Category: Catering & Events

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Tripleseat Floorplans is made for dining establishments, hotels and resorts, special places, as well as celebration organizers. The brand new user-friendly as well as joint celebration diagramming software application blends the simpleness of 2D designs along with the immersive energy of 3D visual images to tailor as well as enhance celebration designs very easily. Complying with the latest Merri achievement, Tripleseat has actually combined the sophisticated innovation improving its own durable set of devices giving places along with a remedy for smooth celebration preparation as well as administration along with floorplan layout, done in a singular system. Tripleseat Floorplans conserves beneficial opportunity as well as improves customer discussions helping with additional reservations while supplying extraordinary knowledge that can easily improve replay organization.

Instawork, the leading platform in connecting businesses with skilled hourly workers, has announced an expansion of its services to include long-term staffing. This announcement comes at a critical time when businesses are looking for a way to handle fluctuations in consumer demand. Traditional staffing agencies have shown poor retention rates for hourly workers beyond 30 days, putting additional pressure on businesses looking for long-term dependability. Instawork’s survey of its network of hourly workers (Pros) found that 70% can commit long-term to businesses. These workers are eager for longer term work schedules but need to be successfully matched with businesses also looking for their skills, experience, and commitment. Instawork’s AI-powered technology is at the forefront of this initiative, vetting workers to ensure a match for businesses’ long-term needs. The intelligent platform considers a myriad of factors, including worker skills, experience, and even their proximity to the business location and methods of transportation. The result? A remarkable doubling of worker retention rates after 30 days, showcasing the effectiveness of Instawork’s quality and reliability-focused model. This strategic move by Instawork is backed by a recent Series D fundraise and is further validated by their recognition in the top 10% of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing private companies, Forbes’ Next Billion Dollar Startup list, and accolades such as the 2022 ACE Award for “Best Innovation” and Business Insider’s “Best Business Apps.” 

Laura’s Gourmet introduces its new product line, “Over the Top” blends – a seasoned fusion of ancient grains, seeds, and spices, meticulously curated by Chef Laura Briscoe. Created to inspire and elevate any culinary dish, the line features four crunchy, nutritious, and uniquely flavorful blends to top any dish: The Original, The Southwestern, The Southeast Asian, and The Italian. ‘Over the Top’ enhances a broad assortment of recipes, bringing together the rich histories of diverse flavors skillfully crafted for the modern palate. I invite all chefs to draw inspiration from these blends and elevate their dishes with additional layers of flavor and signature crunch. We are excited to see ‘Over the Top’ have a delicious impact on the Foodservice Industry.

Furthering its commitment to the Denver market, Oak View Group (OVG) today announced a collaboration with noted culinary expert Christian Navarro,  Edgewood Real Estate Investment Trust, and entrepreneurs Lee Ann and Mark Van Loucks, to create Golden Oak, a state-of-the-art restaurant and culinary academy, in Penterra Plaza located in the Denver Tech Center. Oak View Group, the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of public assembly facilities around the world, relocated its global headquarters to Denver last summer. Offering a unique blend of culinary excellence, innovative design, and community spirit, Golden Oak is set to become a lifestyle destination for culinary, wine and spirits enthusiasts. The approximately 9,600-square foot restaurant, slated to open in early 2025, will be led by a renowned group of food and wine experts dedicated to crafting a memorable dining experience. 

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Golden Grail Beverages (OTC: GOGY), known for its commitment to quality and sustainability, is thrilled to announce the launch of its eco-friendly product, KOZ Water, in 16 oz cans. The introduction of the 16oz can is in response to the growing consumer demand for sustainable and health-conscious hydration options. The company intends to invest in several additional production runs to ensure KOZ Water will be widely available starting as early as May 2024 in select locations and nationwide on Amazon.com. KOZ Water, known for its unique purification process and the infusion of essential electrolytes and minerals, offers more than just hydration; it’s a step towards healthier living. Packaged in fully recyclable 16 oz aluminum cans, KOZ Water underscores Golden Grail Beverages’ dedication to reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability. Emphasizing our commitment to not only personal health but also to the planet, it’s important to highlight the broader environmental impact of packaging choices. The global recycling rate for plastic bottles languishes below 50%, with a fraction being repurposed into new bottles. In stark contrast, aluminum stands as a beacon of recyclability, boasting recycling rates that exceed 60% globally, and reaching up to 90% in the most efficient regions. 

