NEXTFoodExpo

NEXTFoodExpo Canada’s New B2B Foodservice + Hospitality Expo Rooted in Western Canada.

🗓️ Sept 13-14, 2026 📍 BMO Centre | Calgary, AB

DAY 2 · MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14Time: Doors 10:00 AM. Floor closes 4:00 PM.Location: BMO Centre, Calgary.MAIN STAGEHosted by...
09/14/2026

DAY 2 · MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Time: Doors 10:00 AM. Floor closes 4:00 PM.
Location: BMO Centre, Calgary.

MAIN STAGE
Hosted by Laura Darrell + Matt Wampler

10:15 · Day 2 opening remarks
10:30 · Local Welcome. Connie DeSousa, John Jackson
11:00 · Food Media. How Food TV Shapes What Guests Order
11:45 · Panel. The Future of Financials in Foodservice
12:30 · Panel. The Rise of Tech in Foodservice
1:15 · Technology in Canadian Foodservice. Elias Hage
2:00 · Panel. What's Next in Foodservice
2:45 · The Hospitality Developer. Frank Kernick
3:30 · Closing Remarks + Culinary Awards

WORKSHOP ROOMS
28 sessions. 30 minutes plus 15 minutes Q&A.

Palo E · Technology
Palo F · Business
Palo G · Labour + HR
Palo H · Marketing

Rooms run 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Full titles and times on the graphic.

MAIN CULINARY STAGE
Buckhead Beef Culinary Challenge

10:30 · Round 1. One Premium Cut. Two Menu Opportunities.
Shane Rutledge · Tu Le Thi Thanh · TK (Jinyeol) Lee · Caitlin Devine

11:35 · Round 2. Premium Beef. Profitable Plate.
Chris Sears · May Ng · Tyson Wright · Sean Cutler

12:40 · Round 3. Premium Beef Built for Service.
Nicholas Pena Alvarez · Crystal Higgins · Sonny Sung · Mike Scarcelli

1:45 · Final. The $5,000 Restaurant-Ready Beef Challenge
Winners of Rounds 1, 2 + 3

3:30 · Culinary Awards Presentation

TEST KITCHENS

TK1 · Reuven. Brisket, Reimagined. Hourly, 11:00 to 2:00
TK2 · Eat Well. Indigenous breakfast with Chef Shane Chartrand, 1:00
TK3 · Alternative Products. Plant-based builds, 10:30 to 3:00
TK4 · Sysco Buckhead Beef. Shareables to mains, 10:30 to 3:00

BAR + BEVERAGE STAGE
With the FBA

11:00 · The Business of Working Flair, Part 2
12:00 · Flairco Freestyle Battle. Top 8
1:00 · ASCEND. Open Flair Championship finals

Full schedule: nextfoodexpo.com/panels-workshops
Tickets: nextfoodexpo.com/tickets

DAY 1 · SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13Time: Doors 10:00 AM. Floor closes 4:00 PM.Location: BMO Centre, Calgary.MAIN STAGEHosted by...
09/13/2026

DAY 1 · SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Time: Doors 10:00 AM. Floor closes 4:00 PM.
Location: BMO Centre, Calgary.

MAIN STAGE
Hosted by Laura Darrell + Matt Wampler

10:00 · Doors open. Opening NEXT with Mayor Jeremy Farkas
11:00 · Opening Message. Jay Ashton, Domenic Pedulla
11:45 · Keynote. The Great Resignation
12:30 · Keynote. AI in Restaurants
1:15 · Panel. Women in Foodservice
2:00 · Panel. Mental Health in Foodservice
2:45 · Western Canada Industry Update
3:30 · Move Over Kale. Food Trend Watch Report

WORKSHOP ROOMS
28 sessions. 30 minutes plus 15 minutes Q&A.

Palo E · Technology
Palo F · Business
Palo G · Labour + HR
Palo H · Marketing

Rooms run 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

MAIN CULINARY STAGE
Quick Bites, Quick Cash

10:30 · Minimal. Maximum.
Macknel Lawrence + Natalia Olea Ibarra · Crystal Higgins + Elena Morgan · Jay Barnard + Georgia Sera · Alonzo Zarco + Caitlyn Kuiper

11:20 · Big Flavour. Small Footprint.
Erika Araujo + Sam Chiu · Jay Barnard + Zhuoran Li · Jongwon Park + Anson Smith · Khoder Haymour + Georgia Sera

12:10 · The New Comfort Food
Jay Barnard + Anson Smith · Caitlin Devine + Zhuoran Li · Peter Keith + Natalia Olea Ibarra · Erika Araujo + Elena Morgan

1:10 · The Social Bite
Jesse Kushneryk + Caitlyn Kuiper · Abderrahmane Belmoufid + Matthew Milne · Jay Barnard + Sam Chiu · Chris Chabot + Patrick Creery

