Florida Restaurant Show (FRS) – October 25–27, 2026
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando
Florida Restaurant Show (FRS) is a premier industry-only event for restaurant, hotel, catering, and foodservice professionals. Attendees explore the latest products and services, sample new food and beverage offerings, discover new menu trends, and connect with industry peers, suppliers, and operators.
The show offers a strong mix of practical value and professional development; culinary demonstrations, education sessions, networking opportunities, and special features such as innovation-focused experiences and competitions. The show also includes exhibits from food and beverage brands, equipment suppliers, distributors, technology providers, and special events such as the Culinary Innovation Theater and competitions.
The Culinary Innovation Theater is the show’s live demonstration stage designed to inspire restaurant owners, chefs, and foodservice professionals rather than simply entertain. Typical presentations include: Live cooking demos by renowned chefs; New menu development and flavor trends; Food plating and presentation techniques; Equipment demonstrations from leading manufacturers; Sustainability and waste-reduction ideas; Beverage and food pairings; as well as Interactive Q&A sessions with presenters. Beverage-focused demos highlight how drinks are built, paired, and presented in a foodservice setting – ncluding coffee, tea, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Culinary Competitions showcase chefs competing under timed conditions while judges score them on Creativity, Technical skill, Taste, Presentation, Sanitation and Organization.
Sunshine Plate Competition Stage presented with the Central Florida chapter of the American Culinary Federation features live head-to-head chef battles throughout all three days of the show. Previous battles focused on Cake decorating; Fruit and vegetable carving; Live culinary challenges; and more.
Pizza Competition is part of the Pizza Tomorrow Summit, which runs alongside the Florida Restaurant Show. This national competition, organized by the US Pizza Team, has contestants vying for the coveted 2026 Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup. Professional pizzaioli from around the country compete in: Traditional pizza making; Creative specialty pizzas; Dough handling; Speed and consistency; Pizza acrobatics (dough tossing and freestyle routines). Winners receive: National recognition; Cash and prizes; and a trip to represent the United States at the World Pizza Championships in Parma. Pizza Acrobatics is all about showmanship. Competitors perform choreographed routines featuring: High-speed dough tossing; Multiple doughs at once; Music and choreography; Technical precision. It is judged similarly to a figure-skating or gymnastics competition, with scores based on difficulty, execution, creativity, and overall performance.
*** Registration: Andrea Tencza at andrea@therestaurantevents.com or 203-814-1131, or Stephen Hess at stephen@therestaurantevents.com or 213-394-7427.
*** Exhibitor bookings: Joe Carlino at 484-823-9611, David Kellogg at 475-284-7855 or david@therestaurantevents.com, or Paul Pedrow at 484-823-9608 or paul@therestaurantevents.com.
