2025 Expo: Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Speaker A: What does people plus food service plus conversation equal? The Food Service for Thought podcast. Produced by Forbes, Heaver and Wallace and hosted by Kerry Clements and Justin Oliveras, the bi monthly podcast connects the food service industry through in depth conversations with chefs, restaurant equipment suppliers, food service establishment owners, and so many others that make up our wonderful industry. If you like food people and great conversation, we think you will enjoy the Food Service for Thought podcast.

Speaker B: Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of the Food Service for Thought podcast. The podcast connecting the food service industry. Carrie. Today we are talking about something very special and all I can say in two short words is, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

Speaker C: Oh, uh, that's good. I didn't know how you would start because, you know, we don't script out pretty much anything we say.

Speaker B: That's true.

Speaker C: So, um, good for you. I like it. Vroom, vroom.

Speaker B: Yeah, thanks.

Speaker C: Yeah. That's our theme this year for expo, which is, uh, Justin, Thursday, December 4th.

Speaker B: I thought you meant this Thursday. I'm like, we got a lot to do if it's this Thursday.

Speaker C: Although it would take a load off because, uh, right now it's looking at invitation lists and we have this cool, um, invite and um, nailing down the speaker. It all. There's like a lot that has to happen right now and then it's, you know, kind of slows for a bit and then picks up. But, um, yeah, yeah, soon we'll, we'll talk to the caterer. Matt. The caterer.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: Um, but I mean, food for a car racing theme. Just don't, um, expect salads, folks.

Speaker B: Yeah,

Speaker C: I was thinking back to, um, other expos. I always try to go back and look at files and um, I, um, just pulled up 2018 file and we had the master, the masters, the golf tournament. And I remember it was like guys against girls. Not everybody on the team, just Jim and John Heaver. Especially John Heaver wanting that stupid what are you? Caddy onesie thing. That overalls.

Speaker B: Yes.

Speaker C: Yep.

Speaker B: We all look like painters.

Speaker C: And then we had to wear. It was like, okay, what are we going to wear? Cuz women, you know, we're like, we're not going to do that. We'll have to take it off to pee and every, you know, too much trouble. So we got those aprons and I felt like Mrs. Pat or Ms. Pat, who was my nursery school teacher, uh, when I, before I went to school. Not my favorite uniforms. This year is fun. This year. Don't you worry. We're gonna wear red overalls this year because that's what pit crew were and hotter. Hotter ones.

Speaker B: That's great. Yeah. If it could be like uh, like what's uh, the corduroy? Uh, yeah, if we could do like thick corduroy.

Speaker C: Yes. I don't see anything wrong with that. Yeah, that was, that was, that was the most heated discussion, discussions I've ever had about clothing. Except for when my daughter was a teenager. You'll see one day. Or maybe when I was a teenager. Yeah, I remember I got a bikini when I was like, I don't know, 15 or 16. And my parents got in a big fight. So you'll see.

Speaker B: Okay. Excited.

Speaker C: Yeah. I mean she's only seven now, but.

Speaker B: Yep.

Speaker C: Yeah, I hope she comes to Expo. But one year, but, but we don't really have kids there. So. What is your favorite theme or can you even remember all of our themes?

Speaker B: Um, so I've been here 10 years and I think the first theme, the first expo that we had that I was here for in 2015 was the, it was the red carpet one where we all had to dress up.

Speaker C: I love that one.

Speaker B: And not that I particularly loved wearing a tux, but I, I thought that was just a fun theme, you know, cuz Christmas is, I mean, you know, it's the holidays around that time and like it was cool just to have like a formal event, you know, where it felt formal and, and um, all that. So that, that was fun. Um, I like that. And then I like the um. Was it an 80s?

Speaker C: Yeah.

Speaker B: Did we do an 80s one or like an 80s show? Like movie or TV show or something? But I remember that well.

Speaker C: Yeah, a lot of people dressed up like that. Uh, I think Jim was like Top Gun.

Speaker B: Yes, that's right.

Speaker C: Eighties. I don't know. And then Grant, was he Crocodile Dundee or something? Um,

Speaker B: I mean that was nothing. He just pulled out his Tuesday wardrobe for that.

Speaker C: I don't even wear my Tuesday vest. I'm gonna wear that on Thursday. Yeah, that was great. I, I, Yeah, I teased the hell out of my hair for that one. Yep, yep. And then you were, you were Miami Vice.

Speaker B: Yeah, something.

Speaker C: Yeah, that was good. That was good. You already had those clothes.

