2026 Education Program

As technology and AI redefine the back-of-house, the heart of the 2026 Experience Economy is defined by a focus on human connection. This session explores the critical shift from transactional efficiency to a deep dive into the interactive experience, challenging our industry to move beyond sterile automation and toward intentional hospitality.

Join Patrick Cairoli, Commercial Segment Lead for Gordon Food Service as he explores the strategic concept of "Found Time", learning how to take the hours reclaimed by smart tech and redeploy them into high-impact guest engagement. From upskilling your team into "Hospitality Athletes" to using data as a memory upgrade for personalized service, we will explore why the human touch has become the ultimate luxury asset in a digital world. Join us to learn how to bridge the gap between digital precision and the soulful, curated moments that turn a meal into a landmark event.

Key Session Takeaways:

• Mastering "Found Time": Learn how to strategically redeploy the labor hours saved by AI back into experiential excellence rather than just banking the bottom-line savings.
• The Rise of the Hospitality Athlete: Transition your team from "screen-focused order takers" to high-level curators who can read a room, anticipate needs, and deliver the "Art of the Audible."
• Data as a Memory Upgrade: Discover how to use tech-driven insights to foster genuine human loyalty, turning cold data points into personalized, curated moments that an algorithm simply cannot replicate.