Hosting Partners
15 September 2026
Pre Conference Day
RESTAURANT STUDY TOURS
Join our professional trend tour to explore Madrid’s most innovative, scalable, and investable foodservice concepts.
The program offers three tracks to choose from: full-service ecosystems, quick-service models, and new-wave café & tapas bar formats.
Participants will experience hybrid business models, creative approaches, and emerging hospitality ecosystems.
The tour also includes prearranged meetings with founders, managers and operators of selected local concepts.
Transportation is provided by tuk-tuks throughout the experience.
15.00 - 18.30
WORKSHOPS
Where to Grow from Here: Two interactive workshops for restaurant leaders who want practical answers to today’s growth questions.
Growth is getting harder. Expansion is more complex. Same-store sales aren’t moving on autopilot anymore.
This paired workshop format looks at both sides of the growth equation:
- How to scale smartly
- How to grow from within
Participants will leave with concrete ideas, practical frameworks, and a clearer view of what to prioritize next.
EFSS Opening Night
powered by Nestlé Professional
16 September 2026
1st Conference Day
09.00 – 10.00
Face 2 Face – Speed Networking Session
powered by Hartstone Rochette
09.00 – 10.00
Networking & Coffee
10.00 – 12.00
Katrin Wissmann
dfv media group (D)
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Adress from the Community of Madrid
Comunidad de Madrid, Regional Ministry for Culture, Tourism and Sport (ES)
MARKET & MACRO CONTEXT
Macro Perspectives: Global Economic Insights for Hospitality
- Global Shifts Shaping Industry Performance
- Strategic Insights for Uncertain Markets
Marcos Casarin, Oxford Economics (UK)
From Gen Alpha to Silver Spenders: Cracking Europe’s Dining Behaviour Code
- How Different Generations Drive Demand
- Unlocking Growth Through Targeted Strategies
Edurne Uranga, Circana (ES)
GLOBAL OPERATOR PERSPECTIVES
Inside McDonald’s: Growth, Execution and Innovation at Global Scale
tbd
Inès Lima, McDonald’s Spain(ES)
12.00 – 12.45
Networking & Lunch
12.45 – 13.30
Breakout Sessions
13.30 – 15.15
BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION
Rebuilding Success: Prezzo’s Turnaround Journey
- From Rapid Expansion to Restructuring – What Went Wrong and Why
- Key Steps Back to Profitability and Growth
James Brown, Prezzo (UK)
AI & OPERATIONAL EXECUTION
From Chaos to Control: AI, Data & Live Agent Building
- How to Leverage AI to Build a Near-Zero-Admin Operating Model
- Improving Speed, Efficiency and Decisions with AI Agents
Dr. Theo Ackbarow, AI-thought leader (D)
AI & BRAND STRATEGY
What Is True When Everything Looks Real?
- How Gen AI is Reshaping Trust, Content and Perception
- New Rules for Content Marketing and Branding In a Synthetic World
Dr. Marc Schumacher, SILENT KNOWLEDGE Institute (D)
15.15 – 15.40
Networking & Coffee
15.40 – 16.15
Breakout Sessions
16.15 – 18:00
HIGH-GROWTH LEADERSHIP
Scaling Super Fast and Without Fear
- From 1 to 700+ Units in 11 Years
- The Playbook, the Pressure, the Reality
Radu Savopol, 5 togo (RO)
EUROPEAN CULINARY PIONEERS
Porridge Saved My Life
- A Journey From Rock Bottom to Restaurant Pioneer
- Building a Distinctive Food Brand From an Overlooked Staple
Lasse Andersen, Grød (DK)
On a Mission to Globalize the Spanish Tortilla
tbd
Christopher Aguilar Cuenca, La Martinuca (ES)
EXPERIENCE DRIVEN GROWTH
I’ll Have What They’re Having: Bringing Theme Park Magic to the Table
- Turning Transactions Into Immersive Guest Journeys
- How World-Building and Storytelling Turns Visits Into Experiences
Steve Tatham, Chief Creative Officer MDSX, former Walt Disney Imagineer & Exec. Director Epic Universe (USA)
18.00
End Day 1 & Departure for Dinner
Summit Night
17 September 2026
2nd Conference Day
9.00 – 10.00
Networking & Coffee
10.00 – 11.00
Welcome Back & Key Take-Aways Day 1
MIDDLE EAST: STRATEGIC INSIGTHS
Navigating Geopolitical Challenges in Middle Eastern Hospitality: Insights from a Multi-Brand Leader
tbd
Chad Mueller, Alshaya Group (UAE)
11.00 – 12.30
Collaborative Roundtables
Step into a dynamic, 90-minute session designed to go beyond traditional networking.
Our Collaborative Roundtables bring together small groups of participants, each guided by expert facilitators from both within and outside the restaurant industry, to spark meaningful, candid conversations.
Building on insights from Day 1, several facilitators will be familiar voices you’ve already heard on stage – giving you the opportunity to dive deeper into ideas, challenge perspectives, and continue conversations that resonated with you.
Each table will be led by a skilled moderator who will ignite discussion with thought-provoking, and at times controversial, questions. Expect lively debate, fresh viewpoints, and the chance to think differently about the key issues shaping the industry today.
This is not a passive session—come ready to engage, share your perspective, and connect with fellow EFSS participants in a highly interactive and energizing format.
12.30 – 13.00
Roundtable – Key Take-Aways
Conference Wrap-Up
13.00
Lunch & Goodbye