2:30 · The Finale. Legend vs. Legend
Chef Jan Hansen vs Chef Erik Hansen · Chef Abe vs Chef Tu Le

TEST KITCHENS

TK1 · Reuven. Brisket, Reimagined. Hourly, 11:00 to 2:00
TK2 · Eat Well. Breakfast innovation, 10:30 to 3:00
TK3 · Alternative Products. Plant-based builds, 10:30 to 3:00
TK4 · Sysco Buckhead Beef. Shareables to mains, 10:30 to 3:00

BAR + BEVERAGE STAGE
With the FBA

11:00 · The FUNdamentals of Functional Flair
12:00 · The Business of Working Flair, Part 1
1:00 · ASCEND. Open Flair Championship qualifying rounds

Full schedule: nextfoodexpo.com/panels-workshops
Tickets: nextfoodexpo.com/tickets

High heat, live judging, real money.The Buckhead Beef Culinary Challenge runs three qualifying rounds, then the $5,000 r...
09/12/2026

High heat, live judging, real money.

The Buckhead Beef Culinary Challenge runs three qualifying rounds, then the $5,000 restaurant-ready beef final, judged by Peter Keith, Laureen Harper, Graham Smith and Andrew Keen.

Come watch the plates come off the pass this Sunday and Monday Sep 13–14, 2026 · BMO Centre, Calgary.


Square Sysco

Two days of mixology on the Bar and Beverage Stage. Cocktail and mocktail demos, guided tastings, educational sessions b...
09/12/2026

Two days of mixology on the Bar and Beverage Stage. Cocktail and mocktail demos, guided tastings, educational sessions built for bar teams, and head to head contests that end with Canada's Top Bartender crowned on stage.

Come for the technique, the specs and the ideas your list has been missing.

Bring your bar team this Sunday and Monday, Sep 13–14, 2026 at the BMO Centre, Calgary.


Square Sysco

Four workshop rooms running business classes all day, both days, on Restaurant Marketing, Labour and Technology.Where th...
09/12/2026

Four workshop rooms running business classes all day, both days, on Restaurant Marketing, Labour and Technology.

Where the margin went and how to fix your COGS. Labour forecasting and smarter scheduling. Tip transparency your team believes in. AI in restaurants, sorted from the hype. Plate to profit with photography and video. Turning first-time diners into regulars.

You leave with things you can use on your next shift, not a folder of slides.

This weekend , 2026 · BMO Centre, Calgary. Schedule at and last chance fpr tickets here: nextfoodexpo.com


Square Sysco

NEXT Food Expo lands at the BMO Centre this Sunday and Monday, 10am to 4pm.Two days of exhibitors, live culinary competi...
09/12/2026

NEXT Food Expo lands at the BMO Centre this Sunday and Monday, 10am to 4pm.

Two days of exhibitors, live culinary competition, mixology, business workshops, test kitchens and the conversations that shape the next year of your business.

Bring the team.

Sep 13–14, 2026 · BMO Centre, Calgary. Last chance for tickets at NextFoodExpo.com


Square

09/12/2026

Craver craver helps coffee shops and QSRs turn one-time customers into loyal regulars.

Their custom-branded apps bring together mobile ordering, loyalty, rewards, direct ordering and commission-free delivery, giving operators more ways to connect with customers and drive repeat business.

Meet Craver at NEXT Food Expo this Sunday and Monday

Get your tickets: https://nextfoodexpo.com/tickets/


Square Sysco

Refrigeration is the quietest piece of equipment in the kitchen until it fails. True Refrigeration joins NEXT Food Expo ...
09/12/2026

Refrigeration is the quietest piece of equipment in the kitchen until it fails. True Refrigeration joins NEXT Food Expo with reach-ins, undercounters, prep tables and merchandisers built to hold temperature through the whole shift.

Sep 13–14, 2026 · BMO Centre, Calgary.
Get your tickets: https://nextfoodexpo.com/tickets/


Square

Good buying decisions start with the right information. Inform Brokerage Inc. brings the brands, market expertise and ca...
09/11/2026

Good buying decisions start with the right information. Inform Brokerage Inc. brings the brands, market expertise and category knowledge foodservice operators rely on to make informed choices.

Meet Inform Brokerage at NEXT Food Expo this weekend.

Sep 13–14, 2026 · BMO Centre, Calgary.

Get your tickets: https://nextfoodexpo.com/tickets/


Square

Soup Sisters National brings chefs, volunteers and community together to create nourishing soup for people experiencing ...
09/11/2026

Soup Sisters National brings chefs, volunteers and community together to create nourishing soup for people experiencing food insecurity across Canada.

At NEXT Food Expo, they’re showcasing how time in the kitchen can make a meaningful difference beyond the plate.

Happening this Sunday and Monday at the BMO Centre, Calgary.

Get your tickets: https://nextfoodexpo.com/tickets/


Square

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Calgary, AB

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