HRC set to welcome pub and bar operators

Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) is set to return to ExCeL on 21 to 23 March, with many pub and bar operators planning to make the trip to London to make the most of the event. 

For 2022, HRC has joined forces with PUB22 to bring together the most-loved features of The Pub Show to the event. It will highlight a selection of products specifically for publicans and bar owners, and will also have a dedicated PUB22 area which will host a curated selection of suppliers for the on-trade. 

“Since the last edition of HRC in March 2020, we’ve seen a huge amount of innovation and creativity in the world of hospitality and foodservice,” says event manager Ronda Annesley. “This year’s event will be a not-to-be-missed reunion for the industry, and a chance to discover all the trends, opportunities and products to grow your business in the years to come.” 

Hospitality tech to revolutionise the industry   

The past two years have seen a huge rate of adoption of hospitality technology, both from business owners and customers. On the Tech X stage, brands including Honest Burger, Popeyes, Wahaca, Yummy Pubs and more will be discussing how hospitality businesses can best harness technology to increase profits and improve customer experience.  

“Our customers and team members are now using technology in almost every aspect of their lives, and they have come to expect a level of convenience and tech savviness with the businesses they interact with," says Dub Lee, culture systems architect for Honest Burger and speaker at HRC 2022. "As the workforce gets younger modern, consumer grade tech will be essential to engage our teams.” 

Tackling the industry’s staffing shortages 

Staffing challenges are top of the agenda in the world of hospitality and HRC 2022 is addressing the issue directly on the Vision Stage. A key session will be Tackling the Industry’s Staffing Shortages on 21 March, where EXP101 co-founder Kieron Bailey will be joined by Chris Gamm, CEO of Springboard; Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and Supersonic Marketing; Abi Dunn, founder of Sixty Eight People; and Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UKHospitality. 

Celebrating culinary excellence 

HRC will also see the return of International Salon Culinaire for its 120th edition. This year’s competition has over 100 live and static challenges and displays, showcasing some of the UK’s best chefs. The first live edition of the competition since 2020 has introduced new categories including The Apprentice Challenge and Pub Chef of the Year. 

The event will also welcome back The Staff Canteen Live, which will see 12 chefs, plus a chef they see as one to watch, recreate their favourite dishes and share their experience and insights with the live audience. The line-up for 2022 includes celebrity chef Tom Kerridge; Tom Booton, head chef at The Grill at The Dorchester; Sally Abé, consultant chef for The Pem; and Gareth Ward, chef proprietor at the two-Michelin-starred Ynyshir.  

Say hi to the Pub & Bar team

If you'd like to meet the team from Pub & Bar, please drop by H2O Publishing's stand H470. We'd love to say hello to some readers. 

You may also be interested in…