Well, folks, the National Restaurant Association Show has come and gone, and let me just say—what a letdown. I mean, can you believe there were no hot dog booths this year? I know, I know—you’re just as heartbroken as I am. But, hey, not all was lost. I got to sink my teeth into a mouthwatering gyro from Grecian Delight/Kronos, which made my official “Top Bite” list. Trust me, that was the highlight of my culinary journey.

Speaking of highlights, one of our FoodMix clients got to meet his childhood hero: The Kool-Aid Man. If you’ve ever had a famous encounter with a childhood icon, you know it can be a mixed bag. As David wisely put it, “Never meet your heroes.” But, hey, at least the Kool-Aid Man didn’t break through any walls during their meeting. (That’s a win, right?)

Now, let’s talk about the real MVP of the show: beef tallow. Yeah, you heard me right. It wasn’t just in the food; it was in everything! Soap, lip balm, elbow/foot cream—you name it. I’m just waiting for the day someone comes up with a beef tallow face serum. But seriously, props to the brands pushing for more sustainable use of animals. It’s all about efficiency, people. Let’s use every last drop!

Speaking of streamlining, Milkadamia wowed me with their oat milk “sheet” that you could literally agitate with water—and boom, instant oat milk for your coffee, lattes, whatever. Brilliant! Others were all about concentrates, including Dry Brew—chewable coffee tablets. It’s like someone finally cracked the code to get us through our caffeine dependency with zero effort. We might as well be eating coffee now. Oh, and the best part? They come in decaf too. You’re welcome.

Moving on to the plant-based trend, which has now taken on a new fungi twist. (Get it?) Forget the usual fake meat products—this year, mushrooms are stepping up to the plate, and I’ve got to say, they were delicious. Mushroom kebabs, mushroom steaks, mushroom bowls—you name it, the mushrooms were on it. Honestly, I had to remind myself I wasn’t eating a piece of chicken. But, hey, who needs fake meat when you can just eat actual mushrooms?

Then there was the hot honey craze. Mike’s Hot Honey has somehow convinced us all that “swicy” (sweet + spicy, for those not in the know) is the answer to everything. We saw it everywhere—on chicken and waffles, avocado toast, pizza, and basically anything else you can drizzle it on. But the real kicker? Hot honey-infused ketchup and mustard. Because why not make everything more exciting with a little bit of honey heat? Ketchup, you’ve officially been upgraded.

As for international flavors, Korean and Mediterranean influences were popping up all over the place. Kimchi made its grand debut as the new “it” topping, while gochujang brought that savory, spicy magic to anything and everything. And don’t get me started on Peruvian hot sauces. Aji amarillo, aji verde, rocoto pepper—they’re basically here to prove that we’ve been living under a flavor rock for way too long.

The real theme of the show? People want high-quality, wholesome ingredients, but they’re not about to settle for bland. Global flavors are the way to go. It’s time to get bold, people!

Oh, and watermelon. It’s like the unofficial flavor of the year. I saw it in ice cream, cocktails, desserts, and even as garnish. Not sure when watermelon became the celebrity of the flavor world, but I’m here for it.

And a big shout-out to our clients who totally killed it at their booths. Red Gold gave us a mind-blowing ketchup-tasting experience (seriously, try the hot honey-mole mix). The Bush’s Beans booth was absolutely hopping (and did I mention Duke made a special appearance? That’s right, a FOUR-LEGGED celebrity on the show floor—history was made). And Epicurean Butter brought the flavor game strong (I mean, butter is basically the new black at this point).

All in all, the NRA Show was a whirlwind of bold flavors, quirky products, and the kind of innovation that leaves you wondering if we’ve entered some strange culinary parallel universe. Can’t wait to see what next year brings (as long as there’s a hot dog booth, of course).

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