La Concha Key West, the restored Grand Old Dame of Key West, proudly announces Lilian Garapan as Director of Food & Beverage, leading the management and successful operations of all food and beverage outlets, processes and events, including in the new Tropicado crafted cocktail bar, restaurant, Perla, where Cuban cuisine is delightfully reimagined and in El Dom Coffee Shop.  A Philippines native, Garapan has embraced a career path within the tourism industry driven by her enthusiasm for hospitality. Possessing an optimistic demeanor, she consistently endeavors to exceed expectations in guest service, showcasing her dedicated and bright personality. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Travel Services Management from Bohol Island State University, Garapan has more than eight years of experience in customer service, sales, marketing and retail operations. Possessing excellent communication and organizational insight, she excels in motivating and empowering her team to achieve optimal performance. Her comprehensive understanding of culinary sales and marketing, payroll management, budgeting, guest relations, and hotel and retail operations emphasize her capability to navigate the industry, while maintaining a focus on revenue generation. Garapan most recently served as Assistant Food and Beverage Manager at Highgate in Key West. Prior, Garapan held the position of Head of Housekeeping at Marriott Hotels in Key West.  

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Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, a spacious resort nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and on the shore of North Lake Tahoe, announces a brand-new dining experience, Osteria Sierra. The new restaurant concept debuted on March 15 and features an elevated dining experience with a fusion of Italian and Alpine themes. Osteria Sierra is located in the main resort building next to Tahoe Provisions. The restaurant, previously named Sierra Café, has been transformed through a renovation to feature new décor and seating. The restaurant features Sicily Majolica art painted throughout. The ceramic majolica pattern originated in Renaissance Italy, and is known for its intricate designs and colors that can be seen in restaurants and businesses throughout Italy. The restaurant’s menu is curated by the hotel’s Executive Chef Alan Kubler. It features hand-made pastas made fresh daily. Signature dishes will include Italian specialties such as a burrata e pomodori with a pistachio pesto, a tagliata di angus featuring a New York strip served on an olive tapenade butter saffron risotto cake, a fresh creste de gallo with guanciale and black garlic, and more. The menu will also include handcrafted cocktails, an extensive wine and beer list, and a variety of traditional house-made desserts including a white chocolate and strawberry panna cotta, affogato, and tiramisu.  

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As part of its on-going commitment to economic inclusivity, Oak View Group (OVG), the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions, today announced the addition of Crowns & Hops, the prominent Inglewood-based, Black-owned brewing company, to its companywide supplier diversity program. The partnership is designed to assist Crowns & Hops in showcasing its beverages at select OVG properties.  As the official food and beverage provider of the LA County Fair, OVG Hospitality will host students from Cal-Poly Pomona in a Chef Cook-Off to create innovative dishes paired with Crowns & Hops’ signature brew, 8 Trill Pils, at the Fair on Sunday, May 12 at 11 a.m. OVG Hospitality’s Chef Juan Hurtado and General Manager Bill Cheek, both of Acrisure Arena, and Crowns & Hops’ CEO & Co-Founder Beny Ashburn will serve as judges. The winner will earn an internship opportunity with OVG Hospitality’s Executive Chef David Harvie at Acrisure Arena’s kitchen in Greater Palm Springs, CA, and a custom chef coat, apron, and hat. The OVG Supplier Diversity Program aims to foster economic inclusivity by making OVG’s supply chain more diverse by encouraging the participation of vendors historically overlooked while ensuring a positive impact is made in the communities where OVG operates. The program champions community empowerment by providing opportunities for underrepresented business to thrive and contribute to local economies.  