Speaker B: I did, yeah. Crockett and Tubs.

Speaker C: Um, yeah, thanks to streaming services. You can rewatch that.

Speaker B: Yes, I saw that on Amazon prime and it's like you can rent or buy the episodes and I'm like, I'm already paying for Prime Video and I'm Amazon Prime. I should just be able to watch these because they're from 1984.

Speaker C: Don't even get me started because I am on a fight with Amazon prime right now. And I am, um, not. I am not paying extra, whatever a month not to have commercials for some things. So guess what? I get up and get my steps in or wash dishes or whatever. Yep, screw them.

Speaker B: And this is not, uh, to take out Amazon prime, um, because they're defenseless against you and me. But they have something that, to my knowledge, as of, like today, you still cannot switch off. It's called something like dynamic sound or whatever. But if you watch a movie or a TV show or anything like that on Prime Video, the. It automatically adjusts the volume up and down if there's like, explosions or, or gunshots or people screaming or cars going fast or whatever. And it, like, drags the volume all the way down to the bottom. And then it keeps the, the dialogue clear, but, like, it completely takes you out of whatever you're watching because you can't hear anything else except the people talking. So, like, if they're in a car chase, you can't hear the engines revving, you can't hear the tires squealing. You can't hear anything except the people in the car talking. And I think they do that so that. Because people have had such an issue in the past with streaming services where you can't hear the dialogue, but if you can't turn this feature off. So, like, I'm a huge fan of the Mission Impossible movies, and I was re. Watching him over the last six months or whatever leading up to the final one this summer. And anytime there was an explosion, which it's hello, it's an admission impossible, it's exclusively explosions. You can't hear anything except the people talking. So it's like, you know, people have all this pay all this money for speakers in their house. You can't hear anything.

Speaker C: I mean, now I'm gonna have to check it out. I, uh, I don't know that I've experienced that. I mean, I've watched Maverick a few times. I don't know, but they don't really talk during that.

Speaker B: Top Gun Maverick?

Speaker C: Yeah, Top Gun Maverick. Just really so I can see Miles Teller. I don't care about. What's his name, Glenn Powell, and certainly don't care about. I'm not gonna say. I was gonna say Tom Cruise, but I might just lose the four and a half million listeners we have because I think they overlap. So, so he.

Speaker B: But he's, he's unique, uh, in that he, like, he still has power as a movie star. Like, you can still like him as a movie star and be like, okay, you know, the other stuff, whatever. But like, hey, he's awesome. I mean, you look at his filmography, he's got, he's got all the movies.

Speaker C: Well, I will say this. He. He's a professional entertainer. And that is something these days for sure. You know, he's not getting, as far as you can tell, wrapped up in his crap. He's wrapped up in his craft, not crap.

Speaker B: There you go.

Speaker C: So, yeah, those are good. I, I forgot about those. And I was like looking at my folder. Why don't we have, uh. We're missing some expos, but duh. Covid and the year. So 20 and 21, we did not have an expo. Um, 20, not 2019 wasn't like a theme theme. It was together we deliver excellence. But I love that because it really is about Forbes, he Wallace. And we feel like, um, whoever the person that we're working with, uh, at any given moment, it applies, right? Whether we're talking to a chain restaurant or a C store, multi unit C store, school, college, hospital, whatever. And then as well as the dealer and as well as the manufacturer and installer, um, what have you. Because to us it has to be a together. To us it has to be, uh, a we, not a them and us, uh, because of thing. And, and that was cool, but it was. I mean, I love that theme. I just. We didn't really have anything. I guess we could have been like conjoined twins. We could have all been like.

Speaker B: We had the, the Caddy outfit from the. Our master's theme. It was one giant one that was sewn together.

Speaker C: Everybody had you like pick, pick your partner.

Speaker B: You know, like when you were going to the bathroom. A little awkward, but,

Speaker C: uh, yeah. So this year's Expo, I'm really excited about, um, I'm always really excited about Expo. For me, I mean, it's, it's a lot of work. It is a lot of work. But you know, being in marketing, this is just a carry thing. Being in marketing and not being out in the field very often. I really, really, really enjoy seeing everyone. I love our Wednesday family dinner that we do with our manufacturers and the speakers, um, that are part of Expo the next day. I love that. I really love that. And um, I don't know, just being around people and seeing everyone. You too? I mean, it's fine. I like seeing you too.

Speaker B: Thanks.

Speaker C: Okay. Yeah. Um, and then it's a good time to learn, but not feel so hurried like you do at nafa, you know, kind of deal. I mean, it's like a baby naphtha.

