My IHMRS trip, and the Food Truck Panel

I just got back from New York City, where I spent the past two days cruising the aisles, exhibits, and sights of the International Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Show.

New York City is nothing, if not resilient. Given the fact that the city had recently been battered and knocked around by Hurricane Sandy, it’s a testament to the New York spirit that a show as big and demanding as the IHMRS could still go on.

Another thing about New York: it remains one of my favorite places to visit. I’ve lived in Chicago all my life, and I still stop dead in my tracks when I see landmarks like the Empire State Building.

The convention was held at the Javits Center, right off the Hudson. Within seconds of walking in to the hall, I was greeted by the titular Senator Javits:

I walked to the convention hall from the Flatiron District, so it was nice to have Sen. Javits offer me a seat within seconds of my arrival.

One of the main reasons for my visit was to speak on the “Creating a Food Truck Strategy” panel discussion, held on Sunday. I was excited to see my name on the sign listing all of the day’s panels — not because I like to see my name in print, but because they got the spelling right. That never happens.

My fellow panelists were true “A-listers” in the food truck industry. Matt Geller is an industry thought leader and fierce advocate for truck owners. He led the discussion with an eye-opening presentation about the state of the business, and where it’s headed.

Crystal Williams is an accomplished attorney who has been actively involved with the food truck industry; she spoke knowingly and intelligently about the issues facing truck owners. I saw people in the audience feverishly scribbling down notes every time she said something.

A late addition to the panel, Joseph Pergolizzi from Fire Within, spoke enthusiastically and credibly as he shared street-level perspectives and insights from his own experiences.

As for my part, I talked about the value of buying OEM, the benefits of having access to manuals, interactive diagrams, and pictures, and how same-day shipping benefits an industry that’s always on the go. I also shared my admiration for the food truck industry’s use of social media to drive business, engagement, and loyalty. They’ve got it down.

Moderating the panel was Mobile Food News head Gary Koppelman. Gary has helped to expand my understanding of the mobile food industry, and it was great to finally meet (and share a stage) with him. Here’s Gary at the MobileFoodNews.com booth:

Here’s a shot of the brief moment of quiet that I experienced before showtime. Once the panel got started, I was positioned on the far right of the table:

When my panel was over, I slowly and methodically went from booth to booth, from one end of the venue to the other, meeting people and taking in the vibrant scene.

Thanks to everyone who came out, said “hi,” and shared in the fun. I had a great time.

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by James VanOsdol