That's a Wrap on Catersource + The Special Event 2023

If there was one overarching theme that echoed throughout the conference it was that we are the masters of our own destiny. 

“Your dreams can be as big as your mind can open,” said Kathleen Stoehr (Director of Education and Content Strategy for Catersource + The Special Event) said during this year’s Closing General Session.  

The catering and events industry can oftentimes be riddled with competition, and caterers and event planners may always be gauging their success to those around them, but in reality the only person that you need to be competing with is yourself. 

“Someone will always be better than you, somebody will always have a better education, but they’re not you,” Closing General Keynote Chef Art Smith said. “What's inside you is always going to win. If you know what you’re good at, and stay on your path, you’ll become known by your work.” 

Miro Diamante presented Drag Queens, Taylor Swift, & House of the Dragon, OH MY! A Pop-Centric Approach to Relationship Building & Sales during Catersource + The Special Event. Photo courtesy WASIO Faces

For Miro Diamanté (who presented Drag Queens, Taylor Swift, & House of the Dragon, OH MY! A Pop-Centric Approach to Relationship Building & Sales), it was when he started embracing who he is that helped him find success. 

“Being a drag queen has really empowered me to bring that authenticity and that power and that confidence to not just drag, but also to my actual professional life. I’m not afraid to be me,” he said. “I really encourage you to dive into what makes you special and unique, and use that in your everyday life.” 

Opening General Session keynote Marcy Blum also shared similar sentiments. 

“Don't be afraid to stay in your lane,” she said. “From Beyoncé to [Taylor Swift] everyone is sharing the same message: be yourself.”   

Well, that's a wrap on this year's Catersource + The Special Event coverage. Now, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge everyone who helped make this year’s conference one of the strongest post-pandemic. Every speaker, every sponsor, every attendee, and every volunteer made this show such a rejuvenating success. We at Catersource magazine, as well as Catersource + The Special Event, are sure glad you came.

Relive all of the fun of Catersource + The Special Event 2023 with the following articles: 

Next stop: Austin 

They say, “everything is bigger in Texas,” and we hope that’s true when Catersource + The Special Event heads to the Lonestar State for what we hope will be the biggest and best conference yet. Catersource + The Special Event 2024 will be held February 12-15, 2024 at the Austin Convention Center.  

Catersource + The Special Event is headed to the Austin Conventon Center February 12-15, 2024. Photo courtesy Visit Austin

Our 2024 Call for Speakers is now open! Take a moment and submit your great idea and topic for Catersource + The Special Event. It's going to be a wild conference loaded with fresh and impactful content and we want to hear from you now so we can build our best program yet!

Trust us, you won’t want to miss it! 

See more from this year's Catersource + Special Event in the summer issue of Catersource magazine!