Potato Expo 2023 fosters collaboration within the potato industry

December 2022

‘Potato Expo, hosted annually by the National Potato Council (NPC), has become the largest conference and trade show for the potato industry held in North America’, NPC CEO Kam Quarles emphasizes.

Foster collaboration

The NPC describes the annual event as a forum to foster collaboration between national and state potato associations, as well as the rest of the industry. Each year, prior to the kick-off to the event, Potatoes USA, United Potato Growers of America, Potato Sustainability Alliance, and others meet to organize and plan for the new year. ‘In addition to the 100,000-square foot trade show, the Expo Hall will host a stage for “Potato Talks”, a center of activity featuring engaging discussions and entertainment all focused on the latest innovations in potatoes and potato production’, the CEO adds. ‘Furthermore, the 2023 event includes numerous networking opportunities, such as the Kick-Off Reception with a live auction to benefit the Potato Leadership, Education and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF), daily ‘happy hours’, a beer garden and an apres-ski themed closing party. Attendees will also have space to meet and do business in Meet & Potatoes Lounges and several other meeting spaces located throughout the Gaylord Rockies Resort’, Quarles notes.

Star-studded cook-off

During the second day of the 2023 edition of the event, attendees will be able to witness a celebrity cook-off. Cooking competitions have been organized during Potato Expo for a few years now. As Food Network personality and chef Simon Majumdar hosted the Iron Potato Chef Cook-off during the 2022 edition of the event, comments on Twitter aroused interest among other celebrity chefs as well as Emmy Award-winning host Ted Allen (Chopped & Chopped Junior). After an offline discussion, the food personalities resolved to remedy their previous Potato Expo absences by taking the 2023 event by storm in a chef cookoff of their favorite potato recipes. As a result, the organization of the event can now announce next year’s “This Spuds for You – Celebrity Chef Edition”, hosted by Allen and featuring two star-studded chef teams. Together with RJ Harvey, Culinary Director at Potatoes USA, Majumdar will compete against pastry chef Duff Goldman and chef Jason Morse. The cookoff, along with a separate cooking demonstration by long-time Potato Expo favorite Majumdar, will serve as featured event of the Potato Expo 2023. The full schedule of the event can be found at http://www.nationalpotatocouncil.org/potato-expo/schedule. ●

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