More than 1,700 exhibitors and 51,000 registered attendees were on hand at the National Restaurant Association Show this past May in Chicago.   

The feeling in the air was electric, as people were thrilled to return to the foodservice industry’s event after it was rain-checked the past three years due to COVID-19. The exhibitors, guest speakers, chefs and mixologists collaborated with one another to drive the conversation and innovation around foodservice.   

This year, we took to the floor as a first-time exhibitor. We showcased our new finished format products Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Burger Patty and Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Grounds.

  

We demonstrated the versatility of our plant-based beef with three different samples – as burger build with caramelized onion, aioli, and swiss cheese; a deconstructed burger made with pickles, and aioli and a campfire chili created by vegan author and Chef Chloe Coscarelli, made with, beans, onions, peppers, and a range of spices.  

Chef Chloe, always an amazing presence, hosted a demo at the booth where guests looked on as she prepared her campfire chili. For some behind-the-scenes content, check out @ChefChloe on Instagram.

We served more than 2,000 samples over the course of the show, and we received some great responses to our product:  

“This is the best plant-based product I’ve tried during the whole show!” 

“I’m normally a meat eater, but I really like this!” 

“I am bringing my friends to try to burger, and I’ll be here for it tomorrow too.” 

 “The texture on this is really unique, much better than the competitors.” 

“I stopped by the Motif booth because word is going around that it’s the best plant-based burger at the show.” 

In addition to our presence at NRA, we participated in the 23rd Annual Championship BBQ and Cookoff put on by Flavor Forays and the National Restaurant Association. Guests enjoyed 400 samples of Chef Chloe’s Campfire Chili.

The event also benefited the ongoing efforts of Chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. We were  honored to  contribute a $5,000 donation to support World Central Kitchen’s mission to provide meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises around the world.  

We had a fantastic time showing everyone what’s been cooking at Motif. Check out our social feeds for more highlights of the event.