NJ Restaurant & Hospitality Association plans first innovation summit

The basics:

• NJRHA will host its first Innovation Summit Sept. 30 in East Windsor
• Sessions will cover AI, payments compliance, guest experience, culinary technology
• Event targets restaurant owners, chefs, hospitality executives, industry partners
• Association: summit shaped by member feedback, industry challenges

In an effort to help restaurant and hospitality leaders learn more about technologies, trends and strategies transforming the industry, the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association will hold its first-ever innovation summit.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 30 at the National Conference Center in East Windsor. It will provide operators with practical insights and real-world strategies to improve efficiency, enhance guest experience and grow their businesses.

Designed for restaurant owners, operators, chefs, hospitality executives and industry partners, the summit will feature the following panel discussions:

1:10–2:10 p.m. | Doing More with Less: AI Solutions for Hospitality Businesses

Participants include:

• Matthew Borowski, CEO and founder of Death of Hospitality Restaurant Group in Freehold
• Ryan Dorchak, owner of Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell

2:10–2:40 p.m. | Understanding Surcharging, Cash Discounting and Related Compliance/Enforcement Requirements

• Participants include Kim Morrison and Andrew Virostek, sales executives for global financial technology and payments company Fiserv

3–4 p.m. | Innovative Ways to Enhance Guest Experiences & Profitability in New Jersey

Participants include:

• Francis Schott, owner of Stage Left Steak House and Catherine Lombardi in New Brunswick
• Adenah Bayoh, entrepreneur, real estate developer and CEO of Foya Hospitality Group
• Tim Selcov, CEO of Triple T Hospitality Group in Little Silver

4–5 p.m. | Technology Innovation in the Culinary World

Participants include:

• Anthony Bucco, CEO of By Landmark in Plainfield
• David Burke, chef, restaurateur and CEO of David Burke Enterprises
• Allison Akbay, owner of Snapping Turtle Farm in Cranbury
• Daniel Garbarino, national sales director for commercial kitchen technology provider Rational USA

According to the NJRHA, additional speakers and panelists will be available in the coming weeks.

The Clover-sponsored event will run from noon to 5 p.m. Information on registration, sponsorship opportunities and other details can be found here.

Based in Trenton, the NJRHA provides advocacy, education and resources to its 20,000-plus member restaurants, foodservice establishments and hospitality businesses. According to the organization, the sector generates over $40 billion in annual sales and supports more than 366,000 jobs.

‘Interactive and engaging’

NJRHA President and CEO Daniel Klim told NJBIZ, “We’re doing this as an association because we want to make sure that we get members information, different perspectives and useful ways that they can continue to enhance their business in New Jersey.”

“Most of these restaurateurs, into business because they love hospitality, they love people, and they want to serve good food and give wonderful experiences. But they’re stretched as small business owners because they have so many things to worry about, whether it be rising labor costs, rising costs of food or where to find help,” he said.

According to Klim, the topics for the upcoming summit were almost entirely shaped by conversations he had with members around New Jersey.

From there, the NJRHA set out to find a creative way to “to educate our members while really giving them tangible ways to leverage resources that they may not know about that are available to them,” Klim said.

“My goal is always to do something that’s going to be relevant to the industry but entertaining to engage people. And, I think this really does it. I couldn’t ask for better panelists and I’m really excited for the event,” he said. “We want this to be interactive and engaging. We want our attendees to ask questions and get some takeaways that they may be able to utilize and incorporate in their everyday business. If not, at least they’ll get various perspective from the small business owner to the larger chains that can just give some industry insight on how they’re leveraging technologies.”