Burger King's Alasdair Murdoch confirmed as headline speaker at Commercial Kitchen 2018

Alasdair Murdoch, CEO of Burger King UK, is the confirmed headline keynote interview for the opening day of Commercial Kitchen 2018, which returns to the NEC Birmingham on 5-6 June.

Murdoch, who enjoys the ‘trends and ideas' highlighted at the show, said he is looking forward to sharing his opinions and experiences at the show, which will also include insights from his time at other high street brands, including Pizza Hut, PizzaExpress and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Having only recently joined the newly formed Burger King brand in the UK, his Keynote presents a timely opportunity to hear more about his plans for Burger King and the future of their kitchens.

Other big name speakers include Paul Dickinson, director of food at Fuller, Smith & Turner, who will head up a panel discussion on pub kitchens and is also appearing in the Solid Fuel Panel session, examining the benefits and considerations of cooking with solid fuel. He'll be joined in the latter by Nick Howe, MD of Court Catering Equipment, Neil Rankin, owner of BBQ-meat restaurant temper, and James Douglas, co-founder and director at Red's True Barbecue.

Previously confirmed speakers and panellists include Kate Nicholls, chief executive at the newly formed UKHospitality, Jane Treasure, F&B director at PizzaExpress, and Martyn Clover, head of food at Tortilla. Panels will cover subjects such as Smart Connected Kitchens, Pizza Kitchens, Compact Kitchens, Sustainable Kitchens and Hospital Kitchens. Many will also feature Catering Equipment Distributor Association (CEDA) members alongside operators to share their experiences of creating kitchens of this type.

Other chefs demonstrating their skills during the show are Tom Mullin (Pizza Pilgrims), David Siddall (Arena Birmingham, Amadeus), Ben Ternent (Opus), Peter Woods (The Hurlingham Club), and Dean Wilson-Hartles (TRG Concessions).

They'll be appearing together for the first time in the show's Executive Chef Panel (4.15pm, 5 June) to reveal exclusive insights into the inner workings of their kitchens. Visitors can expect lively debate as they discuss everything from essential equipment to kitchen kit wish-lists and future trends.

Ternent, executive chef and director of Birmingham's Opus restaurant, will perform the show's closing food demonstration on the second day at 3.30pm, ending the show with an inside look at the booming Birmingham restaurant scene.

Registration is now open

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Commercial Kitchen 2018: Visitor registration opens >>