Arkansas Hospitality Association

Arkansas Hospitality Association

News Release

For Immediate Release:

September 20, 2016

Contact: Montine McNulty, (501) 376-2323

Arkansas Hospitality Association’s

2016 AHA Vendor Showcase & Convention

Little Rock — The 72nd Annual Arkansas Hospitality Association Vendor Showcase and Convention and related events were held September 12-15. This year’s Show hosted many special events including two exciting culinary competitions, the Star of the Bar competition, STAR Institute educational sessions, a celebration gala, and the golf showcase. The theme of the show this year was “Arkansas is Out of This World.”

The Arkansas Hospitality Association’s Golf Showcase was held on Monday, September 12 at War Memorial Golf Course. It was a 3-man scramble with a shotgun start. The traveling trophy, the Gastfreundschaft, a German word for hospitality, was taken home by the Ben E Keith Team: Tom Pangburn, Chris Haynes & Jeff Martin.

The Thirteenth Annual Arkansas Chefs’ Culinary Classic Competition was held Tuesday, September 13 at 6:30pm at the Statehouse Convention Center. The competition allowed event attendees to sample some of Arkansas’s finest chefs’ scrumptious entries as they competed in soup/salad, appetizer, dessert, and entrée categories. Special wine and beer tasting was provided by Arkansas Craft Distributors, Lost 40 Brewery and Post Familie Winery. A silent auction with items from Arkansas businesses around the state was also held during the event.

The following is a list of winners for this year’s culinary competition divided by category:

Appetizer:

1st: Adam Hanry, Camp Mitchell-FunYuns

2nd: Bonner Cameron, Bistro Catering & Gourmet Take Away-Coffee Cured Tenderloin Carpaccio

3rd: Casey Copeland, SO Restaurant & Bar-Garlic Citrus Tuna Tartare

Soup/Salad:

1st: Javier Salcedo, Capital Hotel -Traditional Chicken Tortilla Soup

2nd: Kamiya Merrick, At the Corner-Steak and Egg Salad

3rd: Josh Marling, Southland Park Gaming & Racing-Watermelon Fried Chicken Salad

Entrée:

1st: Paul Frintrup, Country Club of Little Rock-Prosciutto Wrapped Beef Tenderloin

2nd: Brandon Douglas, Green Leaf Grill-Pickle Spiced Beef Tenderloin

3rd: Pratik Mungre, Capital Hotel-Braised Short Ribs

Dessert:

1st: Adam Hanry, Camp Mitchell-Extreme Ice Cream Float

2nd: Paul Frintrup, Country Club of Little Rock-Limoncello Parfait

3rd: Jan Lewandowski, Pulaski Tech CAHMI-Carrot Mascarpone Torte

People’s Choice:

Mario Torres, Little Rock Marriott-Smokey Universe

Arkansas Beef Council Award:

Bonner Cameron, Bistro Catering & Gourmet Take Away-Coffee Cured Tenderloin Carpaccio

Hiland Pride Award:

Chef Paul Frintrup, Country Club of Little Rock-Limoncello Parfait

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Vendor Showcase & Convention was held at 11:15 am on Wednesday, September 14, and was presided over by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson with other state and local officials.

The Iron Chef Competition took place over Wednesday and Thursday on the showcase floor. The winner of the competition, Chef Justus Moll of River Grille Steakhouse in Bentonville, AR, took the title in the final round, defeating Chef Chef Casey Copeland of SO Restaurant & Bar in Little Rock, AR.

The other participating chefs were:

·  Chef Bonner Cameron, Bistro Catering & Gourmet Take Away

·  Chef Brandon Douglas, Green Leaf Grill

·  Chef Paul Frintrup, Country Club of Little Rock

·  Chef Jason Knapp, Sysco Arkansas

·  Chef Paul Krawic, Little Rock Marriott

·  Chef Josh Marling, Southland Park Gaming & Racing

In addition to the Iron Chef, there were other hospitality games that took place on the showcase floor. The full list of competitions and winners are:

Bartending Winners:

Classic Cocktail Winner: Dillon Garcia, Arkansas Mixologist Association

Crafted Cocktail Winner: Loic Lautedou, The Capital Hotel

2016 Star of the Bar Champion: Loic Lautedou, The Capital Hotel

Maintenance Champion:

Razorback Inn

Bell-cart Wheelie Champion:

Razorback Inn

Bedmaking Champion:

Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa

The annual Arkansas Hospitality Association Vendor Showcase and Convention provided an opportunity for exhibitors from across Arkansas to present the latest in food products, equipment, furniture and other items that could be valuable to hospitality industry leaders. Exhibitors showcased their goods and services for the benefit of hundreds of hospitality industry owners, managers, employees and guests.

“The Arkansas Hospitality Association was excited to have rolled out the red carpet for you this year as we put on our annual Vendor Showcase & Convention and brought you new products, opportunities to establish partnerships, the chance to build connections, ways to improve operations and establishing yourselves as industry leaders,” said Montine McNulty, Executive Director of the Arkansas Hospitality Association. Thank you for maximizing your value and making a lasting impression at the 2016 Vendor Showcase & Convention.”

In addition to the exhibitor booths, the showcase featured an array of activities, including:

·  Demonstration seminars on banquet catering techniques, pastry decorating, 3D design and gluten free cooking;

·  A presentation of the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism Marketing Plan for 2017;

·  The Gala Dinner at the DoubleTree Hotel where the new board Presidents were installed and Gentlemen Jazz performed for the group.

This showcase was open to all owners, managers, operators and employees of restaurants, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, travel attractions, tourism organizations and other hospitality-industry related businesses as well as the general public.

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The Arkansas Hospitality Association is the official voice of the restaurant, lodging, travel and tourism industries in the state, representing the Arkansas Restaurant Association, the Arkansas Lodging Association and the Arkansas Travel Council.

Visit us online at www.arhospitality.org!