Halls 18, 19 and 20 of Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre were buzzing for the four days of Hospitality Week 2003. Exhibitors - from small food producers, such as those represented on the Heart of England stand, to the big guns of the catering equipment world - ensured there was something for everyone.
But the show wasn't just about business deals. The competitions in the Culinary Theatre added excitement, while a programme of seminars generated information and debate about the industry. There was also a centre dedicated to hospitality students (see panel, right), giving them a chance to peek at their chosen industry.
Brian Turner took time off from his duties as executive chairman of the Academy of Culinary Arts to officially get Hospitality Week under way.
In a brief speech preceding the formal ribbon cutting, Turner held forth on a variety of issues, including the growing importance of food provenance in the industry and the importance of reinstating food education on the school curriculum.
"The health of this nation is tied to pupils and parents," he commented, before drawing attention to the academy's own Adopt-a-School programme ("my soap-box"). The scheme introduces children between the ages of five and 16 to "real food" and the prospects of a career in catering by taking top-flight chefs into schools around the UK.
He also touched on the changes that had been introduced to Hospitality Week, in particular the fact that the traditional salon culinaire format for chef competitions had been replaced by a number of competitive team events. "I'm sure the new format will be great," he said, and added: "I'm a real fan of cold competitions. They're a great opportunity for chefs to learn away from the workplace."
View from the stands
Good for business? Here's what some exhibitors had to say about the show...
Alex Farrel, director of Helo Childcare Supplies, had a very good show: "It was the most successful Hospitality Week we've ever attended, with a good mix of corporate and independent buyers."
Gary Vale, director of Eden Contract Furniture, agreed. "It was smaller, but as an exhibitor that can be an advantage: it's easier to be found, easier for visitors to keep their bearings, and you tend to stand out from the crowd."
For Derek Wilson, director of menu cover manufacturer Suggestions, the show's location was particularly useful: "As we are a Midlands-based company, it gets me excellent access to all those restaurants and bars that are on my doorstep."
Peter Nimmo, sales director at European Bottle Crushers, was exhibiting for the first time: "We thought it would be good because we had a new machine, but it was overwhelming. We had over 140 sales leads."
The student centre
More than 800 students passed through the doors into the world of business at this year's Hospitality Week - for a series of seminars, a chance to win prizes and, most importantly, an insight into how it all works.
The student centre, organised by Springboard UK, hosted all manner of speakers, from Territorial Army chefs to Jeremy Spencer, director and general manager of new concept restaurants at Six Continents.
Spencer, who oversees operations at chains such as Browns and All Bar One, talked of how much the restaurant scene had changed over the past two decades, even suggesting that cooking is "the new rock'n'roll". He highlighted the fact that, despite the image of poor pay and unsociable working hours, the industry is fun, and fast career progression is achievable. And he issued a reminder to the industry: "Industrial work placements need to be run properly. We don't want people to get hacked off before they have even started a job."
Overall, the students seemed to find the event informative. Aspiring chef Andrew Samuels, from Wolverhampton College, said: "It's good to see all the kitchen equipment, especially the advanced stuff which we don't have in our kitchens." Corinne Pringle, from Craven College in Skipton, North Yorkshire, thought it was useful "talking to people in the industry, finding out how they do things, and comparing different establishments".