Monday

Trend Forecast 2014. Translating Fashion Into Designs That Sell
Robin Brockelsby, President and Kate Patay, CSEP, Executive Director, Creative Coverings, Sparks, NV

Set yourself apart as a trend leader and master the skill of translating the latest fashions into chic events! Learn what hot trends to expect in Summer/Fall 2014 and beyond. Kate and Robin will teach you how to stay ahead of the competition with tips on how you can forecast the future of catering, wedding and events trends. Discuss how to identify the root of design trends and how they are influenced by various media outlets. Learn about the most effective ways to sell these trends profitably to your clients and establish yourself as an industry expert.  As a bonus, tips and tricks for the cost-conscious client will also be highlighted so you can design on any budget!
 

Education Crafted for Building a Successful Catering Company. A Focused Marketing Plan Equals Increased ROI – Part 3
Bill Hansen, CEO, Bill Hansen Catering, Miami, FL, Bill Pannhoff, Owner, B & B Catering & Events, Spring Lake, NC and Steve Sanchez, Director of Sales and Marketing, The JDK Group, Camp Hill, PA

Without a focused marketing plan, your message may not be reaching your clients effectively or economically. Wilfredo Pareto, the late 18th century Italian economist wrote “80% of the producers create 20% of the products and 20% of the producers create 80% of the product.” So, are you marketing to the 80% of your clients that represent 20% of your sales volume or the 20% of your clients that represent 80% of your sales? Bill and Bill will share tried and true tactics for developing a focused marketing plan to land the “big fish” clients, high-end weddings and important social occasions. They will share low cost marketing ideas, provide you with a menu of marketing tools and tactics and discuss the value of venue contracts and relationships. Passing the stage to Steve, he will close with a discussion of social media marketing and how to present your company in the social media spotlight.
 

The Guest at Table Three is Allergic to Everything!
Best Practices for Managing Dietary Menu Issues at Events
Presented by the ICA
Moderator: Margot Jones, Owner, Purple Onion Catering Company, Vienna, VA
Michael Purpura, Executive Chef, Lackmann Food Service at Wagner College, Staten Island, NY, Olive Chase, Owner, The Casual Gourmet, Centerville, MA, Jamie Keating CEC,CEO, Jamie Keating Culinary, Inc. Columbus, GA

Identified as one of the biggest challenges facing our industry today is accommodating guests with dietary concerns such as gluten-free or allergies. It can be especially difficult in an off-premise operation. Learn how this panel is meeting the challenge in their respective companies with creative solutions, how they are charging clients for these special menus and how they are training the culinary and front of the house staff to meet the needs of the guests.
 

Learn the 5 Cs for a Better Website and More Effective Social Media & Wedding Marketing
Alan Berg, Author/Professional Speaker/Small Business Marketing Expert, AlanBerg.com, Kendall Park, NJ

You’ve heard about the 4 Cs for diamonds (cut, clarity, carat and color) but never the 5 Cs of a better website and social media presence. Dubbed as North America's leading expert on the business of weddings and events, Alan will show you how you can incorporate these four elements to make your website and social media presence stand out among your competitors.
 

7:30am — 8:30am

7:30am — 8:30am

8:45am — 10:15am

CATERSOURCE OPENING SESSION 
Featuring
Alex Guarnaschelli, Executive Chef, Butter Restaurant and the Darby, New York, NY. Judge on the Food Network’s Chopped and The Next Iron Chef.

Our opening session on Monday morning will feature the presentation of the Michael Roman Lifetime Achievement Award and announcement of our ACE Award finalists before keynote Alex Guarnaschelli takes the stage. Food Network star, Iron Chef and accomplished restauranteur, Alex will discuss trends in the industry and what consumers want.
 

From Trend-Spotting to Trend-Doing
Presented by ISES
Matthew Trettel and Bruce Vassar, The Wedding Guys, The Wedding Guys®, Minneapolis, MN

Inspiration is everywhere, but when you have a client that requires an aesthetic that is on-trend, where can you go to make sure you're pulling together the elements to be on point. Discover the tricks The Wedding Guys use to ensure their signature events are TREND FORWARD,even when critical design decisions are often made a year before the event. Learn to cut through the Pinterest clutter, discover the key elements of Trend-Spotting and get tips and techniques to implement immediately to set your designs apart.
 

