Among the 2,240 exhibiting food service companies at the 2024 National Restaurant Show in Chicago stood a revolutionary startup company called Totem Serve.
Jordan Stuart and his family, Brian and Breanne Stuart, founded Totem with humble beginnings to enhance the power of connection during mealtime. They created the Totem Axis, a stackable plating solution designed to simplify mealtime. Although the Axis was designed to streamline a fajita meal, they built a solution that works across the board for various foods.
Their serving dish has three stacked plates that all swivel 360 degrees. It is heat resistant and has a one-of-a-kind aesthetic. The Totem Axis was one of the best kitchenware solutions the NRA trade show has yet to see.
The Stuart family values their impeccable bond and claims that they owe it to years of gathering at the end of their day to share an experience over a savory dinner. What was always a dream to share this value with the world came to light for the first time at the Restaurant Show. As they hauled their booth supplies past the corporate 40x40 ft booths, they ventured to find booth #1992 tucked away in Startup Alley.
"We really brought the booth to life," said Jordan Stuart, CEO and Founder of Totem. "So many hours were spent designing an attractive and interactive booth, and it paid off. Some of the best connections we made were first drawn in by all the colors or the swag we had laid out."
As the 58,000 attendees piled into the McCormick place and made their way through the startup alley, the Stuart family stayed open to whoever came their way.
Totem networked with companies from each side of the industry; Mexican restaurants envisioned changing their signature meals, American restaurants saw an opportunity for new appetizers, and sushi spots even wanted to incorporate an elevated serving concept into their restaurants.
Many people were impressed by the possibility of customizing the swiveling plates. A plethora of feedback was collected on different elements of the product's needs and other uses that could come from this dish. Totem plans to cater to several recommendations about the dish being served in the future.
The broad range of industry professionals this show brought together was something the Totem founders could never have imagined. In addition to restaurants, there were attendees involved in the government, caterers, wedding planners, professional chefs, food influencers, and even a fantastic mini donut company who all inquired about Totems' stackable dish.
Jordan Stuart said, "We were a small company entering the biggest playing field in food service, and I was fully prepared to receive negative feedback." He then followed that up with, "There was not a single person here who didn't see our vision. People absolutely loved our family, the Totem brand, and especially our product. I feel incredibly grateful for our product's validation and these new connections we're leaving with."
Jordan encourages food service startups to take advantage of "Startup Alley," offered to newly developed companies that want to exhibit at the National Restaurant Show. Our aisle was strictly startup companies, which made us feel incredibly welcome and boosted our confidence. Several attendees target Startup Alley so they can be a part of emerging trends in the industry," said Jordan.
"If you met the Totem family, we encourage you to contact us or stay current on our official launch. We guarantee that our product will reshape mealtime for people; it will excite them when it's time to eat like it should be." Totem Serve will return to Chicago for the 2025 Restaurant Show, exhibiting booth #11942. Right now, you can learn more about the Totem Axis and how it can enhance your mealtime experience at
www.totemserve.com
The founders of Totem Serve thank the National Restaurant Association for hosting such an enjoyable, impeccably formatted trade show.