Miami
#1 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
More than 60,000 people flocked to Miami Beach to interact with celebrity chefs and personalities such as Rachael Ray, Dominique Ansel, and José Andrés. The festival, sponsored by the Food Network and Cooking Channel and presented by Food & Wine, has a huge reach and reported nearly four billion total media impressions this year. It celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2016. Next: February 25-28, 2016
Chicago
#2 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
Moving the event to Chicago in 2015 brought new energy to the coveted food industry awards, which were held in New York for its first 24 years. The award show announced it will return to Chicago in 2016 and 2017. Next: May 2, 2016
New York
#3 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
While it shares some events with its sister event in South Beach—the popular Burger Bash and Meatopia, among others—the New York version has developed its own identity. About 55,000 people attended the seventh annual edition in 2014, whose proceeds support Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Next: October 15-18, 2015
Las Vegas
#4 Food & Restaurant Industry Event
Presented by Bon Appétit, the festival offers events with chefs such as Emeril Lagasse and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Guests can also take part in the action at events such as a Hell’s Kitchen-style competition hosted by chef Gordon Ramsay himself. Next: Spring 2016
New Orleans
#5 Food & Restaurant Industry Event (up from #6)
The cocktail festival draws bartenders and others from the spirits industry worldwide to New Orleans for five days of tastings, product launches, and competitions. Danny Meyer, whose Union Square Hospitality Group opened its first cocktail bar, Porchlight, earlier this year, provided the keynote. Next: July 20-24, 2016
Aspen, Colorado
#6 Food & Restaurant Industry Event (up from #7)
The 33rd annual event aims for quality, not quantity, and draws about 5,000 attendees for some 80 events with celebrated chefs such as Jacques Pépin, Marcus Samuelsson, and Christina Tosi. New this year was a sommelier conference. Next: June 17-19, 2016
