A must-attend event for Food & Hospitality professionals, Exp’Hôtel will make its grand return to the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre next November.
Presided over by Chef Stéphane Carrade, holder of two Michelin stars and one green star, Exp’Hôtel 2025 is preparing to spotlight initiatives and solutions shaping the future of the caterers, cafés, hotels, restaurants and culinary trades sectors. We spoke with Valérie Bannier, the event's director.
Exp’Hôtel has established itself as a unifying event for professionals in the hospitality and restaurant sectors. In your opinion, how has it managed to evolve over the years to meet their expectations and become a benchmark in the Southwest?
Exp’Hôtel has become a benchmark in the greater Southwest thanks to its strong local identity. The show promotes the region’s know-how and specialties, tied to its rich terroir and widely recognized culinary culture. We offer a targeted food and hospitality showcase, supported by 370 exhibitors at the Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux. Over three days, they present products and services that reflect the sector's latest trends, addressing current topics such as healthy eating and well-being, homemade cuisine, short supply chains, culinary innovation, anti-waste practices, and the integration of AI.
Another key strength of our trade show is its inspiring programming that blends knowledge-sharing, excellence, and innovation: demonstrations, tastings, “Pitch Your Restaurant” masterclasses, conferences and roundtables, the Hospitality Innovation Trophy, and 15 high-level competitions. Of course, Exp’Hôtel at Bordeaux is a business event where exhibitors grow both their revenue and their networks. But it’s also a true space for exchange, inspiration, and transmission, in a festive and welcoming atmosphere, resolutely future-oriented and geared toward the younger generation. This formula, which we refine each edition, is clearly working. Our latest 2023 satisfaction survey showed that 87% of exhibitors plan to return in 2025, as do 82% of visitors. Exp’Hôtel listens, unites, and innovates—year after year.
What are the main challenges these sectors are facing today?
Today, the hospitality and restaurant sectors are facing numerous challenges. First, cost control and profitability: professionals must deal with rising prices of raw materials, energy, and rent. This means rethinking profit margins, menus, optimizing supply chains, and meeting the expectations of more demanding, budget-conscious customers.
Successfully managing their ecological transition has also become crucial. Reducing food waste, saving energy, managing waste and bio-waste, complying with environmental standards, and integrating sustainable practices (local products, short circuits, etc.) are all major undertakings. Customers now expect concrete eco-responsible actions.
Digital transformation and the integration of AI into the customer experience are no longer optional—they're essential. Online reservations, QR-code menus, review management… the goal is to deliver a smooth, personalized, and memorable experience, while maintaining high-quality human interaction, which is at the heart of these professions.
Of course, other major challenges include recruiting and retaining talent, as well as remaining adaptable and agile in constantly changing and often crisis-driven environments.
In short, professionals in the food service and TCHRD sectors must now reconcile job appeal, economic performance, digital transformation, and environmental responsibility, all while maintaining impeccable, personalized customer service. Quite a challenge! Exp’Hôtel 2025 aims to play a vital role in addressing these challenges—acting as a key resource where real solutions, expert advice, and feedback will support professionals in their day-to-day work and help transform the industry.
You’ve always given strong emphasis to competitions, with 15 featured in the program. Why this particular focus?
Because competitions are part of the very DNA and pride of our event! Our decision to feature so many competitions reflects a real desire to showcase the excellence of these passionate professions we support and highlight every two years. Competitions, beyond being great spectacles, help spotlight talent at every level—from students in training to seasoned professionals and passionate artisans. They promote knowledge-sharing and inspire new generations by giving them a real place on stage alongside their idols and role models. They also shine a light on technical skill, creativity, and excellence across all specialties (cuisine, table service, bakery, front desk, butchery, etc.). Competitions also help foster a warm, inclusive energy that brings the show to life with the rhythm of the contests and award ceremonies.
In short, Exp’Hôtel’s competitions showcase expertise, give voice to today's professionals and tomorrow's talents, and create an emotionally charged, unifying atmosphere that embodies the spirit of the culinary and hospitality industries.
With six months to go before the next edition of Exp’Hôtel, can you share some of the new features of this 7th edition?
Six months out, I can already tell you that this 7th edition promises to be particularly rich and ambitious, with several new features reflecting industry developments and professional expectations. We’re introducing four themed villages to offer visitors a clearer and more immersive experience. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Know-How Village will spotlight the region's resources and the talent of its local artisans. The Startups Village will focus on new technologies and AI. We’ll also have a Hoteliers’ Village, designed as a space for sharing best practices, trends, and innovations in the hospitality sector. Finally, the Basque Gastronomy Village will celebrate the culinary richness of this territory and its traditional cuisine.
Among the highlights, visitors can look forward to a new feature celebrating the fine craft of caterer-butchers. There will also be plenty of discussions, with feedback from hoteliers who participated in the “Hotel of the Future” program, a series of short-format conferences and roundtables on key industry issues. As a preview, we’ll unveil the first data from the “Restaurant 2025” study conducted by Gira. Six new competitions will also be added to our program, alongside the show's flagship events.
And that’s just a taste… More surprises are in store for an edition we intend to be vibrant, unifying, and resolutely future-focused.
