Here's what previous participants have to say:

From the 2008 Tour

I thought the tour would be a great way to discover if there were any cutting edge innovations and trends that were being set, not only in the US, but other parts of the world that had representatives at the NRA show in Chicago. The back of house tours of large chain operations were very relevant to a company like ALH which operates in a similar fashion. My team and I made some valuable contacts at the NRA show, which we are already initiating to implement into our existing food business. I felt it was a truly worthwhile venture.
Domenic Di Deo, National Food Operations Manager, Australian Leisure & Hospitality

We enjoyed every aspect of this tour. From a business development point of view, educational perspective, to sharing time with such great people, with similar interests yet such diverse experience. It offered outstanding value and was a most worthwhile investment.
Karen Jubb, Manager, Customs House Hotel

There is the potential to save thousands of dollars on equipment and supplies if you do your homework, which far outweighs the cost of the tour. Traveling as part of the PH tour also offers a great opportunity to observe at close quarters the way restaurants operate, and speak with industry experts, which would not be possible on your own.
Tim Sanford, Purchasing Manager, The Prince Hospitality Group (this is his 3rd tour)

I have proved in the very first week back that the contacts, information and insights gathered were conducive to the profitability of our business. The Brasserie (the club's main dining facility) is closing down for one month due to renovations. The Eureka Café, which I manage, will be the sole supplier of food during this period. Without being a part of the 2008 Profitable Hospitality Tour and the access it provided to ideas, resources and industry experts, I would have been reliant on the internal information available and have danced to a familiar tune. Instead, I have created opportunities for increased capacity, and up-selling our offerings, which have been applauded by the board.
Donna Stevenson, Catering Manager, Sutherland District Trade Union Club

Well, what a trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I could not compare it to my previous trip in any shape or form. It was a most enlightening and entertaining tour. I must thank you and Ken for the great organisation and company - it was fabulous. It had the right mix of organised tour and free time to allow one to learn, and see the things that one wished to get to.
Michael Foulkes, Catering Manager, Cabra Vale Ex Active Servicemen's Club

The opportunity to speak one-on-one industry experts such as John Buchanan and Ed Culleeny of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises provided insights into the Achilles heel for us all -- recruitment. I felt motivated and confident that the challenges along the road to success are well worth the effort, and in a tough industry, I am heading in the right direction here in Australia.
Craig Penglase, Kitchen Manager, the Prince Hospitality Group (this is his 2nd tour)

From the 2007 Tour

The NRA Show in Chicago is immense. With more than 10kms of aisles I was pleased to take time out to attend some of the very informative educational seminars. The extra-curricular activities organised by Profitable Hospitality opened doors, and offered behind the scenes visits and insights that would otherwise not have been possible. We learned a lot about the operations in the United States. Of particular interest was how different areas of operations interacted and supported each other. Some of the areas were very relevant to our own work environment in Australia.
Michael Borg, Marketing Manager, North Ryde RSL Club, NSW

Highlight: themed venues - the themes start from your view from the street - from the appearance of the venue, to the staff's attire, to the décor, to the menu, everything is designed and coordinated to enhance the experience (at times you felt like you were in another country altogether)
Michelle Foster Marketing Manager, Canley Heights RSL

The tour provided me with an excellent opportunity to source unique products knowing they wouldn't turn up at our competitors' restaurants - in conjunction with expanding my knowledge on upcoming technology and management procedures. In addition I visited many kitchens and spoke with successful business owners, which also revealed the commitment of US hospitality operators and the passion towards training in customer service and management. I'll be back again!
Craig Penglase, Kitchen Manager, The Prince Hospitality Group, Melbourne

The jam-packed PH tour program meant we had many opportunities to get a behind the scenes perspective of how successful restaurants in the US operate - I could not have experienced any of this on my own. It was valuable to note the emphasis on staff, training programs and customer service, and come home with some exciting ideas - and confirmation that we were on the right track with many of our own!
Craig Robertson, Head Chef, Twin Towns Resort, Tweed Heads

