The organisers of this years Hotelympia exhibition at the Excel London have really upped their game. I have skipped this show for a few years as previous visits have been drab, poorly organised, uninspiring and often a waste of time. Not this year. The current show 29th Feb to 3rd March is outstanding. The catering industry is reaping the benefits of a substantial investment in technology, innovation, creativity and design and its all on show here!
For the visitor this show is easy to get to, well laid out, extremely well populated with all the big names you would expect to find but also with room for the small, passionate independent producer selling Freetrade coffee, organic crisps or grow your own micro herb systems. With over 600 exhibitors it must be easy to get lost. Not so! the floor plan is divided into zones so that all the tableware is in one place. So too the refrigeration or Epos systems. This may not make life easy for the exhibitor whose stand is right next to all of his competitors but it certainly helps the customer when the key trade options are all together to meet, compare and assess.
The show stands and equipment is nicely broken up with an excellent program of live events. The Live Theatre, Main Stage industry experts, Drinks Theatre, Hospace Hub, Competition Zone and live Skillery were all running interesting and accessible programmes all day and the Salon Culinaire showcased some of the best chocolate, sugar, cake and buffet work in the country.
There is far too much on show to mention everyone but I was particularly impressed with
Evogro Micro Herbs …………………………………………………… Menu System ranges
If you missed it this year then put it in your diary for 2017..imaginative…informative…inspirational…and a grand day out!
