Chef and Restaurateur Roy Choi as Keynote at the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas

Choi is an exciting addition to powerful speaker lineup,
which also includes Liquid Death CEO Mike Cessario

Questex announced the addition of Roy Choi to the keynote lineup for the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo, heading into its 40^th year, March 23–25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. He joins previously announced opening keynote speaker Mike Cessario, Founder and CEO of Liquid Death, along with more than 40 influential voices shaping the future of the bar and restaurant industry.

Chef Roy Choi, a cultural trailblazer widely recognized as one of the architects of the modern food truck movement, will take the stage on Wednesday, March 25 at 10am. This candid conversation will dive into leadership, culture, and what it really takes to thrive in today’s bar and restaurant industry. A leading advocate for street food and culture past, present, and future, Choi is the co-owner, co-founder, and chef of Kogi BBQ and Tacos Por Vida in LA, and The Chef Truck and Best Friend at Park MGM in Las Vegas. From redefining street food to building purpose-driven restaurant concepts, Roy Choi has shaped modern hospitality through creativity, resilience, and authenticity.

Choi is also the host of the civic-minded Emmy Award-winning series ‘Broken Bread’ on KCET/Tastemade, which in 2020 won him a James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Host in a television series. On a global scale, Roy is the author of the New York Times bestselling LA Son: My Life, My City, My Food and co-host of the Netflix cooking series ‘The Chef Show’ with Jon Favreau. Choi was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People. His newest cookbook, The Choi of Cooking: Flavor-Packed, Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life, was published in April 2025.

“The depth and caliber of speakers and industry leaders at this year’s Expo reflects how essential this conference is to the hospitality community,” said Brandy Rand, VP & Market Leader, Questex Hospitality Group. “From brand-building and culture to operations and profitability, these experts deliver real-world insight operators can use to drive revenue, improve margins, and build stronger, more resilient businesses in this $1.1 trillion industry.”

The Expo’s opening keynote will take place on Tuesday, March 24, with a main stage address from Mike Cessario, Founder and CEO of Liquid Death, one of the most disruptive and fastest-growing beverage brands in the world. Renowned for turning healthy beverages into a cultural phenomenon, Cessario will share how bold creativity, brand authenticity, and a mission-driven mindset fueled Liquid Death’s meteoric rise, and what today’s hospitality operators can learn from their success.

Beyond the keynote stage, Bar & Restaurant Expo will feature dozens of additional industry experts, operators, brand leaders, and data professionals, delivering workshops and sessions aligned with the 2026 conference theme, “Every Moment Counts.” Programming will cover critical topics including operations, leadership, marketing, technology, and beverage strategy.

In addition to education seminars, Bar & Restaurant Expo attendees can also visit with hundreds of suppliers and explore thousands of activations and live demos taking place on the expo floor, and experience exclusive VIP events and parties happening across Las Vegas.

To register for the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo, visit barandrestaurantexpo.com.

BARTENDER Magazine is proud to be a media partner of the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo