Author Topic: Anyone attended the Pizza EXPO in Las Vegas??? (Read 2834 times)

TomN · « **on:** December 18, 2012, 12:11:39 PM »

I have a brochure about the 2013 Pizza EXPO in Las Vegas during March 19-21, 2013. (I notice that Tom Lehmann is one of the speakers.) There is a crash course at the oven with Master Pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani. He will be teaching dough making and starters. This really has my interest.

I would like to hear from those who have attended this event before or are planning to attend again. Did you gain a lot from the EXPO? Was it worth the travel time and expense to be there? If your planning to attend this year, what speakers are you wanting to hear and why? Just curious to hear your opinion as i am planning to attend for the first time? Thanks

TomN

mkevenson · « **Reply #1 on:** December 18, 2012, 03:54:53 PM »

TomN, I was thinking about going until I looked at the registration fees. Seems you may have to be connected to a commercial pizza business to be allowed to register. I know somone who has gone, Albert Grande, I am looking for his reply to a question I had about going, but think the overall feeling was , lots a cash, little benefit for the home cook. The videos are fun to look at tho!

Mark

RobynB · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 2012, 05:10:37 PM »

John Conklin went last year and posted about it, and there are at least 8-10 other threads about it in the archives. The search function is your friend, and will help avoid redundant posts.

JConk007 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2012, 06:47:47 PM »

Yes I went ! It was unbelievable for a rookie mobile operator it was overwhelming.
Plans are to return again this year with Larry the za man
Is it the courses you are talking about the registration fees ?
The fee to get in is minimal compared to the knowledge you gain and all the expert advice and meetings demos that go on all day , it is geared toward the owner not really home baker but it is a fascinating show for sure !
John

TomN · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2012, 09:16:23 PM »

Quote from: mkevenson on December 18, 2012, 03:54:53 PM

TomN, I was thinking about going until I looked at the registration fees. Seems you may have to be connected to a commercial pizza business to be allowed to register. I know someone who has gone, Albert Grande, I am looking for his reply to a question I had about going, but think the overall feeling was , lots a cash, little benefit for the home cook. The videos are fun to look at tho!

Mark

Hi Mark,

As I look at the brochure for the Pizza EXPO, I do not see anything that states that you have to be a restaurant / Pizzeria owner. However, it does cost $180 for 3 days if you preregister. The $180 alone, will probably eliminate the causal attender who is not serious about making pizza.

The extra class that I want to be in, costs an extra $240.00, which I am willing to pay for the valuable knowledge can be gained from it. However, I must consider the total cost which includes airfare, hotel, food for the 3 days, using up vacation time from my marketing job, plus the registration and class fees. (I will just have to call it a mental health break from everything and go to the EXPO.)

TomN
PS
I hope others will share their comments. I am not worried about being redundant. Who cares??? There is not a limit on threads here.

weemis · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2012, 09:22:44 AM »

Quote from: TomN on December 18, 2012, 09:16:23 PM

PS
I hope others will share their comments. I am not worried about being redundant. Who cares??? There is not a limit on threads here.

It's less about space and more about continuity. This site is for posterity as much as anything (hence the comment by robyn). For the information to be spread over a large number of posts makes it more difficult to access all the information available.

Also, John mentioned it was "geared toward the owner not really home baker", not that the home baker is not allowed to attend. These events are full of professional equipment and their dealers.

TomN · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2012, 01:42:06 PM »

Quote from: weemis on December 19, 2012, 09:22:44 AM

It's less about space and more about continuity. This site is for posterity as much as anything (hence the comment by robyn). For the information to be spread over a large number of posts makes it more difficult to access all the information available.

Also, John mentioned it was "geared toward the owner not really home baker", not that the home baker is not allowed to attend. These events are full of professional equipment and their dealers.

weemis,

Have you ever gone to the Pizza EXPO? I was wondering what you thought about it? i am attracted to the class on Pizza Dough making by Tony Gemignani. Also, Tom Lehmann, The Dough Doctor of Pizzamaking.com, is speaking in the seminars. I would love to hear him speak. Thanks.

TomN

JConk007 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2012, 11:49:24 PM »

search 1st then post helps everyone find stuff I did post about it last year http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,18250.0.html , thats what my friend weemis was sayin and I do consider him a professional as well, and someone i would loveto see there. Last year I went to 2 Tony seminars even spoke with him a bit after and also witness his award winning tre forni pizza ! great guy. Come on out plenty of room in Vegas !
John

TomN · « **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2012, 12:07:35 AM »

JConk007,

Fantastic link. Thanks for posting it. Makes me want to be at the show all the more.

TomN

weemis · « **Reply #9 on:** December 20, 2012, 08:12:31 AM »

Quote from: TomN on December 19, 2012, 01:42:06 PM

weemis,

Have you ever gone to the Pizza EXPO? I was wondering what you thought about it? i am attracted to the class on Pizza Dough making by Tony Gemignani. Also, Tom Lehmann, The Dough Doctor of Pizzamaking.com, is speaking in the seminars. I would love to hear him speak. Thanks.

TomN

I have not yet made it out to vegas. There's a pizza and ice cream show in my home town of Columbus, OH called NAPICS. It's small time compared to the vegas show, but they have classes and competitions and it's significantly cheaper and easier (4 miles from my house as opposed to 2025 miles to vegas!). I hope to one day make it out to the vegas show, but the costs that you mentioned keep me from going until I'm making enough money from pizza to have it make sense.

I'd love to see a home pizza maker's opinions of the event, so if you end up going, please document it for us all to read about.

NickG

PizzaDiFiore · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2012, 08:35:09 PM »

I went in 2011, it was a ton of information. To me, it seemed to appeal mostly to Carry outs. A few quality vendors. I didn't attend any of the classes, but I also picked up a bad stomach bug on the flight over. I'd like to go this Spring, if my finances allow.

Terry

The Dough Doctor · « **Reply #11 on:** December 27, 2012, 08:16:02 AM »

Pizza Expo is a great show to attend and also a great pizza experience. True, it is focused on the owner/operator rather than the home pizza baker, but the science behind both forms of pizza making are essentially the same. There is also a wealth of information on suppliers of both ingredients and equipment, and the reference materials that you will pick up on the show floor will be an asset to you for years to come.
I would highly encourage anyone to attend. Additionally, if you are located east of the Mississippi River, take a look at the NAPICS (North American Pizza and Ice Cream Show). It is held in Columbus, Ohio around the end of February. It is a very low cost show to attend, with a lot of suppliers to the pizza industry (bring some pocket change too as you can buy some equipment right off of the show floor at this show). They also have seminars at a very low cost just like Pizza Expo. We used to do a Test Kitchen there but this year we will not be attending, but still a great show to keep on your radar. For information on this show contact the Ohio Restaurant Association at their website.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

JConk007 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 27, 2012, 09:08:25 AM »

Tom,
Yes it's a great show and a lot of great seminars. I actually went to very basic dough seminar you taught to meet the dough doctor

it was on simple bakers percentages and man, it amazes me that people are actually in the business Or thinking about it and don't even know what hydration % is ? They use the bucket of this and some of that technique hilarious! I won't go to that again but I hope to meet you there and attend another one you host and say hello again !
John

mkevenson · « **Reply #13 on:** December 30, 2012, 06:06:01 PM »

Quote from: TomN on December 18, 2012, 09:16:23 PM

Hi Mark,

As I look at the brochure for the Pizza EXPO, I do not see anything that states that you have to be a restaurant / Pizzeria owner.
TomN

TomN,
I just relooked at the online registration, there are many required questions:
that as a non-pizza business owner/operator I could not answer. My wife would love to go to Vegas and I would love to spend a day at the expo, but I don't know how to get around these questions?

* Business classification:
Independent Franchise Chain Food Broker Mfg/Supplier Dealer/Distributor Other

* How many years have you been in the pizza business?
1 or less 2 - 5 5+

* How many units do you CURRENTLY own or operate?
1 2 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 50 50 +

* How many units do you plan to OPEN in the next 12months?

Any Ideas?

Mark

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2012, 10:13:49 PM »

Enter n/a

JConk007 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2012, 08:23:45 AM »

Oh they will take your money trust me , Think you can even get tickets at the door. Lines are long in am
See you there
John

weemis · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2013, 08:39:02 AM »

And you can always just lie! They just want to know how to treat you. It's all about selling with these events. The higher up you are, the more attention you'll get.

thezaman · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2013, 10:26:04 AM »

I know of three pm dot comers going. I being one of them.

mkevenson · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2013, 12:32:11 PM »

I told the reg folks that I was near retirement age and MAY like to invest in a pizzeria. They said sign up on line and answer the questions as best you can with the idea that you WILL work in the industry. The room discounts I got for 5 nights pays for the reg fee.
Hope to see some of you there, amid the thousands .

Mark

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2013, 03:35:50 PM »

Quote from: mkevenson on January 10, 2013, 12:32:11 PM

I told the reg folks that I was near retirement age and MAY like to invest in a pizzeria. They said sign up on line and answer the questions as best you can with the idea that you WILL work in the industry. The room discounts I got for 5 nights pays for the reg fee.
Hope to see some of you there, amid the thousands .

Mark

Maybe you guys could exchange cell #'s so ya can locate each other inside the venue...please remember to take lots of pics!