Welcome to Chicago, food industry types! The National Restaurant Association Show is the granddaddy convention for restaurateurs and foodservice professionals from all over the globe. It starts tomorrow, May 17, and runs through Tuesday. The show features the latest innovations in food and food preparation, along with book signings from celebrity chefs such as Art Smith, Mario Batali and Rick Bayless. The show this year also inexplicably has Senator John McCain addressing the crowd. The convention is only open to industry folks.

• What: NRA Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show
• Where: McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
• When: May 17 - 20, 2008, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

All you foodies in town may want to check out this list of some of Chicago's best restaurants.