@CenterStage Sessions – The NAFEM Show 2025

Welcome First Time Attendees!

Presented by The NAFEM Show Director, Buffy Levy, this presentation orients first timers to The NAFEM Show and what they’ll discover.

What Not to Miss at The NAFEM Show

The NAFEM Show Chair Eva-Marie Fox, CFSP and Co-Chair Teresa Asbury, CFSP, have a conversation with NAFEM Exec. VP Deirdre Flynn, CFSP about all the features, benefits and innovations at The NAFEM Show in Atlanta.

Disrupting the Food Service Industry: A conversation with Marc Lore, The Wonder Group

The Wonder Group is on a mission to make great food more accessible and is disrupting the foodservice industry to realize its vision. Marc Lore, CEO, shares insights into the benefits of disruption in today’s marketplace and for the foodservice industry of tomorrow during The NAFEM Show in Atlanta, with moderator Joe Carbonara, editor in chief, Zoomba Group.

The Future of Hospitality Workforce Development: A conversation with The Culinary Institute of America’s Michiel Bakker

For more than 70 years, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has been providing a transformative learning experience for leaders, innovators and experts within the foodservice industry. CIA President Michiel Bakker shares the CIA’s vision and plans to prepare the hospitality workforce of the future with NAFEM’s Executive Vice President, Deirdre Flynn, CFSP.

Chain Chats: What Lies Ahead for White Castle, Taziki’s and Chick-fil-A

The evolving strategies of today’s foodservice chains are a driving influence in future solutions that the foodservice industry brings to market to address the changing needs of these operations and their customers. Hear about what lies ahead for three chains who represent diverse operator perspectives.

Chain Chat Roundtable: A panel featuring perspectives on key industry opportunities from White Castle, Taziki’s and Chick-fil-A

Leaders from the Chain Chat conversations (Jeff Carper, COO, White Castle; Dan Simpson, CEO, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe; and Adam Jarboe, Sr. Principal Team Leader, Kitchen Equipment and Smallwares Sourcing, Chick-fil-A) address audience questions and provide varying perspectives about what lies ahead. Moderated by Joe Carbonara, editor in chief, Zoomba Group.

Great Facility Design to Empower the Future of the Foodservice Industry

The NAFEM Show welcomes judges from the Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine Design Project of the Year competition addressing how great facility design empowers the future of the foodservice industry. Moderated by Joe Carbonara, editorial director, Zoomba Group, speakers include Beth Kuczera, president, Equipment Dynamics; Stuart Davis principal, Stuart Davis Design; and Chris Wair, design principal, Reitano Design Group.

The Impact of Legislation and Regulation for 2025 and Beyond: A conversation with NAFEM’s Regulatory & Technical Affairs team

The evolving legislative and regulatory landscape has a profound impact on how foodservice professionals and their organizations invest their resources and go to market. Moderated by Deirdre Flynn, CFSP, NAFEM Executive VP, hear from NAFEM’s Regulatory & Technical Affairs team, Charlie Souhrada, CFSP, Vice President, Regulatory & Technical Affairs and Felicia Jaeger, Director, Regulatory & Technical Affairs as they look ahead to the impact of legislation and regulation in 2025 and beyond.

Worldwide and Industry Economic Forecast for 2025 and Beyond: A conversation with Connor Lokar, ITR Economics

Connor Lokar, ITR Economics, returns to The NAFEM Show stage to share market forecasts and actionable advice to help foodservice industry leaders stay ahead of upcoming economic twists and turns. Moderated by Deirdre Flynn, CFSP, executive vice president, NAFEM.

Connecting the Customer to the Kitchen: Conversations about tech integration with industry experts

Technology is everywhere in today’s foodservice operation – from customer-facing POS to back-of-house kitchen operations, from inventory control to personnel management, from record keeping to predictive analytics. While technology-enabled operations are given, the integration of this technology is essential for success and foundational for growth. Industry experts representing a wide range of tech-focused perspectives address the evolution of tech integration within the foodservice industry and what share their insights on how to connect the customer to the kitchen.

Moderated by David Brewer, industry veteran, speakers include David Wilkinson, industry technology expert, Bob Vergidis, founder, pointofsale.cloud; Simon De Montfort Walker, executive vice president, Central Industry Solutions, Oracle Restaurants; and Aaron Thomas, director, engineering and robotics at Yum! Brands.

Connecting the Customer to the Kitchen Roundtable: A panel featuring perspectives on tech integration with industry experts

Tech integration experts from the Connecting the Customer to the Kitchen conversations return to stage to address audience questions and provide varying perspectives about the power of tech integration within the foodservice operation.

Moderated by Joe Carbonara, editor in chief, Zoomba Group, speakers include David Wilkinson, industry technology expert, Bob Vergidis, founder, pointofsale.cloud; Simon De Montfort Walker, executive vice president, Central Industry Solutions, Oracle Restaurants; and Aaron Thomas, director, engineering and robotics at Yum! Brands.

Creating a Culture of Care for Employees & Associates: A roundtable discussion with industry experts

People always have and always will be at the center of the foodservice industry. Caring and nurturing of our people is more than just good for business . . . it’s life-giving and critical to our future. A panel of human-centric leaders discuss what it takes to create a culture of care for employees and associates.

Jason Wange, founder, Foodservice Powerplant Network and executive director of sales, Cal-Mil Plastic Products, Inc. moderates this discussion with Mike Messeroff, personal freedom coach, The Carpe Diem Company; Tom Mitchell, North American ambassador, Burnt Chef Project; and Jasmin Parks-Papadopoulos is chief growth officer for Culinary Hospitality Outreach Wellness (CHOW).

Product Innovation: Insights from The NAFEM Show’s WHAT’S HOT! WHAT’S COOL! new product gallery

Deirdre Flynn, CFSP, NAFEM executive vice president, sits down with industry veteran Doug Fryett, CFSP, CEO, Fryett Consulting Group to discuss the product innovation featured in the WHAT’S HOT! WHAT’S COOL! new product gallery.

Meet the Winners! A conversation with the U.S. Culinary Open Winners

Following two full days of competition Chef Nick Barrington, CEC, ACE, U.S. Culinary Open, sits down with the winners immediately following the awards ceremony to hear about their strategies for success and their perspectives for what lies ahead.