ACE Inspiration: Bold American Events

On March 15, winners of the ACE and CATIE awards took the stage at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. To enter the ACE awards competition, each contender was asked to identify the two events the company completed that it felt best represented the company, as well as challenges and favorite aspects.

Throughout the year, Catersource.com will profile the winners and nominees of the 2017 ACE awards. In the first of our series, we will place a keen eye on Bold American Events, Atlanta, GA, who took the ACE award for Operations over $2 million in the East region.

Catering * East region • Operations over $2 million • Bold American Events, Atlanta, GA

Juice Studios Dinner

The company, proud of its fun, immersive, and interactive events, felt these aspects were reflected well at the dinner service for destination management and meeting planning company Juice Studios. This event showcased the full range of Bold specialties, also utilizing the Bold Design team to create the perfect space for an upscale, captivating dinner.

Upon arrival, guests were presented with hors d’oeuvres in small galvanized buckets and made-to-order libations from Bold’s rolling cocktail cart, followed by a personalized menu presentation and full dinner service cooked tableside by Bold executive chef Todd Annis. From beginning to end, guests received the full Bold treatment through interacting with chef Annis and various aspects of the menu, which ultimately offered an experience-driven spin on the traditional dinner party.

Challenges

The live food stations and full cooking demo created a degree of unpredictability for the Bold Catering team, as with any live show. With the experience and expertise of chef Todd Annis, the team executed the dinner service with ease and flair while interacting with guests and showcasing their award-winning culinary and hospitality skills. The engaging offerings included a double-entrée of seared scallops and fried chicken, and a dessert bento box with colorful macarons and chocolate-dipped fortune cookies.

Favorite touches

Chocolate bento boxes allowed the Bold team to introduce a unique spin on two catering trends. While the traditional Japanese bento box is having a moment in the catering industry, many iterations of the trend stick to the basics, like sushi or edamame. By placing a variety of desserts into the compartments—macarons, truffles and chocolate-dipped fortune cookies—Bold was able to turn the trend on its head while also showcasing its miniature pastries capabilities, which remain a popular client request.

Because Bold Catering and Events is both a catering and full-scale event design company, the teams especially enjoy any opportunity to work together. At the Juice Studios dinner, the design team was able to create a wow-worthy space that complemented the catering team’s intended event flow, focus points, and menu concept.

Temporary shiplap walls, which have come into the limelight recently due to popular design show, “Fixer Upper,” complemented the jet black bar and high top chairs to provide a sophisticated southern ambience, which was reflected in the Georgia-inspired menu of seared scallops with peach puree, fried chicken “two-ways,” white cheddar macaroni and cheese, and Coca-Cola barbecue pork belly.

Be sure to follow all of the ACE award winners and nominees throughout the year for inspiration and ideas! The 2018 awards consideration will open in late fall with an announcement in our Attendee and Get Fresh e-newsletters. Click here to sign up!

Next week on Catersource.com: Bold American Events’ Destination South Networking Event.