LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1, 2018—Foodservice professionals will gather later this month at Southern California Gas Co.’s (SoCalGas) 8^th Annual Foodservice Equipment Expo, one of the industry’s largest showcases of commercial kitchen equipment. The no-cost event will be held at SoCalGas’ Energy Resource Center in Downey, CA on October 23^rd and 24^th.

Attendees will be able to view the latest generation of energy efficient, natural gas equipment and supplies for commercial kitchens, from fryers to steamers to griddles and more, as well as specialty pieces like tandoori ovens and woks. The professional equipment will be on display in two commercial kitchens, a barbeque patio, and show booths. Manufacturers and distributors will be available to discuss the efficiency and effectiveness of these technologies, which can help businesses save energy and reduce operating costs.

“Top chefs prefer to cook with natural gas appliances, and the Foodservice Equipment Expo will feature a wide variety of energy saving natural gas equipment,” said Dan Rendler, director of customer programs and assistance at SoCalGas. “The latest generation of commercial natural gas appliances provide the even, predictable heat that make them desirable to chefs and homeowners alike. And, because of continued gains in energy efficiency, they also help businesses save money on their energy costs.” 

Local and factory chefs, high schoolers in the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), and culinary students in the California Restaurant Association (CRA) Foundation’s ProStart Program will provide live cooking demonstrations and tastings at the expo. For example, a Master Italian Pizza Chef will be baking and serving fresh pizzas in a natural gas fired deck oven.

The CRA is additionally hosting a networking lounge for attendees to meet other foodservice professionals and representatives from over 75 equipment manufacturers.

The Foodservice Equipment Expo will take place on October 23^rd and 24^th from 10:00 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the SoCalGas Energy Resource Center, 9240 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241. Register for the event by October 19^th by visiting www.socalgas.com/expo. 

The Energy Resource Center provides commercial and industrial customers with economical, efficient, and sustainable solutions for their energy needs and offers a broad variety of services year-round, which includes hands-on commercial kitchen equipment testing, building operator certification training, technical and foodservice seminars, and rebate programs.

The Energy Resource Center was the first building in California to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) recognition, is LEED EB: O&M Platinum certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, and was named a Top Ten Project by The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Committee on the Environment in 1998. It uses more than 40 percent less water outdoors, nearly 40 percent less water indoors, and more than 50 percent less energy than other commercial buildings its size.

In August, the facility achieved WELL Certification at the Silver Level for New and Existing Buildings by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL Building Standard (WELL) for buildings and spaces that promote human health, well-being, and comfort in their design.

The Foodservice Equipment Expo is part of SoCalGas’ efforts to help its customers improve energy efficiency. The company offers more than 90 energy efficiency programs that have delivered $161 million in cost savings directly to residential and commercial customers over the past five years. 

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable natural gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Natural gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians—about 60 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.  

SoCalGas is committed to investing in its natural gas system infrastructure, while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2013 through 2017, the company spent nearly $6 billion to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system to enhance safety and reliability. The company is also committed to being a leader in the region's clean energy future, and is working to accelerate the use of renewable natural gas from dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants and the development of renewable energy storage technologies. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.  

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