Speaker A: The.

Speaker C: Be the baby naphtham with just our stuff. But anyway, yeah, I, I. Yeah. What, what is. Do you have any funny stories or, or, um, goofy things that have happened? I'm trying to think of, like, um.

Speaker B: I don't. I don't think I have any wild stories. I do. Um, my. My favorite part of Expo. Well, not my favorite part of Expo, but one of my favorite parts of Expo is the. We all are back at the office cleaning up, and inevitably, at some point in the morning, either you or Hoyt or both of you walk through with about $4,000 worth of Whataburger. And we all just, like zombies walk over just like food, and we, yeah, just dominate that. So that's. That's funny because, uh, uh, I always enjoy doing that. And then I eat my breakfast on a bun. My bob. And then like, wait a minute. I think I'll have a second one.

Speaker C: Yeah. Well, and then we've got so many, you know, some, uh, young guys that can put away maybe two of those and a taquito and some.

Speaker B: Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. We might need to up the food budget.

Speaker C: I think we're gonna up the food budget. Uh, um, that's one of my favorite. It's a good way for me to ease in. And now we can order online, but it's still not ready when we go pick it up, you know, so, yeah, Hoyt and I go pick it up and, And I do like that one. It usually only takes like 20 or 30 minutes, but that's enough time that y' all have knocked out a bunch.

Speaker B: Exactly.

Speaker C: I mean, there's still a lot to be done.

Speaker B: Yep.

Speaker C: But. But you can tell what it's supposed to look like. You know, it's like somebody is at least like, Cheryl's picked up all the wine glasses that still have wine in them. Um, listen, I remember when we were at the old building, you know, it had more space for us for the dining area. And we. One, uh, year. A couple years, we had an after party there, uh, where we played poker and, um, Texas, uh, Holden, whatever. And guys would smoke cigars and then just put them out in the glass. And that's really special. The next morning, um, to. To come to. But. But it was like that. Those were the wild, wild west, because that was serious. This was like, serious party time. We're too old for that crap now. But, yeah, and young people don't party like that. No, they Want to get home? You guys want to just uh, not turn up. Turning in.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: Which works for me at my age. But um, there were some, there were some. I won't tell them on here, but we have some fun. Fun stuff. Yeah. Expo, um. God, I wish I had like a recording of, of everybody, you know, over the years talking about their favorite stories. Um, not favorite, but worth mentioning was the ice storm.

Speaker B: Oh yeah.

Speaker C: Which I don't remember when that was that before you?

Speaker B: I think so.

Speaker C: Yeah, it was before you. Okay.

Speaker B: Yep.

Speaker C: It just seems like yesterday and now it's warm every expo. Don't you get hot in there?

Speaker B: Yeah, it's different the first couple years. I remember it being pretty, pretty cold. Um, but it's warmer now. It doesn't on the. On.

Speaker C: We have to have the AC on now, so. Yeah, or pop the doors open. I mean it's never miserable, thank goodness. But that's why you have to have it in December. You have to have it.

Speaker B: Oh yeah.

Speaker C: Well, so real quick, this year here's who I think ah, would get the most out of Expo. I think um, what chain restaurants will like is uh, one of the speaker sessions is um, with a group of uh, facilities folks and installers talking about how to prep for installations. Um, really getting ahead of issues that we hear a lot of complaints on like just across the board, whether it's a chain or school district or whomever. This, this is, this is kind of a connector between all segments of our industry. So we're going to talk about that and then the. And those speakers will be really experienced speakers who have in different areas of their career dealt with a bunch of different uh, challenges. We'll say challenges. So uh, that saying is better than saying cluster something. So uh, and then, and then um, we have a panel of food service, uh, planners, consultants and they've got a few topics they're going to talk on. But we'll have time for Q A. That again we feel like is something that's across the board. You know, we do try to do that but sometimes we've been specific to K12 when we had the TDA come talk or whatever. So we're, we do feel pretty excited about that and anybody that is listening, we hope you can make it for that. Oh, and we're gonna have door prizes for attending the session.

Speaker B: Oh nice.

Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. And everything. All the door prizes, uh, well, most of them are race car theme including you know there's that Texas Raceway, an event, um, uh, so you can have a racing experience there. Oh, that's cool. And then, um, yeah, so everything's, everything's race car theme. I don't want to tell because it's so far in advance. People like, let's copy, you know.

Speaker B: Yeah. Well, the second door prize is a carburetor that you get, so that'll be nice.

