A line-up of industry speakers and think tanks focusing on growing business into the future are key programme features of the New Zealand Hospitality Summit in Auckland next month.
Entitled ‘The Future of Hospitality – Building Forward’, the summit will be hosted by Hospitality New Zealand and the NZChefs Association on 7-9 September.
Keynote speakers are Danny Meyer, Mike King and David Wild.
Danny Meyer is chief executive officer of New York’s Union Square Hospitality Group who opened his first restaurant at age 27, focused on customer satisfaction.
His bestselling book Setting the Table looks at the power of hospitality in restaurants, business, and life. Mental health advocate and Gumboot Friday founder Mike King will talk on well-being and fatigue in a presentation entitled ‘Thanks for the Hospitality’.
Other speakers include: Troy Clarry (Katalyma Hotels and Hospitality), Franz Mascarenhas (Cordis Auckland), Clinton Farley (Hotel Britomart), Matthew Burke (Pacific STR), Emma Kirkland (Marsden Group), Bernie Burke (Seekom), Garrick Loft (Fastrack Digital), Munish Chetty (Vision Sales and Marketing NZ), Jackie Leat (Fr@nk), Aaron Mills (Havelock North Motor Lodge), Reuben Beatson (Astro Hospitality), Megan Williams (Tourism Industry Aotearoa), Richard MacLeod (Loaded Reports), Tarik Mallett (Mobi2go), and James O’Connell (The Hospitality Company).
They will run accommodation and food & beverage think tank sessions that will give summit attendees a close look at the sector’s challenges and situations from a fresh perspective.
Issues will include immigration, labour shortages, optimising revenue, driving direct bookings, website imagery, sustainability, open book management, technology and businesses of the future, menu design, food costings, the art of upselling, end-to-end stock management, the living wage, interior design, and hospitality business in the post-Covid era.
The conference will be opened by futurist Dave Wild.
Hospitality NZ Chief Executive Julie White and NZ Chefs Executive Officer Janine Quaid say the event is both a showcase for the industry dealing with the challenges of COVID and a chance to build forward and how it will evolve to thrive into the future.
“It’s the premier event for all hospitality and accommodation providers to connect and share solutions for the recovery of the industry,” says Julie White.
It’s designed for owners, venue managers, accommodation providers, employees, chefs, and those who supply and purchase hospitality supplies. It’s open to everyone in the industry, not just Hospitality NZ or NZChefs members.
Other features include:
- education and training seminars
- a trade show displaying the latest innovation in the industry
- a demonstration kitchen
- the NZ Hospitality Championships
- a networking lounge.
The prestigious annual Lion Hospitality Awards of Excellence will be announced at a black tie dinner at which the best in the industry will be recognised and celebrated. As well as category awards, a Supreme overall winner will be announced.
There will also be a People’s Choice Award, for which there has been an outstanding number of nominations so far. They close this Friday
The trade show is expected to have more than 100 suppliers showcasing their products/services, and will feature the latest innovation with a focus on the evolving sustainability challenges. The demonstration kitchen will give members the opportunity to discover creativity and talent, an Artisan’s Market will introduce operators to small local suppliers, and the networking lounge will allow attendees to establish industry contacts and share ideas.
Janine Quaid says bringing together the best and brightest in food and beverage service will enable a swapping of ideas that will put the industry in a great place.
“This will be the perfect platform for all skills to reconnect and contribute to the way forward.”
Julie White says it will bean ideal opportunity for the industry to look at how it will build forward for the future. “This will enable businesses to work together to find ways of ensuring they don’t just survive, but thrive into the future.”
