CS+TSE Spotlight: Top Notch CulinaryCS+TSE Spotlight: Top Notch Culinary

Presented by Eric LeVine  (Executive Chef / Owner, 317 Mainstreet | Vice | The James Room | Stage 317)

Location: Floridian D

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 8:30 am - 9:30 am

As the industry has become focused on local and fresh, seasonal and sustainable, pasta hits all the right notes for ease in catering and satisfying a multitude of consumer cravings. In this class, Chef Eric LeVine will teach you:

Note: Chef Eric will be signing copies of his latest cookbook, Forkin' Good, shortly after his session. See schedule for more information.

Presented by Kanre O'Connor (Executive Chef, Daniel et Daniel Catering and Event Planning) & Joanne Purnell (president, Good Gracious Events)

Location: Floridian D

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Every event should have a "Great Beginning"—and that means those delicious bites that whet the appetite for what's to come. Join Chef Joanne Purnell of Good Gracious Events and Chef Karen O'Connor, who will talk about—and demo—the appetizer superstars from their repertoires that never fail to get the party started. The team will be featuring plant forward and allergen friendly starters that everyone will love.

Presented by Ron Ben-Israel (Owner, Ron Ben-Israel Cakes)

Location: Palm A

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Are you ready to reach for the stars? Join Cake Genius Ron Ben-Israel in this hands-on session in which teams will be assigned a pre frosted (but unadorned) fondant cake, serving as a blank canvas for students' artistic interpretation. Learn how to create a cosmic galaxy effect through dazzling icing techniques. Watch and learn or join in the fun; teams will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. All materials provided.

Presented by Bryce Chervin  (Executive Pastry Chef, Footers Catering)

Location: 303A

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

From-scratch desserts and baked goods will grow your bottom line, your operation, and your clientele base, but taking the leap can make even the most level-headed of us a tad apprehensive. In this class you will learn the basics of building pastry menus, mixing and matching recipes, and when to use pre-made product vs. producing from scratch. You will walk away with 12 recipes that can be used across all of your menus as well as how to expand your operation in the future.

Presented by Chef Chris Evans (Owner/Executive Chef, Chris Evans Events and Catering) & Enjolik Oree-Bailey (Owner/ Executive Chef, Low Country Quisine)

Location: Floridian D

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Get ready for a flavor explosion! Join us for a lively session where plant-based ingredients collide with the rich, soulful flavors of Southern cuisine. Discover exciting new ways to introduce vegan bites that will delight you and your guests' taste buds and inspire your culinary creativity. It's more than a cooking demo—it's a down home blues feast! Prepare to groove to the rhythm of delicious vegan creations dancing on your palate. Don't miss this chance to spice up your kitchen with Southern charm and plant-based goodness!

Presented by Bonnie Kravitz (Executive Pastry Chef, Daniel et Daniel) & Laura Mattiussi (Senior Catering and Event Planner, Daniel et Daniel)

Location: Floridian D

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

With the increasing prevalence of allergies and the importance of accommodating them in menus, as well as the significance of nutrition in today's event culture—now is the time to explore how you can accommodate your clients in the best possible way. Learn how to include items catering to common allergens such as gluten, nuts, dairy, and soy in our menus while staying on theme, as well as how nutrition plays a role in events like all-day conferences and gatherings where creating menus that provide sustained energy for attendees is essential.

Chef Bonnie Kravitz and event planner Laura Mattiussi will be sharing some tried and true allergy-friendly recipes and nutritionally balanced meals and how to put systems into place to effectively communicate allergies and dietary needs to production and service teams.

Presented by Rob Husted (Divisional Sales Manager, American Beverage Marketers)

Location: Beverage Garden

Date: Wednesday, February 26

Time: 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

Join award-winning bartender Rob Husted of Cocktails4Hire for an engaging and practical seminar tailored for caterers, event planners, and bartenders. Discover the secrets to creating crowd-pleasing batched cocktails and mocktails with ease and efficiency using Finest Call Mixes and Reàl Infused Exotics. From balancing flavors to ensuring consistency in large-scale events, Rob will share insider tips and creative strategies to elevate your beverage game. Perfect for those looking to impress clients, streamline service, and deliver unforgettable drink experiences. Whether you're crafting for intimate gatherings or grand celebrations, this session is your recipe for success!

Sponsored by American Beverage Marketers

Presented by Jeriesha Carter-Johnson (Culinary Director/Owner, Divine Elegance Catering & Special Events) & Andre Johnson (Lead Mixologist/Owner, Divine Elegance Catering & Special Events)

Location: Beverage Garden

Date: Wednesday, February 26

Time: 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm

Explore the rising trends of vegan cuisine and non-alcoholic beverages. This presentation will delve into innovative plant-based dishes and creative mocktails that cater to health-conscious consumers. At Catersource 2024, we discussed the “Evolution of Mocktails." That was only the beginning. “Crafting Conscious Choices: Vegan Cuisine & Non-Alcoholic Delights” will discuss how to incorporate these offerings into your menus, attract a diverse clientele, and stay ahead in the evolving culinary landscape. We will share insights, recipes, and strategies to enhance your catering business with delicious and mindful options.