8:45am — 10:15am

8:45am — 10:15am

8:45am — 10:15am

3 Women Catering Chefs Whisk Up a Trio of Dinner Party Menus
Karen O’Connor, Executive Chef, Daniel et Daniel, Toronto, Canada, Robin Selden, Executive Chef/Managing Partner, Marcia Selden Catering & Events, Stamford, CT and Elgin Woodman, Executive Chef, A Joy Wallace Catering, Miami, FL

Talent overflows on stage during this session as three of the most innovative and talented catering chefs take the spotlight. Each will demonstrate a favorite three-course dinner party menu and you will walk away with recipes, plating tips and costs for each menu. Go back to your kitchens and you will have all the necessary tools to add three new beautiful and profitable dinner parties to your menus.
 

10:45am — 12:00pm

Managing With An Advantage
Warren Dietel, Owner/President, Puff ‘n Stuff Events and Catering, Orlando, FL

If you are struggling with a leadership team that often seems disjointed or dysfunctional, you are not alone. Many catering and events companies find they have long-term, loyal staff who are no longer making positive contributions to the company. But there is usually an emotional attachment that is hard to break. This session, based on the principals in Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Advantage, will demonstrate how Warren has turned his disjointed group into a united team focusing on results, embracing accountability, achieving commitment, mastering conflict and building a team that embodies trust and shares in success.
 

Flipping The Switch. Understanding Today’s Generation and Helping Them Develop a Road Map to Success
Charles Carroll, Author/Executive Chef, River Oaks Country Club, Houston, TX

What’s the answer? How do we reach into the hearts of today’s generation and “flip their switch”? Get them to want to be great; to want to do whatever it takes to be successful in today’s job market; to grab the attention of today’s workforce and help them understand what it takes to grow and climb the ladder and be a leader in the hospitality arena. This action packed motivational presentation will help you understand how to inspire your staff and make a difference in their life, starting today!
 

The Life Cycle of a Catering Company
Carl Sacks, Director of Consulting, Catersource, Minneapolis, MN

Having worked with and observed many of the most prominent caterers in the industry, Carl has a keen understanding of the factors that have made these companies successful. In this session, he will bring his wealth of knowledge to bear on the question of how some caterers strategically manage for longterm success and what the inflection points are in the life cycle of a successful catering company.  Carl will discuss the stages of life of the catering company, from start up to maturity, discuss the transition from founders to second generation and explain a range of likely exit strategies for owners.
 

Be Your Own Wedding Publicist
Meghan Ely, President, OFD Consulting, Richmond, VA

A wedding business owner wears many hats including that of the vitally important publicist. Do you know the best way to invest your time and talents to yield the maximum exposure for your brand? Do you use social media to its fullest potential? Do you know how to track your traffic and identify your strongest sources of lead generation? Learn everything you need to know about real wedding submissions, various social media platforms and the free publicity tools you could be using right now to attract qualified prospects and adoring fans.
 

10:45am — 12:00pm

10:45am — 12:00pm

10:45am — 12:00pm

Culinary Time Traveler...The Classics Return
Andrew Spurgin, Principal, Andrew Spurgin™, San Diego, CA

Classics are that for a reason, we live in a culinary world obsessed with the new. Trends,or fads, barely have time to be enjoyed before they are forgotten and we move on to the next Emperor's new clothes. Think back on classics like Caesar Salad, Steak Diane, Coq au Vin, Crêpe Suzette and more. They had time to be enjoyed, some for decades, others even longer; they are in our culinary DNA. Can we name anything recently that has REALLY had any staying power? So, it's time to bring the classics back, and with a BANG! We'll take you into an interactive time tunnel where you can experience it all, in live action "Super Panavision® 70"!
 

On-Premise Sales and Marketing Think Tank
Moderator: Alan Berg, Author/Professional Speaker/Small Business Expert, AlanBerg.com, Kendall Park, NJ
Jenifer Dahlen, Director of Corporate Sales, The Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA; Lisa Hopkins, CPCE, CMP, Director of Catering and Conferences, The Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa, Houston, TX; Michelle Peters, Director of Marketing and Branding, Beets Hospitality, Livermore, CA

Selling events for on- premise venues, especially weddings, are often driven from websites, social media and wedding media such as The Knot, Wedding Wire and The Perfect Wedding Guide. However, many venues also participate in local wedding showcases, marketing events, print advertising and local broadcasting media. Learn how these successful sales and marketing experts have divided their respective marketing budgets and which strategies have resulted in the highest ROI on your marketing dollars.

