Featuring Industry Trailblazers, Culinary Stars, And Cutting-Edge Business Strategies
The California Restaurant Show returns to the Anaheim Convention Center from August 3-5, offering a dynamic educational program designed to equip hospitality professionals with the tools, tactics, and inspiration to thrive in today’s fast-changing foodservice landscape. This year’s show will unite restaurateurs, chefs, managers, marketers, and culinary creatives for three days of interactive programming, hands-on demonstrations, and thought-provoking sessions led by some of the industry’s brightest minds.
“The California Restaurant Show is more than an expo—it’s an immersive learning experience for anyone serious about elevating their business and their brand,” said Glenn Celentano, Partner & CEO of Restaurant Events LLC, producers of the event. “This year’s education lineup reflects the evolving needs of California’s restaurant professionals, offering practical insight, tactical strategies, and fresh inspiration that can be applied to their operation immediately.”
The 2025 education program, developed in partnership with the California Restaurant Association and a dedicated Conference Advisory Board, features over 30 must-attend sessions covering leadership, operations, compliance, culinary trends, and innovative technologies. Highlights include expert-led discussions on strategic marketing, building partnerships, increasing online influence, optimizing restaurant design, leveraging AI, team building, loyalty programs, catering, leasing, scaling strategies, and more.
New in 2025 are four in-depth, ticketed workshops offering hands-on guidance on key industry challenges:
- Increasing Sales & Service Through Wine & Other Fine Beverages, led by Master Sommelier David Glancy, explores how restaurateurs can enhance dining experiences through wine pairings, tastings, and sales strategies.
- From Risk to Readiness: PAGA Reform & Wage Law Compliance with Alden Parker, Managing Partner at Fisher Phillips, offers strategies to reduce legal risk under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).
- Restaurant Management 201—Foundational Track and Restaurant Management 301—Growth Track, both led by Darren Dennington and Alison Anne, focus on training restaurant teams for operational efficiency and business growth.
Rounding out the experience, for the first time, there will be hands-on tasting events.
- On Sunday, August 3, Whiskey curator Christopher Sebastian will host Blind Whiskey Tasting Experience Curated by Blind Barrels, a unique sensory tasting session featuring craft whiskeys.
- On Monday, August 4, Master Sommelier David Glancy will lead Taste Like a Pro – Wine Blend Tasting Demonstration, highlighting the importance of wine analysis and tasting techniques in shaping exceptional guest experiences at restaurants.
- On Tuesday, August 5, Master Sommelier David Glancy will return and present It’s All About The Sauce – Wine Pairing Demonstration, a deep dive into the art of wine pairing, with a special focus on how sauces influence flavor combinations
The Culinary Innovation Theater will spotlight award-winning chefs and culinary leaders, designed to support creativity and culinary excellence. Chef Nyesha Arrington, a sustainability advocate and Top Chef alum, and Chef Justin Pichetrungsi, James Beard Award-nominated chef and owner of Anajak Thai in Los Angeles, will present culinary demonstrations. Additional programming includes a beef-cutting demonstration by Butcher Educator Sierra Jepsen, who will also co-judge the Rapid-Fire Sirloin Roulette competition, and a Detroit Style Pizza demo by Glenn Cybulski, Executive Chef and Founding Member of Chefs Feeding Kids.
On the trade show floor, attendees will find 200+ exhibiting companies, with over half debuting new food and beverage products, technology, equipment, tableware, and more. Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion is a feature area on the show floor and home of the California Pizza Challenge (CPC) sponsored by REAL California Milk. Hosted by the U.S. Pizza Team and celebrating California’s long history of producing some of the country’s finest cheese, the CPC will feature four culinary events to showcase California cheese, as well as four Pizza Athletic categories.
Registration is now open at www.californiarestaurantshow.com for the 2025 California Restaurant Show and Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion. For exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, contact Sales Executive LaShara Parham.
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