Foodie Friday: Food, Food Everywhere

By  Debbie Mitchell

A few weekends ago (March 2-6) I found myself wandering the floors of New York City's Javits Convention Center. Saturday I was in heaven because I was attending the New York Times Travel Show which gave me a chance to do a little research and add a few more destinations to my growing travel "bucket list."  But I was really looking forward to walking the floors on Sunday since it would be my first time attending the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York an event one foodie friend told me was a MUST SEE.  I  didn't know what to expect  but knew it was going to be a long day. So I put on my flat shoes and got ready to eat my way through several hundred square feet of the convention center.  Here's how the day panned out.

Restaurant products and food vendors were showcasing supplies, foods  and condiments for any type of restaurant need.  I was partial to the spicy bottled hot peppers and ginger tea below and actually thought  for a quick minute about opening a  Caribbean restaurant . NOT!

The convention center was packed. People sipped, munched and moved bumper to bumper through the aisles as they sampled foods at almost every booth.  

                                                                       Soups On!

Do you want a cup or cone for that ice cream?

                                       

                                How about  tasting something on the healthy side?

                                   Forget the real food.....bring on the faux food!

             And while the food presentation was key a good sales pitch went a long way too.

When I first arrived and picked up my credentials I was pointed in the direction of the big pasty competition. Paris Gourmet was presenting the 23rd Annual U.S. Pastry Competition where eleven upcoming stars of the pastry world competed for the coveted title Pastry Chef of the Year. Competition was stiff ......

                                                    and quite tasty too.

Well, I must tell you after eating a little bit of this and a little bit of that for 2 hours  I was quite full.  And walking bumper to bumper in a crowd of folks trying to eat and walk at the same time quickly lost it's appeal so I decided to call it a day.  I made it through my first  International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, my feet were a little sore and I couldn't eat another bit but I will admit it was a fun afternoon.

TV/Social Media Producer Debbie Mitchell is currently a member of the James Beard Broadcast and New Media Awards committee.  If you are a food blogger interested in television placement or connecting with brands follow Debbie Mitchell @TVProducerDeb or email Ready4Airtv@gmail.com .