my 1st chicago convention – why you should support!

First of all, did ya know $5.8 billion is generated for chicago’s economy from business travelers every year… so we all should really be helping every convention that picks chicago over our aggressive competitors… like vegas and many others… careful y’all-

Second, they socially put us on the world map!  Like the National Restaurant Association Show this week- brings 70,000 visitors & over $112 million to chicago- and contributes to our effort to making chicago the culinary and entertainment capital of the world!  The best in the industry (owners, chefs, managers, distributors,…) all come into our home to show us their best, while super excited to take in all the food & culture we have to offer every minute they can… just having the world know at all times that we are the National Restaurant centerpoint gives us great added credibility… and we need to hold on to that with everything we got!

In effort to help personally this year, I agreed to speak at the show opening kickoff “Restaurant Executive Breakfast” this Saturday morning… first just seemed like a fun thing to do… now a lil freaked out realizing that its way bigger deal than thought sharing the stage w/ top execs responsible for marketing McDonald’s, Dunkin donuts,… ooops. Don’t worry… I will do my best to represent hometown small biz- besides, it’s about “word of mouth” marketing… my fav… holla!  Ok, back to serious.  Think I will talk about how and why we made the video above- what do you think?

Anywho, please come to see me try to share the stage with some amazing marketing/restaurant/… people or come to any of the sessions at this year’s NRA Show, May 16-19th at McCormick Place by registering online at www.restaurant.org/show or onsite all four days…

 (ok, my confidence is now up walking into this… I got it… after writing this I found out we just got reviewed today by world food critic Phil Vettel in today’s Chicago Tribune if can grab it… Sunda got another “Excellent!”  We just opened for lunch… best time to come…  click here for the review – oh, and funny pic of me and three celeb friends I was kickn it with at underground last weekend in Suntimes I guess today too… crazy day- and it just started!)