Great Metrics Challenge. Double Your Profit and Engagement
Kevin Walter, Principal, Tasty Catering, Elk Grove Village, IL and Steve Baker, Vice President, The Great Game of Business, Inc. Springfield, MO

Based on Jack Stack’s bestselling book, The Great Game of Business is a unique and well-proven methodology and approach to running a company based on a simple, yet powerful belief - when employees think, act and feel like owners… everybody wins. Learn how this proven operating system teaches people business, holds them accountable and provides them a stake in the outcome. Attend the Great Game of Business Mini Workshop Class to be held on Tuesday at the Hands on Arena at the Catersource Tradeshow to get hands-on experience playing and winning The Great Game of Business.
 

Sales Superstars Share Their Secrets of Success
Moderator: Meryl Snow, Consultant, Catersource Consulting Unit, Philadelphia, PA
Ronnie Davis, Managing Partner, Ronnie Davis Events, & Managing Director of Great Performances, Great Performances , New York, NY; Joel Wolke, Account Executive, Occasions Caterers, Washington, DC

From a Bride’s Vision to Her Dream Wedding
David Everett, Senior Wedding and Event Producer, The JDK Group, Camp Hill, PA

It takes dedication and skill to listen to the wedding couple’s vision, interpret the needs and desires, then produce a wedding that makes all of their dreams come true - all while considering the budget. Join David for this session where he will share a point by point method to help learn where to look for the design inspiration, how to design unique wedding environments, how to sell your design concept to the bride and groom and a list of special touches that when fitted into the wedding design make the event truly memorable.
 

2:15pm — 3:15pm

2:15pm — 3:15pm

2:15pm — 3:15pm

The Science and Art of Gluten-Free Cooking for Caterers – Part 2
Carlyn Berghoff, CEO/Chef/Author,  Berghoff  Restaurant & Catering Group, Chicago, IL

Being gluten intolerant or celiac is not a fad. While many have adopted eating gluten-free as a lifestyle, it’s no trend for those affected. One percent of the population has Celiac disease and an additional 7–9% are gluten intolerant. For those affected it is important to seem to eat normally and still enjoy foods with  flavor and appeal. Part 2 of this gluten-free series will spotlight the “art” of  converting classic recipes and common foods to gluten-free offerings. Carlyn will take a sampling of the items being prepared in other Catersource culinary classes and teach you how to make substitutions of gluten-free ingredients, cooking methods that work with gluten-free recipes, and provide a reference list of gluten-free ingredient sources.
 

Pricing Tactics for Banquet Halls, Hotels and On-Premise Venues
Moderator: Carl Sacks, Director of Consulting, Catersource Consulting Unit, Catersource, Minneapolis, MN
Ken Barra, President, East Wind Catering, Long Island, NY, Jennifer Delaye, CEO, The JDK Group and Metalaye Enterprises, Camp Hill, PA, Jonathan Jennings, COO, Pavilion Catering, Middletown, CT

Every dollar counts and every venue needs to be assured that a venue sale is garnering the most profit possible. Join this panel as they discuss vital issues that define bottom line profit. Learn how to develop and sell venue packages, which elements are included in a package and what is considered an extra, how and when discounting is appropriate, service charges, management fees, tipping policies, and a lively discussion regarding vendor commissions.
 

Education Crafted for Building a Successful Catering Company. Leadership in the New Normal – Part 4
Bill Hansen, CEO, Bill Hansen Catering, Miami, FL, Bill Pannhoff, Owner, B & B Catering & Events, Spring Lake, NC and Anthony Lambatos, Owner, Footers Catering, Denver, CO

The catering industry is evolving quickly. Every day there are changes we must recognize and embrace to succeed. Are you of a single focus or diversified for the long term? Whether you are an owner or a key employee, you must make the effort to lead your group into the new normal. Learn the seven habits of highly successful caterers, why efficient and effective meetings are a must, how and why you must maintain high standards and how to develop a company culture that will have you and your staff   “walk the walk and talk the talk” effortlessly every day.
 

