Bumper year for Hostex Cape predicted

Organisers are predicting a bumper year for Hostex Cape, with visitor pre-registrations already up 300% compared to the last show. More than 85 exhibitors will be showcasing their very latest products, services and innovations.

A sneak preview of what you can expect this year reveals a brand new attraction in the form of the Thirsty Kitchen, where experts in flaring and mixology will be showing off their skills and their unique liquid creations. The popular Barista Championships are also back, with the Western Cape regional finals proving that coffee brewing and presentation is a distinct and delicious art.

Back-to-back seminars by industry experts

For the first time ever in Cape Town, Hostex presents Host-ED, a free-to-attend theatre featuring back-to-back seminars presented by industry experts who will be serving all ingredients to success on a platter, as well as what's new, trending and taking over hospitality in SA. Some of the highlights of the three-day programme include presentations by Stanley Grau, director of Moore Stephens BKV BBBEE Verification and Consulting on understanding the implications of the new B-BBEE codes; Amanda Lewis, owner and head chef of Saucisse Boutique Deli on optimising the deli formula: where love meets convenience; Dawn Robertson, CEO of Gauteng Tourism with a hospitality and tourism industry overview; Ben Cox, GM of Neighbourgoods Market Cape Town on the rise and success of trendy artisanal markets: reviving and reinvention; Lee-Ann Smith, channel marketing of Unilever Food Solutions on food labelling, ingredients and legislation; Abigail Donnelly, editor of Eat Out on distinguishing SA's best restaurants; Sheena Gates, social media manager of the Tsogo Sun on social media with a smile: like vs. dislike; Jonathan Miles, founder of the Whisky Academy on unconventional meets delight: the twin effect of whiskey pairing; chef Arnold Tanzer, owner of Food on the Move and culinary producer of Masterchef South Africa on 2014 trends in food and drink: what's hot & what's not?; Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, owner of Destinate and ex-CEO of Cape Town Tourism on local is lekker: stimulating domestic travel; Caleb Mabaso, acting CEO of FEDHASA on creating opportunities for youth in hospitality and expanding responsible (green) tourism; and Suzanne Nortjie, MD of Miko Coffee South Africa on coffee with a conscience: equality with fair trade.

The place to exchange knowledge with fellow industry professionals is the SA Chefs Village, presented by Excella, where the SA Chefs Association (SACA) will present a programme of demonstrations, culinary displays and competitions. Visitors can enjoy complimentary drinks provided by Sir Juice or delicious treats from Excella in the VIP area, while learning secrets and tricks from top chefs as they perform demonstrations of their signature dishes daily.

SACA will also be putting chefs young and old to the test inside the competition arena with competitions: The City & Guilds Student Skills Challenge, The Nestlé Professional Golden Chefs Hat competition and the Lucky Star Innovations competition.

The Global Pizza Challenge also returns this year, showcasing pizza makers who will be competing to determine the creator of the most delicious and inimitable pizza in South Africa, with the winner going on to represent SA against 15 chefs from around the globe.

Launching new products

One of the exhibitors who will be launching new products at Hostex Cape is Prime Cleaning Suppliers, which will be introducing the new Discomatic Mambo, a compact scrubber-drier that boasts robust construction and innovative internals, operated with only four control buttons. Also launching at the show is the Nespresso Aguila, a state-of-the-art professional coffee machine that combines classical elements with newest cutting-edge technology. Technilamp launches an induct cooking fat vaporising unit, cool room unit, induct air-sterilisation unit, counterfeit money bank detector, ecozap and infrared heaters Caribbean, Snuggy (foot warmer) and outside heater.

John Dough has gone as far as Italy and France to become perfectionists of baguette, ciabatta and the focaccia breads. The newest trend is now sour dough, which John Dough also provides. It can be refrigerated and kept for three days after defrosting. Look out for GreenHome, come and see how you can replace the packaging used in your canteen, shop, event etc. for a more environmentally friendly alternative.

Caffé Tomeucci Company will be showcasing onlinecoffeeshop.co.za, a premium online source for coffee aficionados who are looking for top-end coffee equipment and accessories. Boasting an attractive and easy-to-use e-commerce site, onlinecoffeeshop stocks top brands, such as Rocket, Mazzer, Mahlkonig, La Marzocco, Cime, Astoria, Anfim, Ditting, Expobar, Compak, Grimac, Isomac, Motta and plenty more. Also on the Caffé Tomeucci stand is Barista Coffee, supplying top-quality single origin blends, organic, fair trade and flavoured coffees and a service to design, build and stock personalised espresso bars as well as staff training. The stand will also showcase Teaccino, a 100% natural and caffeine-free product that is made from SA rooibos and is available in a variety of blends, including Cocoa Infused Chai, Hot Cross Bun Chai and Rooibos Blend.

Bursary

A bursary in the name of Bryan Montgomery of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery will be presented by the South African Chefs Association to a hospitality student who is recognised by SACA as hard working and deserving of such an award. The award is sponsored by Hostex and Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery and valued at R30,000.

Exhibitors have also been called upon to donate non-perishable foods or funds to the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger, an organisation that donates food and funds to charities taking care of the underprivileged children of South Africa.

Go to www.hostex.co.za to pre-register online to avoid the R50 entry fee and long queues.