All throughout January and February we'll be highlighting some of this year's speakers leading up to Catersource + The Special Event, happening February 12-15 in Austin, TX.
David Anderson, Executive Chef, Catering By Design
David Anderson began cooking at the early age of 14 in his hometown of Ketchikan, Alaska. Working his way up from tossing pizzas to kitchen management over the next several years, David discovered a passion for the people and environment in the industry. Deciding to make this his career, David moved to Portland, Oregon and enrolled in the Culinary Art program at Le Cordon Bleu. After graduating with honors, David worked his way through several award-winning restaurants, embracing Portland's farm to table ethos and made culinary journeys to Spain, Italy, India, and Mexico to learn more about their cuisines and culture. David's paths lead him to Executive Chef at some of Portland's best restaurants and hotels. In 2014, David moved to Denver to take on the Executive Chef position at the JW Marriot and has since opened and lead several hotels and restaurants in Colorado. In 2022, David made the move to off-site catering as the Executive Chef at Catering By Design.
Allie Piazza, Director of Sales & Marketing, Catering By Design
Allie Piazza has more than 13 years of hospitality sales experience, beginning her career in the fine dining restaurant industry before moving to the catering and events world. Allie began her career with Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc. in 2010 while she worked on a Master of Education at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. She quickly found her niche in sales and left the program to pursue a career in hospitality. In 2019, Allie and joined Catering by Design where she is the Director of Sales & Marketing serving the Denver/Aspen market. She saw the company through the bumpy ride during the pandemic and has grown her team to successfully produce a 40% growth over pre-pandemic revenue.
Join Anderson and Piazza at the following session during Catersource + The Special Event:
Bridging the Gap between Sales & Culinary – How to Collaborate to Create a Win-Win for Both Departments
It's the age old rivalry of sales vs. operations; but what if we told you that simpatico was possible between your Culinary Team and your Sales Team? When these two departments are on the same page, the sky's the limit for what your company can achieve. All it takes is a little bit of open-mindedness and a willingness to learn from each other. If these two departments aren't in constant communication with each other, your company could be missing out on some big opportunities. Here we'll discuss the importance of fostering a collaborative environment to grow your business, be more creative, and give your clients the best possible product.
