TV Chef Andrew Zimmern to Host Restaurants Rock in Chicago, 5/18

Andrew Zimmern, the James Beard Award-winning host, creator, and co-executive producer of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World (Travel Channel) will bring his infectious personality and adventurous appetite to the 2014 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB). As the celebrity host and emcee of the fourth annual Restaurants Rock industry celebration, the official after-party of the NRA Show and IWSB held at The Castle on Sunday, May 18 from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., Zimmern's high-energy attitude will get the party startedand then preside over finals of the sixth annual Star of the Bar Mixology competition.

Zimmern will also display his culinary talents at NRA Show 2014 during a demonstration in the World Culinary Showcase stage on Sunday, May 18th, after which he will sign copies of his books, such as Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World of Food and Andrew Zimmern's Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild, & Wonderful Food.

"NRA Show and the International Wine, Spirits, & Beer Event bring together members of all facets of the foodservice industry to share their passion for all things food, beverage, and hospitality," said Sam Facchini, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2014 and co-founder and co-owner of Metro Pizza. "We're excited to have Andrew Zimmern as the official host of Restaurants Rock, emcee of the Star of the Bar competition, as well as one of the culinary leaders in the all-star line-up of chef talent on the World Culinary Showcase stage. Mr. Zimmern exposes people to new ideas in foodservice and hospitality every day, just as we strive to do at NRA Show and IWSB each year."

Through his shows, Zimmern travels the globe, exploring food in its own terroir. Zimmern's food truck, AZ Canteen, debuted in 2012 with a carefully curated menu showcasing inspired versions of food he has discovered on the road.He is also a contributing editor and Chef in Residence at Food & Wine magazine, an award-winning monthly columnist at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, and senior editor at Delta Sky magazine.

NRA Show 2014 will be held May 17-20 and IWSB will be held May 18-19 at Chicago's McCormick Place. To register, please visit Restaurant.org/Show/Register. Restaurants Rock guests must be registered NRA Show and IWSB attendees and may purchase tickets for $50 here.

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest annual gathering of restaurant, foodservice, and lodging professionals in the world. NRA Show 2014 will be held May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago, and the 2014 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, held in conjunction with NRA Show, will take place May 18-19. The events attract 65,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and the event showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues, and more growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the NRA Show and IWSB websites at Restaurant.org/Show and WineSpiritsBeer.org, and find the NRA Show on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, Instagram @NRAShow, YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest and its widely read NRA Show Blog.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 990,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 13.5 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest trade show (NRA Show May 17-20, 2014, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids' menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association

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