HIP SIP: BATTLE OF THE MODERN BARTENDER AND RAPID-FIRE CHALLENGE: THE GREAT NEW YORK STEAK OFF TO TAKE PLACE AT THE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT & FOODSERVICE SHOW OF NEW YORK

Calling All Bartenders and Chefs: Now Accepting Entries for Two Competitions
New York, NY, January 29, 2024 – The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York will host two exciting competitions during the upcoming trade show taking place March 3-5 at the Javits Center in New York City. On Sunday, March 3 the Hip Sip: Battle of the Modern Bartender Competition will take place and the Rapid-Fire Challenge: The Great New York Steak Off will take place on Monday,

March 4. To submit an entry for either Competition, click here. The International Restaurant Show in New York is the northeast's most comprehensive food and beverage experience.

“The Rapid-Fire Challenge and Hip Sip Competitions have become must see events during the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York and we invite local chefs and bartenders to compete and be recognized for their creative cocktails and meals. Both competitions will feature professional judges who will help us crown the winners,” said Glenn Celentano, Partner & CEO, Restaurant Events, producers of the show. "The competitions will take place in the Culinary Innovation Theater which also features several celebrity chefs throughout the three-day event. Come for the competitions and stay for the demos, education, new products, networking and much more.”

Celebrity judges for The Hip Sip Battle of the Modern Bartender competition will be looking for the best cocktail featuring Savage & Cooke’s Lip Service Rye Whiskey. Bartenders and mixologists will be judged on creativity, use of product, taste, presentation, and flair. The competition will take place on Sunday, March 3, 2024, from 3:30-5:00 pm. The Hip Sip Competition Judges are Mia Mastroianni, Consultant as seen on Bar Rescue; Art Sutley, Savage & Cooke Distillery; and Phil Wills, Consultant as seen on Bar Rescue, The Spirits in Motion. The winner will receive and a FREE trip to the Savage & Cooke Distillery. This trip will include airfare, 2-night accommodation in Napa, a tour of the distillery, and a meet & greet with the master distiller.

This year's Rapid-Fire Challenge: The Great New York Steak Off will take place on Monday, March 4 from 3:30 – 5:00 pm. Just prior to the competition, Kari Underly, author of The Art of Beef Cutting will present a live meat-cutting demonstration, and the cuts from that demonstration will be provided to competing chefs. Chefs will be informed as to the specific cut of beef for the competition in advance of the event, and cooking will take place on the Culinary Innovation Theater stage. The beef is provided by the PA Beef Council. The competition is being sponsored by United Robotics Group. The judges for the Rapid-Fire Challenge are Shaun O’Neale, Season 7 Champion of MasterChef; Kari Underly, The Art of Beef Cutting; Eric Howard a New York City Firefighter and Partner at Gramercy Ale House; and Tara Bryan, Senior Culinary Director, Jean-Georges Management. To submit an entry for the Rapid-Fire Competition, click here. The winner will be crowned the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York Rapid Fire Champion, receive $1,000, bragging rights and gain exposure.

Both competitions will be presented in the Culinary Innovation Theater on the show floor which will also feature Culinary Demonstrations by Celebrity Chef Christian Petroni; Gordon Ramsey’s Sous Chef Jason Santos; Chef Maria Loi, Loi Estiatorio; Executive Chef Alexis Grant, Dallas Mavericks; Executive Chef Natalie Liane Jewell, BidFood; Plant Based Chef Robert Hodge; Innovation Chef Rosalyn Darling; and Food Personality Deanna “Bomb Chica” Colon who will also be the emcee for the Culinary Innovation Theater.

The Show Floor will feature hundreds of vendors from food & beverage products, equipment, services, distributors, technology, and more. The Education Program will feature industry leaders who will provide effective business lessons, the latest information on trends, best practices in the current market, and their own perspective of what manifests success, and much more. The International Restaurant Show will be co-located with Coffee Fest New York, the business resource for the specialty coffee, tea, and beverage community. Attendees at both events can source new products, discover new trends and immerse themselves in the industry that is about serving others.

To register for the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, click here. For exhibitor information contact Paul Pedrow at (484) 823-9608 or paul@therestaurantevents.com. The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, to be held March 3-5, 2024, at the Javits Center in New York City is sponsored by the New York State Restaurant Association, the leading voice of the hospitality industry throughout New York State. The event is also partnering for the first time with the New York City Hospitality Alliance, the leading voice of New York City’s restaurant and nightlife industry in the five boroughs. The trade show and conference is owned by Restaurant Events, LLC which also produces the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and Pizza Tomorrow Summit, to be held November 6-7, 2024 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL and the 2024 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo to be held August 25-27 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.