Presented by Joseph Pina (Campus Executive Chef, Bridgewater State University)

Location: Floridian D

Date: Wednesday, February 26

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

As culinarians we all love to make complex flavors come together, as the ultimate complementing ingredients making the most interesting dishes. That is exactly what happens when we meld old school and contemporary dishes or appetizers with our two favorite combinations of sweet and savory! Whether taking Southern Sweet Cornbread Cups and combining it with BBQ Brisket or taking the old traditional Chicken & Waffles and giving it Jalapeno Syrup w/ Savory Aioli, we combine these two prominent flavors and make our palates zing all over, driving our clients wild!

Let’s enjoy these two ends of the spectrum of flavors put them together and give our customers the ride of their culinary lives!

Presented by David Anderson (Executive Chef, Catering By Design) & Calvin Waters (Executive Sous Chef, Catering by Design)

Location: Culinary Main Stage on the Tradeshow Floor

Date: Wednesday, February 26

Time: 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm

Everyone wants to see and be part of the action, so let's bring the action up front! Designing and planning stations that are interactive and engaging is the name of the game. Starting with the end in mind and working backward, almost any station can provide fresh, made to order dishes that our guests are looking for along with that "in the kitchen" fun they are looking for. Join executive chef David Anderson of Catering by Design and learn how to provide fun and engagement for guests, design inspiration, and techniques and strategies to consider for flawless execution...and a little smoke and mirrors, too!

Presented by Paul Buchanan (Chef, Primal Alchemy) & Sean Dent (General Manager, Eaternity Hospitality)

Location: Floridian D

Date: Wednesday, February 26

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Have you looked at a Lion’s Mane Mushroom and asked yourself “How the heck do I cook a sponge?”

Don’t miss out on the hot trend of all things Fungilicious. Join Chef Paul Buchanan and Chef Sean Dent, for a “how to” with truffles and mushrooms. They will take you through the world of fungi, how to buy, store, prep, and cook exotic varieties and which ones work for specific menu items. You will take away the do’s and don’ts of cooking with these unctuous morsels back to your kitchen and on your menus.

Presented by Richard Wilner (General Manager: Managing Partner, AFFAIRS to REMEMBER Caterers, Inc.)

Location: Ignite Stage 2

Date: Thursday, February 27

Time: 10:30 am - 11:00 am

 A decade ago, special dietary requests made up less than 2% of culinary preparations. In today's marketplace special meal requirements, from gluten free, top eight allergen-friendly, vegetarian, kosher and sustainable, have soared to more than 15% and the ability to accommodate them impacts a catering company or restaurant's bottom line! The ability and willingness to meet these needs play a role in a client's decision-making process to utilize your services. Embracing this facet of hospitality is something to promote, not shy away from, and requires training, knowing your resources, as well as marketing opportunities. Learn from the Managing Partner of one of the largest privately held catering companies in the Southeast, with more than 30 years' experience, and who also happens to be vegan.

Presented by H Ehrmann (EVP National Account Sales & Chief Mixology Officer, Fresh Victor)

Location: Beverage Garden

Date: Thursday, February 27

Time: 11:00 am - 11:45 am

We all love our Margaritas, but today’s demand for this classic cocktail construct goes far beyond the simple, classic lime sour formula. Your 2025 menus require an understanding of the fresh flavors needed to be on trend and in the know when serving happy customers. And your P&L needs relief. In this session, San Francisco bartending legend and Fresh Victor Chief Mixology Officer H. Joseph Ehrmann will present everything you need to know to build a successful offering based on the flavors and trends your customers want to see at their events and the fresh quality they deserve.

Two significant statistics drive America’s insatiable demand for Margaritas: the desire for fresh, original flavors and the wild popularity of agave spirits. According to Wine Enthusiast’s recent predictions for 2025, agave spirits will not only remain at the top of the spirits market this year, but the Margarita will continue to be the top seller, with “riffs” on the classic driving that popularity.

In this session, you’ll learn about a wide range of variations on the classic, utilizing Fresh Victor’s game-changing mixers, with ideas from some of the top bars in the world that you can adapt to quick and profitable execution at any event. From non-alcoholic options to innovative techniques, we’ll look at global trends driving today’s flavor innovation. Fresh Victor’s wide range of award-winning, refrigerated, clean-label mixers will liven up your menu offerings while providing operational and cost efficiencies previously unavailable in truly fresh products. With Fresh Victor mixers, undeniable quality meets absolute consistency of drink delivery and cost structure, labor and spoilage savings increase profits, and the fluctuations of the citrus market are mitigated. It’s time to hang up the shelf-stable mixers of old, along with the profit-busting processes of complicated fresh programs, and lean into the highest quality, premium fresh mixers available today.

Sponsored by Fresh Victor

Registration is still open to join us for Catersource + The Special Event!

Coming to Ft. Lauderdale, FL February 24-27, 2025, we promise a showstopping event with knowledgeable speakers, education sessions, networking with the catering and event planning industry peers, and cutting-edge suppliers—all in the Broward County Convention Center.

We are so excited to see you again in Ft. Lauderdale!

REGISTER NOW