LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 28, 2022 / The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo will host two exciting competitions during the upcoming trade show taking place August 28-30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. On Sunday, August 28 the Hip Sip: Battle of the Modern Bartender Competition Bourbon Edition will take place and the Rapid Fire Challenge: Sandwich Edition will take place on Monday, August 29. Winners of both competitions will receive $1,000, bragging rights and gain exposure to over 100 media outlets.

The Hip Sip Competition will take place immediately following the keynote presentation by Scottie Pippen, NBA veteran and world champion and Dave Phinney, Napa wine legend and creative mastermind behind Savage & Cooke Distillery, who will discuss Wine, Whiskey & Winning. Pippen will then stay to help judge the Hip Sip Competition: Bourbon Edition which will feature the duos new Digits Bourbon brand. In addition to Pippen, the other judges will be Art Sutley, Hospitality & Nightlife Expert, Savage & Cooke Distillery; and Bar Rescue's Mia Mastroianni, and Phil Wills, The Spirits in Motion. To submit a recipe for consideration, click here.

In honor of August being National Sandwich Month, chefs are invited to send their favorite and most creative sandwich recipes to lauren.selmon@clarionevents.com to be considered for the Rapid Fire Challenge Sandwich Edition. Submissions must include the recipe and a 1-2-minute video introduction and description of the dish. The final competitors will be announced prior to the event, and they must be available to compete in Los Angeles on Monday, August 29 from 3:30 - 5:00 pm. The judges for the Rapid Fire Challenge are Chefs Shaun O'Neale, Melissa Cottingham, and Emily Nordee-Rogers. For more information on the Rapid Fire Challenge, click here.

"We are thrilled to be able to bring the industry back together again for our in-person event in August and are looking for the best bourbon cocktails and the most creative sandwiches for these two exciting competitions," said Rita Ugianskis, Vice President for the Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. "The Rapid Fire Challenge and Hip Sip Competitions have become must see events during the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and we invite local chefs and bartenders to compete and be recognized for their creative cocktails and meals."

In addition to the two competitions at the Western Foodservice Expo, Coffee Fest Los Angeles will also host two lively competitions to celebrate the best in specialty coffee. Coffee comes alive when passionate coffee roasters, baristas and owners take the stage and share their talents among the best of the best. The Latte Art World Championship Open will have 64 baristas compete, bracket style, sudden death format which featured head-to-head competition as "a match" between the competitors. The US Cold Brew Championships is a competition where cold brewers will present a still cold brew and prepared a signature cold brew drink to the judges. For more information, visit https://www.coffeefest.com/los-angeles.

Both competitions will be presented on Center Stage on the show floor which will also feature Culinary Demonstrations, presentations of the Humanitarian, Torch and Beacon Awards, and other panel discussions. In addition to these competitions the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest Los Angeles will showcase hundreds of leading vendors, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, demonstrating and sampling the newest food products, technology and equipment for the restaurant, foodservice, specialty beverage and hospitality markets.

Attendees will also have access to the brand-new Food & Beverage Academy, offering program tracks for all segments of the industry - from independent owners to chains to specialty coffee and tea - offering more than 50 complimentary educational sessions included with show admission. Registration is now open at www.westernfoodexpo.com. Each workshop is $99 if purchased prior to the August 27. On-site rates are $129 per workshop. The trade show and conference will take place Sunday, August 28 through Tuesday, August 30.

The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is owned by Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. Clarion Events (us.clarionevents.com) produces 37 events across thirteen sectors of both trade and consumer events. The Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group also includes the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, Coffee Fest and The NGA Show. Clarion Events acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion Events has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ.

For Further Information, Contact:

Amy Riemer, Media Relations Representative
978-475-4441 (office) or 978-502-4895 (cell)
amy@riemercommunications.com

SOURCE: Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo