Leaders, legends and launches at Casual Dining and lunch! 2024

The Taphouse, the Artisan Spirits Lounge, the Vineyard

For visitors looking to take their drinks menu from ordinary to extraordinary, a visit to the Artisan Spirits Lounge, the Taphouse and the Vineyard at Casual Dining is essential. Featuring new spirits, low- and no-alcohol options and wine and craft beer, brands in these zones and across the Casual Dining show floor will include Carlsberg, White Claw, Funkin, Disaronno, Adnams, Moth, Served, 1664, Poretti, Brooklyn Stonewall IPA, Freedom Brewery, Sxollie, Rokit Drinks and Dutch Cocktail Club.

World-class speaker programme

Casual Dining and lunch! are renowned for their world-class keynote speaker programmes, and this year is no different. From exclusive interviews to data-driven insights and panel sessions, the six theatres (across both shows) will be packed with inspirational content throughout the two days.

Casual Dining’s theatres (sponsored by Uber Eats) will feature headline speakers Tim Martin, chairman of JD Wetherspoon; Laura Harper-Hinton, co-founder and chief executive of Caravan Restaurants; and James Elliot, co-founder of Pizza Pilgrims. Speakers confirmed so far include:

• Oisín Rogers, co-founder, the Devonshire
• Tim Martin, chairman, JD Wetherspoon 
• Justin Carter, group managing director, Loungers
• Tom James, managing director, Bill’s
• James Elliot, co-founder, Pizza Pilgrims
• John Welsh, managing director, Hickory’s Smokehouse
• Kate Wilton, managing director, Banana Tree
• Mark Selby, co-founder, Wahaca
• Jo Fleet, managing director, Caravan
• Nick Ayerst, chief executive, Comptoir
• Kay Bartlett, chief marketing officer, Wagamama
• Matthew Smith, head of operations, Red Engine
• Ben Hibbard, marketing director, Turtle Bay
• Libby Andrews, marketing director, Pho
• Ruth Carpenter, head of marketing, Pizza Pilgrims
• Dan Nash, head of marketing, Various Eateries
• Bledi Jahjaga, head of food, Pizza Pilgrims
• Andrew Hazel, head of food, Boparan Restaurant Group
• Alice Bowyer, director of food, Liberation Group
• Arnaud Kaziewicz, head of food, Red Engine 
• Kate Nicholls, chief executive, UKHospitality
• Shereen Ritchie, chief executive, Buns from Home
• Steve Alton, chief executive, BII
• Simon Stenning, founder, FutureFoodservice
• Peter Martin, founder and executive director, Peach 20/20
• Karl Chessell, director hospitality operators and food, CGA Powered by NielsenIQ
• Jo Lynch, account director, KAM
• Blake Gladman, strategy and insight director, KAM 
• Nicola Knight, insights manager, IGD

The lunch! seminar theatres (sponsored by Lipton Ice Tea) will feature talks across three theatres, including a dedicated Coffee Shop Keynote Theatre. A few of lunch!’s big name speakers already confirmed include:

• Julian Metcalfe, founder and group chief executive, Itsu   
• Emma Woods, chair, Tortilla
• Will Stratton-Morris, chief executive UK, Caffè Nero
• Shereen Ritchie, chief executive, Buns from Home
• Cathy Goodwin, global head of food innovation, Costa Coffee
• Sophie Chow, UK head of commercial, Pret A Manger
• Roland Horne, founder and chief executive, WatchHouse
• Jason Cotta, chief growth officer, Itsu
• Bharti Radix, founder, BloomsYard
• Sohail Ali, co-founder, Chaiiwala
• David Phillpot, convenience trading director, Europe, BP
• David Campbell, chairman, Ole & Steen/Lagkagehuset
• Spencer Craig, founder and chief executive, Pure
• Damon Conn, growth and development director, WatchHouse
• Hannah Munns, former head of hospitality and hot food-to-go, Marks & Spencer
• Matt Fountain, managing director, Bewiched Coffee

Register for a free trade ticket to Casual Dining & lunch!

Casual Dining & lunch! will take place on 18-19 September 2024 at ExCeL London. To register for a free trade ticket, visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk or www.lunchshow.co.uk and quote priority code VCD31 on the registration page.