The people were simply the greatest group, that instantly blended together. It really does show what our industry is all about when you can put together a group of people from many different sectors of the industry that are able to work together from day one, and after a few days relate to and support each other as if they were old friends.
Wayne Abrahams, Food & Beverage Manager, North Ryde RSL Club

Six days on tour with Profitable Hospitality in Chicago - one of the best cities in the world for food and restaurants - was an outstanding experience, specially if you go with an open mind. While valuable to have the NRA Show as a focal point, and I made a couple of excellent purchases, for me the stand-outs were the back of house visits, behind the scenes conversations, peeks 'behind the fridge', and the opportunity to speak openly with top chefs and restaurant owners. The philosophy behind the packaging, presentation and even just terminology and expressions used by front of house staff, all demonstrate clearly why Americans are so good at up selling. Whatever opinion we may have, there is no question of the power of courteous and polite communication which comes across as completely authentic, well delivered customer service and genuine commitment to staff training and development. Having introduced a number of subtle phrases inspired by my visit, to our team, we are already seeing results.

There was something on this tour for everyone - the best part being that you can be as involved as you want and have company at all times if desired, or as I did occasionally, be completely free to spend time doing your own thing. The one essential to make this trip work for you is to go along without any preconceptions and an open mind. That way you just soak up what is going on around you the entire time and will find huge value in the experience. In addition to the value for the business this trip is a perfect break. The Profitable Hospitality Tour will definitely be a regular event on my calendar.
Catherine Kerry, Owner, Art Gallery Restaurant, Adelaide SA

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From the 2006 Tour

-- The back of house tours of great restaurants - owned and operated by industry leaders with innovative and progressive views on how to stay ahead of the pack. The fact that they were willing to share the secrets of their success in all areas of the business was generous and inspiring. I can't remember ever taking in so much new information in such a short period of time.
-- The diverse nature of the restaurants was also important - allowing us to put the financial and customer service information into perspective with relevant properties back home.
-- The opportunity to listen to the views and questions of other hospitality professionals from Australia ensuring that very few points of interest were missed.
-- The NRA Show - the exhibitors and the seminars were fantastic and I am very keen to get a copy of the CD Rom with the power point notes. I believe there is plenty of relevant information in these that I can quickly put into action with our group of stores.

Thanks again for being such amazing hosts and making the whole trip feel like a working holiday with great friends. If I had not been part of the tour I would not have been able to benefit from Profitable Hospitalities local knowledge and contacts. This I believe is what makes the tour a definite 2 week block on next years calendar to attend again.
Robert Sawkins, The Coffee Club Group, Queensland.

The trip gave me an opportunity to gain a fantastic insight into the American business and service culture that they adopt in their hospitality venues. We also had the chance to look at some of the latest innovations and products coming soon to our industry at the trade show. It truly is a tour not to be missed.
Jason O'Sullivan, Sky City, South Australia

Being part of the Profitable Hospitality Australian delegation, where we were treated with such incredible generosity, was terrific in terms of the ability to discuss each experience and assess it's applicability to the Australian culture/produce/ wage structure etc.

The opportunity to network with International delegates was also highly valuable as were the many and varied speakers associated with the NRA show. There was vast opportunity to select and tailor the experience to suit each traveler, acknowledging that different delegates had different expectations from their tour.

This tour is an invaluable resource for hospitality professionals and will inspire and educate delegates on learnings from the USA restaurants and their Association."
Sally Neville, CEO, Restaurant & Catering South Australia

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The location and the standard of your choice of hotel was excellent (I loved my hotel room thankyou). The daily Convention Centre transfers were smooth and the return airport transfer was perfect; the back of house tours I attended, were most informative and very useful to me in a practical way. It was also very impressive to see the operations at such close quarters; the NRA Show in itself was outstanding - everything that I had envisaged plus more.

Thank you to Ken Burgin and the Profitable Hospitality team. Your organisational skills and professionalism were obvious to all and you truly did us proud."
Wendy Vaughan, Royal Pines Resort, Queensland.

While this was the most educational and well-planned tour I could have imagined and I returned motivated and inspired, the opportunity to spend time with top professionals from a diverse range of hospitality businesses was invaluable. A must for any hospitality employer.
Carmen Nardi, Campbelltown Catholic Club, NSW.