Speaker C: Well, I was also thinking about, um, A lot of people drive their trucks to expo and I was just thinking about some catalytic converters. Wouldn't it be funny like if we stole one off of somebody and they won their right, the exact one back. Laughs.

Speaker B: You're going to jail. But this was a pretty funny joke.

Speaker C: This is why I drive a very low to the ground car. That is the one and only reason that has nothing to do with wanting to drive fast. You're not a fast driver.

Speaker B: Um, no, no, I never, I never was. I, I, I am good with that. Like, I'm good with speed. Heights is my problem, but I'm good with speed. Um, I just, you know, I have a Honda.

Speaker C: I'm a dad.

Speaker B: Yep. But it's not a minivan.

Speaker C: Okay, this is not what this, uh, episode is about. But a minivan is pretty spectacular when you think about fitting lots of people in. You know, you and I only have one kid, so. Yeah, our kids are separate. We don't have a kid together.

Speaker B: Yes, well, Carrie, it's been long enough. We can tell everybody.

Speaker C: So you're, you're 44 and you have a 33 year old. Do you know my 33 year old, by the way, does not listen to me on the podcast. Does your seven year old?

Speaker B: No.

Speaker C: No, no. Well, let's just ponder on that. Yeah, have an awkward silence for a minute.

Speaker B: One time she, uh, Ayla came in when I was on camera with the team's call or whatever and she thought that that meant like I was like broadcasting on TV or whatever. And so she thinks I'm famous now because like the props, I'm m not.

Speaker C: Well, to us you are. Yeah, to us you are. So, and we're, we're an elite crew, so that's not something that is not nothing. Well, um, so anyway, we'll be sending out invitations, uh, for expo. We've already got a lot of people registered, which I think is pretty fantastic because we did a save the date email, but the registration page was ready. So, um, so if you're listening, it would actually mean a lot to us for you to show up and be part of Expo. We do think you would get a lot out of it. And um, you know, at the Very least, there's gonna be some great door prizes, amazing food, and Justin, um, will be in a red corduroy jumpsuit, and we'll just walk behind him and listen to him go.

Speaker B: That's great.

Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, this is all people really need to know. They. The speakers are important. Well, and here's the thing. Even if the weather's kind of misty or whatever and you don't want to go, there's valet parking. You know, it's catered all day.

Speaker B: Yep. The. Catered all day. And the valet parking is nice because, um, I mean, any place of business, unless you're a Walmart, you don't have the parking for a big event like this. So to have valet there that you can just pull up and that's. That's very helpful. And the catered all day thing for us especially, but for people, whenever they show up, like, you have, uh, time of day, appropriate food, so that's nice. So if you are going in the morning and you feel like, you know, hey, I could. I could have a. A cup of coffee and a little bite or something, we'll have that stuff for you that's appropriate for that time of day where you're not just going to be choking down taquitos all day or sliders all day at, you know, 9:45 in the morning.

Speaker C: Well, and then the factories cook as well, like Troy at Woodstone. I don't think we have space under the hood for all the equipment he wants to have in there. But here's what's the best. They have, like, ribs and I mean, they do. They do the cauliflower. So if you're not a meat person, but if you're a meat person, Expo. Expos. Event for you, because they cook so much meat. So much meat. And then, uh, Chef Chris with crescore. I. I don't even know yet what he's cooking, but, I mean, you know, when he was here, we know his food's wonderful, so that'll be great.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: Um, and then Keith does, like, lobster tails and the amana xp, the high speed O. And, um, what else did he do in there? Scallops. He did scallops at Expo, guys. We have some highfalutin food there. And then maybe, um, we can talk Phil, uh, with Cadco into making those cinnamon rolls again. He does other stuff in there because, you know, he can do little pizzas or what have you. Um, but I mean, it's. You won't go hungry, Justin.

Speaker B: Nope. It's good stuff.

Speaker C: Well, so I hope we see everybody Thursday, December 4th. If you have any ideas for door prizes or any thoughts at all that you want to share or you've been to Expo and you want to tell us about your experience, um, you can email me and Justin at FHW Reps. Nope, scratch that. Fhw news@fhw reps.com so it's fhw news@fhwreps.com.

Speaker B: okay. Yeah, fhw news, hw reps.com.

Speaker C: i know you could get it. If you can get it, anybody can get it.

Speaker B: Yep, we're in the clear.

Speaker C: Yeah. Or any, Any episode you want us to do for future podcasts or whatever. Listen, send, Send us some input. You never know. You might get a fake Tor Knox knife or bar kit from Tablecraft or something.

