Taking place from Tuesday 29 to Thursday 31 March, approximately 6,000 industry professionals are expected to attend IFEX, where more than 150 suppliers and manufacturers will be showcasing the latest products and services in the industry. Registration for the free-to-attend show is now open.

Marking the show’s 25th edition, restaurateur Michael Deane – who was the first-ever winner of Chef of the Year – will officially open the show, which will also be home to over 250 industry and student chefs who will descend on the Salon Culinaire at IFEX, making it Northern Ireland’s largest and most prestigious culinary competition.

Featuring a jam-packed schedule of culinary competitions, two of the most hotly contended accolades are the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs-supported IFEX Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Northern Ireland Junior Chef of the Year competitions.

Reinforcing the importance of IFEX’s Salon Culinaire to the hospitality industry, Michael Deane says: “IFEX is a chance for all chefs – both from industry and education – to benchmark their skills against the best. It’s imperative to our industry that we compete both on skills and with our incredible produce therefore IFEX is instrumental in helping young chefs to raise their game.

“It’s where I first earned my stripes and winning Chef of the Year brought considerable publicity to my first venture in Helen’s Bay, Deanes on the Square. Today, we encourage many of our chefs at Deanes to enter the various competition as it’s hugely beneficial in terms of upskilling, instilling confidence and learning from peers.”

In addition to the ChefSkills Live Theatre at Salon Culinaire, there’s Street Food International and Edible Art competitions.

Organisers are confident that IFEX will demonstrate how business-to-business trade fairs can operate safely and effectively, whilst still driving new business to exhibitors and showcasing the latest products and services to visitors.

Toby Wand, Managing Director of 365 Events Ltd., owners of IFEX, comments: “Celebrating its 25th edition in 2022, IFEX has been the cornerstone expo for the foodservice, catering, and hospitality industries in NI. Needed more than ever before, IFEX is crucial for galvanising the industry and driving new business for exhibitors.

“Trade exhibitions provide a platform for businesses to meet and collaborate, creating opportunities for businesses both large and small to grow and expand their market reach. It is critically important for businesses, particularly those in the foodservice and hospitality sector to have a location where they can trade, display new products, be inspired, and share their knowledge – It is for this reason we’re excited to see the show open its doors on Tuesday, 29th March.”

The event is organised by 365 Events Ltd and more than 150 companies from across Ireland will be exhibiting and welcoming approximately 6,000 industry professionals who attend the event to do business, source new products and services, make new contacts and learn from fellow industry experts.

IFEX runs from 29 – 31 March 2022 at the TEC, Belfast. A business-to-business event, you can register to attend for free at ifexexhibition.co.uk.

Caption: Sean Owens, IFEX Salon Culinaire; Mena Khan Jalil, Chef competing at IFEX; Dolan Heaney IFEX Skills Coordinator and Michael Deane

The post Michael Deane to officially open IFEX as event gets set to welcome 6,000 visitors appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

The show is coming to the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast from Tuesday 29 to Thursday 31 March 2022.

Playing its role in helping the industry’s rising stars and talented professionals to battle it out in the kitchen, Salon Culinaire has always been central to IFEX and plays a key role in creating the electric atmosphere at Northern Ireland’s biggest foodservice and hospitality event.

As Northern Ireland’s largest and most prestigious chef competition programme, attracting chefs from all sectors of the industry and with all levels of experience, Salon Culinaire raises the bar in terms of culinary excellence in Northern Ireland, with the programme featuring more than 30 categories during the three days of the show.

At the heart is the ChefSkills Live Theatre – hotly anticipated as the place where the ‘best of’ culinarians in Northern Ireland are formally acknowledged – with previous winners including Michael Deane, Chris Bell and Roisin Gavin to name but a few.

ChefSkills sees an exciting series of back-to-back live hot competitions, including the hotly contended Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs-supported IFEX Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Northern Ireland Junior Chef of the Year accolades.

Sizzling street food

Returning in 2022 is the sizzling IFEX Street Food International which will see teams of invited competitors from Northern Ireland’s catering colleges produce and serve a range of exciting modern street food style dishes.

Supported by Department for the Economy, each team will cook up innovative, high quality ‘al fresco’ street food dishes that will be served to pre-ticketed diners during lunch service at IFEX.

Following the launch of the new schedule, long-standing Salon Culinaire Director, Sean Owens comments: “I am thrilled to launch the 2022 Salon Culinaire at IFEX competition schedule; Belfast takes its rightful place as one of the top Salon Culinaire programmes in the UK and it is THE place to celebrate the skills within our industry.

“The past number of years have been a testing time for our industry, but with the return of IFEX, celebrating its 25^th anniversary, we are confident that our industry is strong and resilient, and we relish the prospects for growth and development throughout our sector.”

Sean added: “From student chefs and kitchen trainees to celebrated, leading chefs within the industry, we have a programme for all at IFEX 2022. I’m confident that we’re going to discover some extraordinarily talented young chefs, and to have uncovered and encouraged new talent to flourish at IFEX is exactly what the premier event for the food, drink, retail and hospitality industries is all about.”

Talented young chefs

Bigger and better than ever before, Salon Culinaire at IFEX is designed to nurture the talents of the province’s young chefs and it is with the help of the show’s sponsors that the show continues to be such a success – in particular the Government departments and industry-leading companies and agencies who have supported the event over many years.

Supporters for the Salon Culinaire 2022 include the Department for the Economy (DfE), Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Stephens Catering Equipment, Flogas, Budget Energy, Andrew Ingredients, Keenan Seafood and Frylite.

For those who hope to compete, ChefSkills and Edible Art are now open for entry. For more information, visit: www.ifexexhibition.co.uk/salon-culinaire

IFEX 2022 is taking place from Tuesday 29^th March to 31^st March at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast. To find out more about the show, visit www.ifexexhibition.co.uk or @ifexexhibition on social.

Caption: Catering students from Belfast MET with Sean Owens, IFEX Salon Culinaire Director and Paul Cunningham, IFEX 2018 Chef of the Year  

The post IFEX cooks up new skills competition menu for 2022 appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.