Experience a Taste of Innovation at Fast Company’s signature event this September

Fast Company’s 11th annual Innovation Festival returns to New York City this September 15-18. And alongside dynamic stage conversations, hands-on workshops, and Fast Tracks throughout the city is our Taste of Innovation dinner series.

Taste of Innovation is a unique dining experience showcasing powerhouse chefs and restaurant executives—not to mention some of the best food in the city. At each Taste of Innovation experience, you’ll dine, drink, and mingle with fellow attendees and Fast Company’s editorial staff.

This year we’re featuring five standout restaurants paired with programing you won’t want to miss.

Check out this year’s Taste of Innovation dinner series below.

A DINNER AND CONVERSATION AT SOFREH CAFE: WHY BEING CULTURE-DRIVEN IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Join James Beard Award nominee chef Nasim Alikhani at her warm and welcoming Sofreh Cafe for an evening filled with delicious traditional Persian dishes and spreads, signature cocktails, and a conversation on the importance of placing culture at the core of her business. From the café’s architecture and cozy aesthetic to taking inspiration from Persian homes and the meaning of the restaurant’s name itself—Sofreh has come to refer to “gathering” and “sharing”—hear how Alikhani has infused her heritage into every aspect of her restaurant, and why she believes this approach will continue to feed the business’s bottom line.

Purchase your ticket to Sofreh Cafe’s Taste of Innovation.

A DINNER AND CONVERSATION AT METROPOLIS BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON: VERSATILITY IS CRUCIAL AT THE PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) was the last puzzle piece of a massive redevelopment and revitalization effort within Lower Manhattan’s World Trade Center complex. And since opening its doors in 2023, PAC NYC’s mission has been clear: to provide an innovative space for artists to flourish as well as be a hub for community building. That ethos certainly extends to Metropolis, PAC NYC’s signature restaurant from celebrated chef Marcus Samuelsson that explores the vast culinary traditions of New York City through a modern lens. Join PAC NYC’s executive director, Khady Kamara Nunez, for an illuminating conversation on how food, art, technology, and civic engagement intersect within an ever-evolving cultural landscape.

Purchase your ticket to Metropolis’s Taste of Innovation.

A DINNER AND CONVERSATION AT MANHATTA: MASTERING A CUSTOMER-FIRST MINDSET

Union Square Hospitality Group attributes much of its success to its people-first approach, which should be a priority for any company. So how can you integrate that mindset into your business operations? Join Patti Simpson, chief administrative officer and head of USHG’s advisory firm, Hospitality Quotient, at Manhatta for an exclusive master class on how to leverage service and connection as powerful business tools.

Purchase your ticket to Manhatta’s Taste of Innovation.

A DINNER AND CONVERSATION AT THE BAZAAR: JOSÉ ANDRÉS’ GROUP IS ON A MISSION

The famed restaurant group is continually innovating on its core value: “Changing the world through the power of food.” Hear how Sam Bakhshandehpour, CEO of José Andrés Group, thinks about growing a successful brand around “doing good.” Across the group’s 15 different restaurant concepts, Bakhshandehpour challenges each team to do just this through initiatives such as teaming with food surplus recovery service Copia and creating menu items geared to utilize as much of the ingredient as possible to reduce food waste. Join us at the Bazaar by José Andrés inside the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad for an insightful evening and incredible cuisine.

Purchase your ticket to Bazaar’s Taste of Innovation.

A DINNER AND CONVERSATION AT NAKS: HOW TO EXPAND STRATEGICALLY IN CROWDED INDUSTRIES

In Tagalog, naks is used as an exclamation of delight, surprise, or admiration—all descriptors that are apropos to the titular East Village restaurant. Naks, which is part of the Michelin-starred restaurant group Unapologetic Foods (Semma, Dhamaka, Adda), is a love letter to Filipino comfort food showcasing the bold and regionally diverse flavors from the country. Join Roni Mazumdar, CEO of Unapologetic Foods, as he explains the inspiration behind expanding the group’s portfolio beyond Indian cuisine and how to find success in hypercompetitive industries like New York City’s restaurant scene.

Purchase your ticket to Naks’s Taste of Innovation.