All the World’s a Table. Staging Your Tastings for the Perfect Performance
Presented by ICA
Jennifer Perna, Vice President of Sales, Daniel Joseph, Vice President of Operations and Paul Larson, Corporate Chef, Blue Plate Catering, Chicago, IL

Every tasting is truly a theatrical performance - every player has an active role in the art of the tasting.  A great tasting includes stylized food, impeccable service, attention to detail and creative presentation and design…and they cost a lot of money to produce! Jennifer, Paul and Dan will discuss the tasting process from the brainstorming stage through the actual implementation. Every tasting is a large investment of time, money and human resources and every caterer must recognize the importance of the tasting as they close business opportunities. Learn effective analysis tools for measuring tasting success and budget development, ideas for theatrically approaching situations while the tasting is in action and talking point ideas to bring up during tastings to close the sale.
 

Marketing to Same-Sex Couples
Bernadette Coveney Smith, President, 14 Stories Gay Wedding Institute, New York, NY

Same-sex marriage is becoming legal in more and more states and the LGBT wedding market is booming. Is your business ready to tap into this lucrative market? In this seminar, you’ll learn best practices for reaching this emerging market including appropriate language and terminology, where to advertise and much more.
 

3:30pm — 4:30pm

3:30pm — 4:30pm

3:30pm — 4:30pm

Small Bites, Big Flavors
Eric LeVine, Chef/ Partner/Author, Morris Tap and Grill, Randolf, NJ

Come along and join Chef Eric for another journey into his trademark style of small bites with big flavors. As one of the pioneers of the small bite trend, Eric will showcase another twist on the concept of small bites with easy recipes from his new cookbook, Small Bites Big Flavors. Learn new cost effective hors d’oeuvres to take back to your kitchens, simple presentations to make the appetizers look amazing and how to organize your field kitchens to efficiently execute multiple hors d’oeuvres for an off-premise event. Get ready, this class promises to “Fire It Up”!
 

What About Tuesday? How to Sell Non-Prime Dates for On-Premise Venues
Moderator: John Lombardo, Managing Partner, Branches Catering, West Long Beach, NJ
J P Marchetti, Partner, Galleria Marchetti, Chicago, IL, Joanna Sherriff, Director, Corporate Development, RM Events, Brookfield, CT, Deborah Gee, Director of Sales, Oliver & Bonacini Events, Toronto, ON

Often on-premise venues are booked out years ahead for weekend and prime dates, but the most profitable ones have a plan for seeking out and booking the events that happen on weekdays and non-prime dates, ie. Weddings on Wednesday, team building on Thursday, and non- profit events on Sunday will increase your bottom line. Join this panel for a lively discussion on how to secure these events and how to inspire your sales team to book non-prime event dates.
 

Education Crafted for Building a Successful Catering Company. Management - Where the Rubber Meets the Road – Part 5
Bill Hansen, CEO, Bill Hansen Catering, Miami, FL, Bill Pannhoff, Owner, B & B Catering & Events, Spring Lake, NC and Olive Chase, Owner, The Casual Gourmet, Centerville, MA

While leadership is inspirational, only sound management will keep you from making big and costly mistakes. Quit reinventing the wheel and embrace these tried and true management strategies from Bill and Bill. This session will dive deeply into the systems, tools and tactics necessary to put your company on the road to success. Topics such as time management, surviving a challenging economy, ten places to find hidden money and Olive’s views and insight on how catering companies can live long and prosper.
 

If I Had a Dollar for Every Time…The True Value of a Caterer’s Time
Jon Wool, President/Owner, JHW Hospitality Consulting, Chicago, IL

The term “time management” is a cliché often used to excuse poor performance. Evaluating what are dollar generating vs. dollar wasting tasks in your day is not something easily done. This time-valuable session shares ways to save precious hours during the work day, to increase productivity and achieve a stronger work-life balance.
 

Best Day of Our Lives. Creating Unique, Customized Weddings
Robin Selden, Executive Chef/Managing Partner and Jeffrey Selden, Managing Partner, Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning, Stamford, CT

Regardless of the budget, every bride and groom expect and deserve a wedding day experience that is memorable and designed to fit the needs, desires and interests of the bride and groom. Robin and Jeffrey believe it is possible to create an exclusive, tailor-made, bespoke wedding for every couple. Join them for this idea-packed session and learn the latest culinary and cocktail trends, presentation and menu styles, and favorably-priced service touches that add style to any wedding.. 
 

4:45pm — 5:45pm

4:45pm — 5:45pm

4:45pm — 5:45pm