HONG KONG, CHINA - Media Outreach - Sep 5, 2017 - From 5th to 7th September, Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong, the ultimate hub for F&B professionals, returns to Hall 5E, F & G of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Over 20,000 restaurateurs, owners, chefs, sommeliers and hoteliers from Asia's most prominent establishments will assemble to share their valuable insights and experiences at the show.

As it enters its 15th year, RBHK continues to be the most highly-anticipated F&B event in Asia. With more than 350 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of products -- from food and beverage, equipment and technology, to furniture, tableware and other related services -- the show is the perfect place to meet suppliers, discover top-end goods, and hear the latest industry news. Renowned exhibitors at this years' show include Elite Fresh Foods, Global Utensils Industrial and Nespresso to name a few.

DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRY EVENTS

In addition to showcasing a comprehensive range of F&B products and solutions, a wide variety of educational features, competitions and networking activities will all take place during the RBHK show.

Culinary Demonstrations

The Chef Masterclass Asia is supported by the Hong Kong Chinese Chefs Association. Over the three-day show, this masterclass encompasses a number of exciting themes to entice the taste buds of attendees. On day one, experienced Chinese chefs lead the rising stars of Chinese cuisine who will together showcase their signature dishes. Day two sees chefs from the most renowned hotels and restaurants concoct a wide range of contemporary Asian cuisine, from Pad Thai to Shaking Beef. Alongside, food and wine pairing sessions will take place, demonstrating the symbiotic relationship of food and wine in enhancing the dining experience. On the final day, Chinese Executive Chefs from the three-star Michelin restaurant T'ang Court and two-star Michelin restaurant Ming Court of Langham Hospitality Group in Haikou, Haining, Ningbo, Shanghai and Xiamen China will conduct a full-day cooking workshop exploring the allure of Cantonese cuisine.

As the perfect finishing touch, a series of dessert demonstrations given by pastry masters from luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants and leading pastry shops will be conducted during the Bakery & Patisserie Theatre. By joining the Theatre, the audience can expect to be inspired while sinking their teeth into delicious desserts and perfect puds.

Beverage Seminars

Today, coffee and tea are staple drinks most of us can't live without. In the light of their popularity, RBHK is organising a brand new feature, the Coffee & Tea Theatre. This feature hosts a series of seminars and workshops all focused on these two great beverages. From the rise of non-dairy coffee to the organic tea market to hands-on demonstrations by baristas, café operators and tea masters, the Coffee & Tea theatre is an exciting addition to the three-day expo.

The Wine Tasting Theatre, one of RBHK's most-loved features, will once again gather sommeliers and certified wine masters to share their extensive wine knowledge. Ms. Debra Meiburg, Master of Wine, will join us again this year and bring us the best wines from around the world. Representatives from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Wines & Spirits will also be on hand to share insights on how to recognise counterfeit wine.

Gin and whisky continue to grow as a preferred tipple among a wide range of customers in the market. In the Artisanal Spirits Seminar, spirits experts from around the world will introduce the characteristics, production processes and history of a wide range of spirits.

The demand for craft beer in Hong Kong has increased dramatically over the years. To meet the needs of this growing market, RBHK will hold the third edition of the Craft Beer Seminar. Beer experts are invited to introduce Asia's different beers and discuss the future of local brewing.

Professional Competitions

Competition has always been an essential part of the ever-changing food and beverage industry. As well as encouraging industry players to reach new heights, a competitive spirit helps the industry cultivate the next generation of talent.

Together with Hong Kong Sommelier Association (HKSA), RBHK is launching its first ever Young Sommelier Competition on 6th September during the Wine Tasting Theatre. The competition aims to recognise and support young talents who are passionate and eager to become master sommeliers and raise awareness of the importance of wine practitioner training. Contestants must pass a set of challenging wine-focused practical and theory tests during the show to be in with a chance of winning the competition.

The Young Talents Escoffier is always an impressive and nail-biting contest at RBHK. With the support of the Association of Disciples Escoffier International, eight young culinary talents from across Asia will gather their culinary prowess in this year competition. A VIP luncheon will also take place during this event where three Michelin Star Chefs, Frédéric Jaunault, Johan Leclerre and Nicolas Boutin take turns to prepare signature dishes to delight VIP attendees.

Industry Awards

Interior design plays an important role in a F&B business's success. RBHK brings the third edition of the Hong Kong Restaurant Interior Design Awards (HKRIDA), giving recognition to new hospitality establishments (that opened 2016-2017) and their design firms for their exceptional accomplishments. At the same time, the awards aim to highlight and promote the importance a restaurant's ambience has on business growth. With the support from co-organiser, Tasting Kitchen Magazine, HKRIDA has received over 100 entries from Hong Kong and Macau this year alone. A total of 13 awards will be presented to the winning restaurants and design firms during RBHK 2017.

The Hong Kong International Beer Awards has firmly established itself as the premier awards recognising the best beers available in the local market and the distributors who provide and select high-quality beers for the F&B industry in Hong Kong. This year, around 320 entries have been collected from 43 distributors, each assigned to relevant categories under the BJCP standard. The winners from each category will be blind tasted during RBHK, and the entry with the highest score will earn the moniker of "Hong Kong's Best Beer".

Continuing its six-year track record of success, RBHK once again teams up with the Hong Kong Wine Judge's Association to launch the 7th RBHK House Wine Awards. The awards recognise the wine distributors who provide and select high-quality house wine for restaurants in Hong Kong and those that best reflect the tastes of customers. Over 300 types of wine from 52 distributors have been entered across four categories: red, white, sparkling and rosé. The final judging will take place during RBHK by representatives from the Association, the F&B industry and master sommeliers from renowned hotels and restaurants.

This year, the Wine by the Glass Restaurant Awards is gearing up to praise the restaurants in Hong Kong that provide professional assistance to their customers in food and wine pairing. Wine experts and F&B professionals have been invited to the judging panel, where they will choose the winners by assessing the participants' menu display, wine knowledge, collection variety, service, price, and overall dining experience.

Co-organised with the Whisky Ambassador, the 2nd edition of RBHK Best Spirits Awards aims to celebrate the hard work and success of spirits professionals, and crown the best spirits distributors, whisky bars and cocktail bars in Hong Kong.