment and Design Elements for Catering Buffets |
| 3:00pm - 3:30pm | A Blast from the Past: Vintage Cocktails for Your Bar Menus | Work Less and Be More Efficient: Using Technology to Become More Effective |
| 3:45pm - 4:15pm | Something Unexpected: Extra Special Touches for Your Menus by Chef Rubber | Special Event Lighting Design Tips and Tricks |
| 4:30pm - 5:00pm | Culinary Mixology: Bringing the Bar to the Kitchen | Using Forms and Systems will Make Your Company More Profitable |
| 5:15pm - 5:45pm | The Tapas Table: Delectable Little Dishes with Robust and Varied Flavors | ACF Culinary Challenge Medal Presentation |
| WEDNESDAY LVCC | Culinary Stage | Design Stage |
| 9:30am - 10:00am | Stick It, Spoon It, Pass It Around: A New Version of Appetizers Based on Ideas from Chef Eric's Stick It, Spoon It, Put It in a Glass | Make Your Chef the Hit of the Party: Ten Ideas for Chef Action Stations |
| 10:15am - 10:45am | Fusion Chef presents: Sous Vide Applications for Caterers | Break A Leg: What’s Hot and Trendy for Event Entertainment |
| 11:00am - 11:30am | Rollin' Out The Southern Pride Rolltisseri | 20/20 Vision: 20 Design Concepts for $20 or Less |
| 11:45am - 12:15pm | Cooking In and With Salt: It's Not just a Condiment Anymore | Wedding Design: Why Are Weddings Different? Part 1 |
| 12:30pm - 1:00pm | Culinary Mixology: Bringing the Bar to the Kitchen | Wedding Design: Why Are Weddings Different? Part 2 |
| 1:15pm - 1:45pm | ACF Culinary Challenge Medal Presentation | Caterer 2 Caterer: Love It, Live It, Learn from It (Three attendees to this class will win copies of Bill's new book.) |
*Schedule is subject to change.