ExCeL London, together with its long-standing catering partner Levy UK + Ireland, have announced a new partnership with food environmental data experts, Foodsteps, to help reduce the embodied carbon emissions in the millions of dishes its in-house team of chefs create and serve every year. Levy, the sports and entertainment arm of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has been ExCeL’s catering partner since the Royal Docks venue first opened in 2000, and has been putting food and drink at the heart of its 400 events and four million annual visitors ever since. Foodsteps is the leading food sustainability data experts, who aid food businesses to measure, report, reduce and communicate their food footprint. Foodsteps will provide the kitchen and operational teams at ExCeL with detailed, UK-specific data on the lifecycle footprint of its produce, allowing the team to design lower carbon recipes. In addition, the partnership also includes a new customer-facing labelling system – using Foodsteps’ A (very low) to E (very high) rating – which will help visitors and event organisers make more climate conscious food choices. The move is one of several steps introduced at ExCeL, with its partner Levy, on its roadmap to becoming Net Zero, including having at least 50% of its menus serving plant-based options, sourcing 100% recyclable or reusable packaging and reducing kitchen food waste to under 1%.   

Feast Your Eyes (Feast) is thrilled to announce their new exclusive catering partnership with Radnor Hunt, one of Chester County’s most cherished country institutions. This agreement took effect May 1, 2024. As the exclusive caterer, Feast will work to revamp and elevate Radnor Hunt’s private events program, marketing it as a premier venue destination for all special occasions. This partnership marks an exciting extension of Feast Your Eyes’ footprint throughout the Main Line, an opportunity that will leverage Feast’s diverse culinary background with a taste of Philly food trends. 

Accolades

The International Caterers Association Educational Foundation (ICAEF) has recently announced the recipients of its inaugural grants, awarding $10,000 each to Kids Feeding Kids and Gather and Grow. These programs stand out for their exceptional efforts in promoting food awareness within their respective communities. This initiative reflects ICAEF’s ongoing commitment to bolster education, charity, and community engagement within the hospitality industry. “The grant provides vital support to programs like these, enabling them to enhance curriculum development, fund educational events, facilitate instructor training, and produce educational materials,” explains Lon Lane, Immediate Past Chairman of the ICAEF. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Kids Feeding Kids is an offshoot of Pete’s Garden, a food recovery program established by Tamara Weber. In 2021, Weber launched Kids Feeding Kids with initial funding from Patrick Mahomes. The program’s mission is to educate students about food access and sustainability while empowering them to make a positive impact in their community. Through Kids Feeding Kids, students prepare and distribute up to 1,000 free, take-home family dinners, fostering both learning and community service. Gather and Grow, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is spearheaded by President Greg Brownell. Through a strategic partnership with the ASU School of Sustainability and Roosevelt School District, this innovative program empowers students to become agripreneurs while providing families with valuable skills in garden planning. Under Brownell’s leadership, Gather and Grow offers a unique platform for both education and community development, promoting sustainability and self-sufficiency. 

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ASM Global Hospitality Division SAVOR has announced the company has added two key players in the food and beverage industry to its experienced team. Hospitality leader Jason Dowd has been appointed as SAVOR’s new senior vice president of culinary and innovation, and industry veteran Craig Condra has been named as regional vice president, food and beverage. Dowd brings more than 25 years of culinary-innovation experience to SAVOR — with a background in restaurant operations, research and development, and menu creation — and is also a certified sommelier. Throughout his career he worked with several well-known brands, from the Ritz Carlton and InterContinental Hotel Group to Olive Garden, Smashburger and Moe’s Southwest Grill. Most recently as vice president of culinary innovation with FAT Brands, he was responsible for the menu strategy, evolution and renovation of 16 restaurant brands in the snack, QSR, and fast-casual and casual-dining categories. As SAVOR’s senior vice president of culinary and innovation, Dowd will manage the execution of the overall strategic product-innovation plan for SAVOR in North America as well as oversee innovation, research, business development and KPI processes. He will also be charged with driving the product development efforts of regional and executive chefs, establishing objectives, and developing principles to guide product innovation among all team members. Condra brings more than 21 years of experience to SAVOR, including stints with Sodexo Live!, Levy Restaurants, Legends and Aramark. His expertise is wide-ranging from culinary and premium services to finance, data and operations at a variety of venues, including stadiums, arenas and convention centers. Throughout his career he also gained invaluable experience working in operations and premium services at major events, such as the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup, U.S. Open and more. As SAVOR’S regional vice president of food and beverage for convention centers, Condra will oversee food and beverage operations for 12 convention centers throughout the ASM Global/SAVOR portfolio. He will be responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of the facilities as well as supervising employees, from hiring and training to planning, directing and problem-solving.    