Speaker B: That's right. We already did an episode on tipping.

Speaker C: That's true. Yes. Uh, message us. We'll give you our Zel.

Speaker B: Yes, Carrie, on the tipping, to close this out, a funny thing you'll. You'll like. Um, Carrie and I have a. Ah. Of jokingly. Not jokingly. Difference of opinion on. On tipping delivery drivers with quantity of food versus total distance traveled. And it's a whole thing. So we go back and forth on it. And last the other week, we took our daughter to dinner at her favorite little restaurant. And number one, they were fantastic. And they brought out a meat fair meatball Ferris wheel. It was like a literal, like something you'd see tablecraft have that would sit on the table. And it's an actual Ferris wheel that has ramkin holders for a ramin of meatballs. And there was like six or seven different ones or whatever. And, uh, so that was just like on the house. And, um, and then they brought out like this huge platter that was. Just had like a whole bunch of canolies and like the canoli filling and birthday candles and all of that. Um, so I, I jokingly. So I was telling Hoyt about this, and then I told him jokingly without giving him any. Any context, and he got the joke. And I said, but I only tipped the guy $5 because our table was close to where he had to come out of the kitchen. So we thought that was pretty funny.

Speaker C: Lame, but funny. Uh, but, but more important question. Did the Ferris wheel of meatballs, did it move?

Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker C: Okay, listen, here's what I say. One, we got to get Tablecraft to have something like this. Two, it should have variable speeds because if things just.

Speaker B: Well, this was self. Self moving.

Speaker C: Uh. Oh, dang. Okay, well, we need A motorized version. Either way, you could just flick it like that. And then meatballs are going everywhere.

Speaker B: It gets stuck on top speed and just projectile meatballs. Yeah.

Speaker C: And then if we could have it called have meatloaf balls, then you could be like, ma, where's the meatloaf?

Speaker B: That's right. Honestly. And for. For. For Texas.

Speaker C: What?

Speaker B: I. As soon as I saw that, because we were at an Italian restaurant, as soon as I saw that, I was like, that needs to be like chips and salsa. It should be like six different salsas going around the bin.

Speaker C: Like the sushi things that go like this. It could just be chips and salsa. Well, we'll. One quick thing that I think we need to mention is, um, you know the movie F1, Brad Pitt will be at Expo.

Speaker B: That's right. Yeah. He'll just be hanging out.

Speaker C: He's gonna go home with you and hang out if you want, by 10 gloss. Yeah, that's one of the door prizes. Prizes like you. You get tickets for doing like a circuit or, you know, different things. You get more chances to win door prizes. And Brad Pitt has agreed to be one of the door prizes. So, um, he even. He's doing like, some kind of promotion with Shark, and he said he'll vacuum your house and put it on your Instagram.

Speaker B: That's great.

Speaker C: So Brad Pitt at Expo. You heard it here.

Speaker B: There you go. Yeah, totally. 100 true. And we're not joking at all in any way, shape or form.

Speaker C: We don't ever joke. When have you known us to joke? We don't never not.

Speaker B: In fact, you're the most unfunny m person I've ever met.

Speaker C: I can't wait to see Brad Pitt. I cannot wait to see him. Um, he's aged pretty well. He's really. He's a. You know when you look at movie stars and you're like. When they get that old and they're like. You look up how old they are, and they're like a month younger than me or something like it. This happens. Jennifer Aniston and Julia Roberts were all in the same, and we've aged differently. And. Yeah, with Brad.

Speaker B: Yep. And that like the. The pictures of Tom Cruise and Wilford Brimley both showing it, like 51 years old when they were both 51. Like, boy, those guys look nothing like each other at 51.

Speaker C: I have not seen that. But guess what I'm doing after we're done here.

Speaker B: Yeah, you're gonna Google it. Just Google diabetes.

Speaker C: My diabetes.

Speaker B: All right, well, this was a very, uh, expo focused, topically driven podcast episode. But yes, to land the plane on this. Uh, we are excited for Expo. We're excited to see you at Expo. We're excited to see each other at Expo. And um, it'll be fun. And ladies and gentlemen, start your kidneys.

Speaker A: Thank you for listening to the Food Service for Thought podcast. We hope you enjoyed it. And a big shout out to Forbes, Heaver and Wallace and everyone on the team for producing the first ever food service rep driven podcast. Please subscribe, rate and review. Oh, and go eat out at your local restaurant or grab some takeout or delivery. Even if you are just in the mood for some apps or dessert, every bite helps.