Foodservice design and consulting firm, FOODESIGN Associates of Charlotte, NC, has been selected by an industry panel of judges as the winner of the 2016 Foodservice Pioneering Concept competition sponsored by HX: The Hotel Experience.
The winning concept, “ReFresh-Eatery and Market”, provides a fresh, healthy, made-to-order alternative to fast-food options typically found in a food court or public space, and uses the latest technology through cooking, iPad and mobile-app ordering. The concept provides a retail component for take-home, along with a made-to-order quick-service for customers who want to dine at the location.
“The Foodservice Pioneering competition supports innovation, which is a key ingredient to staying relevant in our industry,“ said Phil Robinson, Group Show Director, Hospitality Media Group LLC. “We are thrilled to present ReFresh in a scaled, working concept model on the HX exhibit floor, November 13-15, at the Javits K. Javits Center Convention Center,” he continued.
“ReFresh is a concept that brings three ingredients to the design table: sustainability, technology and flexibility, said Kris Morphis, Senior VP, FOODESIGN. “This concept provides a merger of retail and food service to provide an exciting experience for any foodie! It’s like going to the market and shopping for a meal, but you don’t have to try and figure it out. We are honored to be chosen this year by this fantastic group of judges and very excited about showing our concept at the HX in New York City!” he adds.
“It’s not just the millennials that this concept reaches – it’s the business traveler and the corporate professional that frequent this foodservice space in high-traffic, under-utilized spaces. Technology is a critical part of their daily routine, and the ReFresh concept we created meets them where they are already engaging – on their mobile devices,” adds Erik Haviland, VP/Group Creative Director.
The FOODESIGN concept presents a foodservice outlet that should appeal to a broad base of customers. The diverse seating choices afford many different options to suit the comfort level and enhance customer experiences.
Distinguished industry judges for the 2016 Foodservice Pioneering Concept include Zia Ahmed – Senior Director-Dining Services, The Ohio State University, Michael Atanasio – Director, Food & Nutrition Services, Overlook Hospital. Maura Doran, RDN- Director, Food & Nutrition Services, New York Methodist Hospital, David M. Heymann, General Manager, Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center, Tom Prykanowski, Director of Brand Strategy and F & B Innovation, Choice Hotels Michael Roddey, CEC- President and Principal, Gastronomic Services and Consulting, and Kirk Rodriguez, Director, Hospitality Services, Texas Tech University.
Second Place in the 2016 competition was awarded to Nightingale designed by A.J. Barker, Principal, Concept Kitchen + Bar, Lynnwood, WA, and third place was awarded to Make Station designed by Peter Christensen, Principal, Christensen Consultants, San Jose, CA. The renderings and concept overviews of these second and third place winners will also be displayed at the Foodservice Pioneering Concept exhibit booth during HX 2016.
About FOODESIGN Associates: Foodesign Associates was established in 1977 and has served the architectural community as a food facilities consulting firm in all sectors of the industry. Combined with the talent of its media and design studio, theFUZE, it offers unprecedented synergy of services to its clients. Services include system-wide evaluations and recommendations for compliance with the latest codes and standard requirements pertaining to foodservice systems and equipment.
About HX: HX: The Hotel Experience takes the best of 100 years from The International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show® (IHMRS) forward for the next hundred years. HX is North America’s largest trade event for hotel and foodservice owners, executives, directors, and GMs from across the hospitality spectrum, and manufacturers and marketers of all things hospitality. It is held annually in November in New York City.
HX is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. (HANYC), and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSH&TA) and is managed by Hospitality Media Group (HMG).
HX: The Hotel Experience—Rooms to Restaurants will feature three full days of exhibits from Sunday, November 13, through Tuesday, November 15. HX is co-located with the 7th annual Boutique Design New York (BDNY), a trade fair tailored exclusively to hospitality design professionals and for presenting manufacturers of furniture, lighting, wall coverings, fabric, seating, accessories, artwork, carpet and flooring, materials, and bath and spa for hospitality on November 13 and 14. Collectively, the two shows will present 900 exhibitors and attract some 18,000-industry professionals. For more information, visit the website at www.thehotelexperience.us