As a major dairy supplier, the tour really gave me a greater appreciation of my customers' needs and businesses, and equipped me with the knowledge to serve them better. I highly recommend the New Trends Study Tour to all in the hospitality and foodservice industry - it's an industry 'MUST DO' tour!
Tony Telgenhof, Parmalat Australia Ltd.

This experience exceeded all my expectations. It opened up extraordinary avenues, presented an international perspective on the hospitality industry, inspired me and gave me many ideas to put it in place in my club. On the tour I formed friendships and strong hospitality networks with those in our group, as well as meeting leading international hospitality professionals, which I could not otherwise have done.
Amanada Ne'Roi, Mingara Recreation Club, NSW

Participating in the Profitable Hospitality Tour is a real incentive for our team. We expect a lot from our managers, they work extremely hard and this is one way in which we can reward them for their efforts and loyalty. Accessing new trends, networking with Australian and international hospitality professionals, seeing other catering operations, sharing ideas and gaining first hand information is essential as we grow our business. We do not want to be dependant on the gaming side of our business for our success. The Profitable Hospitality Tour, with its focus on education and first hand learning is a unique opportunity for our catering managers. This is the second year we have sent two of our managers and I see this tour becoming a regular event on the training calendar.
Rod Laing, CEO, West Tamworth League Club and Wests Diggers, NSW.

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From the 2005 Tour

It was huge value just to rub shoulders with people in our industry.
We made contacts with new suppliers and have sourced some great products that aren't yet available in Australia. Now I've seen the show I can't wait to get back next year to spend more time on the educational side of things.
George Dannaoui, The Moody Chef, St Leonards NSW

The networking, Back of House Tours and exposure to the latest trends and products at the world's largest hospitality trade show in Chicago were invaluable. I will be recommending to the board that participation on this tour is incorporated into our training calendar.
Garry Walsh, Operations Hospitality Manager, Wests Entertainment Group, NSW

My trip to Chicago gave me an appreciation of what is possible back home in terms of size of the market, how well things are done, speed of service, the level of professionalism on the floor - the Americans operate at a high level.
It was fascinating to see what the concept of tips does in the US, in terms of motivating staff and even increasing turnover. I am now looking at developing motivation and incentive programs (like profit-sharing programs) to get selling staff more accountable/responsible for increasing sales.
Fel Bevacqua, Owner, Vroom Cafés, Brisbane, QLD

I would recommend the NRA Show to any of my members. There is something for everyone, no matter what your business. Being part of the Profitable Hospitality tour group enables you to spend less time planning and more time doing and seeing. I am sure anyone who attends will not regret it for one moment.;
Wendy Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Restaurant & Catering Victoria

Speaking with Managers and Chefs who were so open and willing to share their experiences and demonstrate some innovative systems, excellent set-ups and streamlined functionality in their operation was immensely valuable.
Neil Gates, Executive Chef to Kitchen Manager, Hard Rock Café, Melbourne, VIC

The NRA Show has to be seen to be believed. It is impossible to imagine anything of this magnitude until you actually experience kilometers of aisles flanked by thousands of booths. I learnt so much, discovered many products and picked up many great ideas for the food side of our business. From a tourist perspective I think Chicago is one of the most beautiful and underestimated cities in the world. And the music and nightlife are phenomenal - jazz in Chicago is not to be missed.
Chris McIntyre, Executive Chef, Wests Ashfield, NSW

I came back buzzing with ideas, and some great initiatives to introduce in our restaurant. It was an eye opener to see so many impressive point of sale systems, while the creative menu designs and concepts were of particular interest.;
Wayne Roby, Fox Balkan Seafood

I always think if you come away from a trade show with just one new product or initiative you are doing well - this year I found three. I really enjoyed the Back of House Tour to Nacional 27 and see the innovative management - there is a lot done with very little in the kitchen, when it comes to space maximisation.;
Tony Hall, GIBPAT Pty Ltd. suppliers of quality commercial catering products

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