Bevles, a leading innovator in commercial kitchen equipment, proudly announces the launch of its  latest breakthrough products: the Bevles MiniTouch 10 Half Sheet Pan, and 6 Half Sheet Pan Combi Ovens. These cutting-edge commercial cooking appliances set a new standard for simplicity, compact design and superior performance by empowering chefs, and foodservice professionals to elevate their culinary creations with unmatched precision and efficiency at the touch of a button. Designed with the modern kitchen in mind, the Bevles MiniTouch Combi Ovens combine advanced technology with intuitive functionality to streamline cooking processes and maximize productivity. Despite their compact footprint, these versatile combi ovens deliver exceptional cooking results across a wide range of applications, from baking and roasting to steaming and sous vide. 

Jones Dairy Farm, a leader in all natural raw and fully-cooked breakfast sausage for the foodservice industry, has officially branched out of the breakfast category with the introduction of All Natural Chicken Meatballs. Fully cooked and Certified Gluten-Free, the meatballs are free of the USDA Big 9 Allergens including soy, wheat and dairy. They’re also free of fillers, binders and breadcrumbs, making them a wholesome part of a delicious meal or hearty appetizer for customers with dietary restrictions. Like Jones All Natural Sausage, the meatballs are produced in small batches with high quality ingredients including fresh, never frozen chicken and hand-blended spices. Jones Chicken Meatballs, available in a 10-pound foodservice case and meet Child Nutrition (CN) labeling requirements, contain 14 grams of protein and only 160 calories per six-meatball serving. Whether prepared with or without a sauce, these meatballs adapt effortlessly to customer taste preferences offering operators convenience and remarkable versatility.  

Everline Resort & Spa, a spacious year-round mountain resort in North Lake Tahoe, announces Matt Hale as Executive Chef. Hale returns to the property after working in multiple culinary positions at the resort nearly 20 years ago. In his position, Hale will oversee the resort’s food operations, from managing the curation of menus at the on-site restaurants to managing banquet operations for meetings and events. With more than 25 years of experience working in the hospitality and culinary industry, Hale realized his love for food while growing up on a small farm in Sierraville, California. Throughout his childhood, his parents taught him how to grow vegetables and fruit trees, as well as how to can for the winter. He would also regularly visit his mom while she was working in restaurants and would always find ways to help, from assisting the chef to bussing tables.  Hale followed his passion and attended South Lake Tahoe Community College where he received his degree in culinary arts. Following his graduation in 2003, Hale worked at multiple South Lake Tahoe restaurants including Mendocino, a popular fine dining Italian restaurant. In 2006, he moved to the Truckee area and began working as the Sous Chef at Six Peaks Grille at Everline, then named Resort at Squaw Creek. He quickly progressed his career at the resort with multiple promotions to Banquet Chef and then to Executive Sous Chef. Following his time at Everline, Hale moved to Skamania Lodge, in the scenic Columbia River Gorge, where he worked as Executive Chef for more than six years. He then moved back to the Lake Tahoe area where he held the role of Executive Chef at the Tahoe Donner Association.  

Zafferano America, the manufacturer of award-winning cordless lighting, handmade tableware, and colored glassware, is pleased to announce the hiring of Gabriella Vivaldi as Director of Marketing, effective immediately. Vivaldi, a bilingual dual citizen of the United States and Italy, has led marketing and communications efforts for established Italian furniture brands and material manufacturers for nearly two decades. In her new role, Vivaldi will oversee and implement North American marketing strategies for both the brand and its New York City Showroom (121 Varick Street). Vivaldi will also manage strategic partnerships and organize events both on- and off-site while working directly with Zafferano SRL, of Quinto di Treviso, Italy, to ensure strategic alignment across the international family of Zafferano companies.