This March saw the return of one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious event for the hospitality and foodservice industry, HRC. As the leading foodservice agency, Jellybean were proud once again to be involved with this reputable show. From the important business of sampling the latest food innovations to running on-stand press briefings for clients and Tilda’s Chef Team of the Year competition, HRC had a lot in store for our hard-working, dedicated team.

One Event, Four Shows

Returning to the ExCel London, the event included four exciting shows. These shows consisted of: The Professional Kitchen Show, The Foodservice Show, The Interiors & Tabletop Show and The Hospitality Tech Show. HRC provides a platform for restaurants, hotels, pubs, casual dining and contract caterers to meet, review and source from the finest suppliers available in the market.

On to some of the highlights of the show…

Street Food

The demand for street food has been rising at a dramatic rate and where better to showcase signature street food favourites then at one of the most prominent food shows in the world. Twenty years ago, street food was barely even a concept and the only acceptable street food option was an unreliable Mr Whippy or a questionable burger van. Street food is now, however, at the forefront of culinary innovation with chefs creating new and exciting dishes and experimenting with cuisine. It was great to see lots of brands embracing this trend and even better to sample it for ourselves!

Tilda Chef Competition

The initial exposure to street food at the HRC we encountered took place at the Tilda Chef of the Year Competition. Tilda have been pushing their brand to exceptional levels with the help of Jellybean for many years now.

The chefs were competing for an all-expenses paid trip to learn about the “Art of Rice” and the runners up would get to experience a money can’t buy Tilda Innovation Day. With only 45 minutes to prepare, cook and present a main dish and dessert using Tilda speciality rice, where Tilda rice had to be an integral part of the dish, the pressure was on.

The chefs were exceptional this year and produced some exquisite, innovative dishes that certainly impressed the judges. After a long hard debate, the winners were crowned as Saurav and Anup from JKS Restaurant team. The street food inspired menu impressed the judges and saw the JKS Restaurant team take home the iconic blue trophy and an all expenses gastro trip to discover the “Aart of Rice” with Tilda.

The judges were blown away by their wild mushroom and tofu Biriyani with a cucumber, mango and ginger Raita. This aromatic main was followed by a seasonal rhubarb rice pudding served with a rhubarb confit with roasted almond flakes, orange skin and fennel cress. The winning dish not only experimented with food trends; it took a creative approach whilst embedding Indian cuisine throughout.

Here’s what some of the competitor’s dishes looked like – delicious!

 

Vegan

Another major trend that is taking the world by storm is vegan/plant-based/vegetarian and flexitarian diets. HRC did not disappoint in this department! Jellybean’s favourite (and a client) was Gold & Green’s Pulled Oats encased in a crisp, green lettuce leaf with an assortment of tasty toppings.

Originating in Helsinki, Gold & Green have been serving up their revolutionary plant-based protein – Pulled Oats® since 2014 but have only recently launched in the UK.  A mix of oats, broad beans and peas, this 100% plant-based meat alternative has unbeatable nutrition, packed with more protein than chicken and beef.

This delicious plant-based ingredient can help operators offer dishes that are both good for the planet, as well as high in protein and deliver on the vegan trend sweeping the nation.

HRC is not only is a great networking event, it opens your eyes to the endless possibilities that food can offer. From plant-based pizza base street food to indulgent caramel waffles, HRC had it all.