National Restaurant Association Show Celebrates 20 Years of Kitchen Innovations Awards with 25 New Recipients

Revolutionizing foodservice from kitchen to customer, KI Awards recognize cutting-edge equipment and tech advancements that address efficiency, savings and sustainability

CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®, the epicenter of foodservice innovation and a showcase of emerging industry trends, is pleased to announce the 25 recipients of the 2024 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards. Since 2005, the KI Awards program has been renowned for its role in defining the gold standard of foodservice equipment innovations. These 25 KI Awards recipients reflect the current priorities of foodservice operators, showcasing advancements in automation, efficiency, safety enhancements and sustainability. This year’s recipients will be showcased at the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show, taking place May 18–21, 2024, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Tom Cindric, President of the National Restaurant Association Show, remarked, “The KI Awards have been instrumental in defining excellence and driving innovation within the foodservice industry for two decades. The evolving landscape of technology—including developments in AI, robotic solutions, autonomous ordering and customer service—has elevated the KI Awards to expand beyond back-of-house operations to also recognize innovations that offer labor, waste, and energy savings. As we celebrate this milestone, we are proud to honor the impact of the KI Awards in recognizing groundbreaking solutions that address the ever-evolving needs of foodservice operators.”

The KI Award recipients were selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders representing international brands across foodservice, including Aramark, Cracker Barrel, Walt Disney World Resort and the U.S. Air Force. The esteemed panel carefully reviews each nominee and has chosen to recognize these 25 recipients as the year’s most forward-thinking and cutting-edge kitchen and product innovations, which not only elevate foodservice operations but also significantly contribute to industry progress.

Jim Thorpe, Senior Food Service Designer at Aramark and a long-standing KI judge, highlighted the significant role of the KI Awards in shaping industry trends: “The KI Awards have played a pivotal role in shaping the future of our industry. We’ve adapted our own go-to-market strategies due to the significant impact and influence of these special innovations. Year after year, KI awardees bring forth fresh ideas and new approaches that elevate the foodservice experience.”

Foster F. Frable, Jr., President of Clevenger Frable LaVallee, echoed this sentiment and emphasized the evolving landscape of kitchens: “There’s no such thing as a ‘basic’ kitchen anymore. Menus and cuisine now incorporate ingredients, cooking, and preparation methods that were unimaginable a decade ago. The KI Awards serve as a gateway to explore new products evaluated by unbiased industry experts, not just for novelty, but for genuine innovation and practicality.”

THE 2024 KITCHEN INNOVATIONS AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE:

Alpha Cloud – Patty Quality Assistant
Aniai

OrderHQ™ Exterior Smart Food Locker Solution
Apex Order Pickup Solutions

Auto Seasoning & Auto Packaging Station
Atosa USA, Inc.

ImVection IMV-4E
Blodgett Ovens

E-Series 24G
Broaster Company

Nexa™ Concentrates 2.0 Hand Hygiene System
Ecolab

Rapid Multi Surface Disinfectant Cleaner
Ecolab

Evo EVent® Open Canopy Hood
Evo America, LLC

Mytico Due
Franke Coffee Systems

AURA
Henkelman

CL Rack Conveyor Dishmachine
Hobart

TRI-TEMP Kold Pak Pizza Prep Tabletop
Kwick Cool

PizzaBot™
Lab2Fab

Discrete CFV
Newton CFV

Everpure EZ-RO Reverse Osmosis System
Everpure from Pentair Water Solutions

Torq Fryer
PITCO FRIALATOR

iCareSystem AutoDose
RATIONAL USA

Y-Valve
T&S Brass and Bronze Works

I-robo
TechMagic Inc

True Ice
True Manufacturing Co. Inc

CHEFTOP-X™ Digital.ID™
UNOX INC.

ERGO Series
Varimixer

XPress™ Multipurpose Cooktop
Waring Commercial Products

Cervizi
Wild Goose Filling

The M5 Bargun
Wunder-Bar

The 2024 KI Award recipients will be featured in a dedicated Kitchen Innovations Showroom in the South Hall and highlighted in a special session, titled “The Kitchen of the Future: Kitchen Innovations Awardees Paving the Way for What’s Next” on Saturday, May 18 at 3:30 p.m. For more information about the National Restaurant Association Show and to register, visit nationalrestaurantshow.com. 

Connect with the Show online on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is owned and operated by Informa Connect in partnership with the National Restaurant Association.

CONTACT:
Julie Franks
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Informa Connect