The Great Industry Gathering, Florida StyleThe Great Industry Gathering, Florida Style

Join Catersource + The Special Event at the Broward County Convention Center as we celebrate the next chapter of the catering and events industry! 

This year will be bigger and better with several additions, including the new Beverage Garden. Get ready to grow as we celebrate the wonderful world of catering and events!

Don’t miss a moment! Arrive Monday morning 2/24, depart Friday morning 2/28

When making your travel arrangements, plan to arrive by Monday morning so that you can enjoy the entire Catersource + The Special Event experience! 

Kick off your week right by connecting with friends and colleagues at our Connect Social (Old Florida Oasis) opening welcome reception, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Bonnet House Museum & Garden. End your week by joining us at the Closing Night Celebration (Legends & Luminaries) when we take over The Venue Fort Lauderdale. In between, you won’t want to miss a thing. 

Here’s a look at all that will be offered!

Opening General Session: Will Guidara 

Wednesday, February 26, 9:00am-10:00am

Will Guidara is the author of the National Bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality, which chronicles the lessons in service and leadership he has learned over the course of his career in restaurants. He is the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, which under his leadership received four stars from the New York Times, three Michelin stars, and in 2017 was named #1 on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
He is the host of the Welcome Conference, an annual hospitality symposium that brings together like minded people to share ideas, inspire one another, and connect to form community. A graduate of the hospitality school at Cornell University, he has coauthored four cookbooks, was named one of Crain's New York Business's 40 Under 40, and is the recipient of WSJ Magazine's Innovator Award.

See Will Guidara Live

Are you ready for some Unreasonable Hospitality? Have an amazing start to your Wednesday morning by joining author, producer, and restaurateur, Will Guidara as he discusses how to care a little bit more and try a little bit harder with his lessons in service and leadership he learned over the course of his career in restaurants. No matter whether you are in events or catering, you will leave with nuggets of inspiration to bring back to your work.

Closing General Session: Brett Culp 

Thursday, February 27, 9:00am-10:00am

Brett Culp is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of the not-for-profit, The Rising Heroes Project. He is known for the films, Legends of the Knight, and his latest, Look to the Sky, both of which explore the power of heroic stories and heroic individuals to inspire us to believe in a better tomorrow.

On stage, he encourages audiences to find the superhero within and their own path to “everyday leadership.” His insights on connecting individuals to an organization's mission and goals resonate, help us realize our greatest personal and business potential, and renew our collective sense of hope for the future and belief that our efforts can make an impact.

See Brett Culp Live

Brett Culp is an acclaimed documentary filmmaker whose work inspires audiences to embrace change, empower others, and spark innovation. His short "StageStory" appearances have captivated the CS+TSE audiences in past years. This year, join him as he takes his storytelling even further with his first keynote address at the 2025 show!

If you hope to expand your culinary operations in 2025 and beyond, there is a terrific lineup of chef-forward classes available on the Culinary Experience stage (located in the conference area) and Culinary & Competition stage (on the tradeshow floor). Chefs will not only talk about their concepts, they will demonstrate them, too. 

Last year, Chef Karen O'Connor (Daniel et Daniel) delivered a session on h'ors d'oeuvres with Chef Joanne Purnell. Photo courtesy Ivan Piedra Photography/AGNYC Productions, Inc./SpotMyPhotos

Gain access to trending recipes, learn the nuances of starting a pastry department, get insight into developing allergen friendly menus, uncover vegan cuisine and non-alcoholic options, and discover the exciting world of interactive action stations—these are just a few of the culinary classes you will experience.

Coming to Fort Lauderdale early? Experience the Art of Catering Food (AOCF), an event designed for chefs and taught by chefs. Over the course of two days (February 23-24) leading up to Catersource + The Special Event, you’ll connect with experienced catering chefs sharing new culinary techniques, the latest trending ingredients, food pricing, and everything else you need to turn your menus into works of art.

 Vegan tartare (garlic, capers, Dijon, vegan mayo, shallots, and smoked beets) served atop vegan bone marrow (hearts of palm, zucchini, garlic, thyme, spinach, tomatoes, vegan cheese, and yellow onion) was served during Art of catering Food 2024. Photo courtesy Dana Gibbons Photography/AGNYC Productions, Inc. 

Click here for more on this boutique event.

Need a quick consultation about some aspect of your business? The Certified Catering Consultants (CCC) will offer free half-hour appointments on site to address your catering-related challenges, identify your highest value opportunities, and/or help you improve your business and ROI. The CCC team has been consulting with caterers for over 20 years and many of them ran businesses of their own—or still do! Send an inquiry to [email protected] to reserve your appointment.

You’ll be able to browse, learn from, taste samples, and buy from a plethora of trendsetting and relevant exhibitors, who are here to help you grow your business. 

Want to know how to build a beautiful tablescape incorporating lush florals? You’ll want to be on the tradeshow floor at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Dive into a world of Tablescape design and event magic with Michelle Joy Howard, along with Matthew Crowe, and Colton Staver. This is your chance to shine in an engaging, hands-on Tabletop Competition where your creativity takes center stage. Join one of 12 exclusive teams, each made up of five talented individuals, and embark on a journey to craft a stunning tablescape. You'll be surprised with many unknowns as you work against the clock to design and assemble your masterpiece. The winning team will earn coveted passes to the 2026 Catersource + The Special Event! Secure your spot and let your imagination blossom! Tables will be available for photography afterward!

Spectators were encouraged to shoot photos of all the entries. The winning tablescape used vibrantly colored dishware and linens, as well as lush greens for the centerpiece.  Photo courtesy Ivan Piedra Photography/AGNYC Productions/SpotMyPhotos

Finally, the Ignite stages bring more education of all stripes to the tradeshow floor. Join thought experts from across the industry as they present everything from negotiating with in house AV to food truck catering.

Join us in the Beverage Garden on the tradeshow floor for a bespoke tasting experience—only open to ticket holders—that will inform the myriad ways you approach beverages and how they are built, garnished, and served. Walk the garden and compare cocktail bitters (i.e., not all bitters of the same "flavor" taste the same!), sample garnishes, assess Bloody Mary mixes, and enjoy a signature cocktail to round out your experience, among other tastes. Each day offers a different learning experience as well.

Who doesn’t love a good culinary competition? Watch DICED on Wednesday, February 26 at 11:00 a.m. to see chefs create the latest food trends right before your eyes (while they compete for a prize!). As with any Chopped style competition, the chefs won’t know what they have to create for the judges until the lids come off of their mystery boxes.

Chef Nettie Frank was the 2024 DICED champion. Photo courtesy Ivan Piedra Photography/AGNYC Productions/SpotMyPhotos

Six chefs will compete in this live mystery box competition at the Broward County Convention Center in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, emceed by Chef Robin Selden, Marcia Selden Catering & Events. Winner will receive a $1,500 Amazon gift card. Interested in competing? Click here for more information!

Every evening features a different venue and event theme, all developed to bring you the latest trends in a setting that also grants you the time and space to connect with friends, peers, and colleagues.

Last year’s Opening Night Party was held at Brazos Hall and attendees celebrated with a Neon Spur event theme. Photo courtesy AGNYC Productions, Inc./SpotMyPhotos

Monday, February 24 • Connect Social at Bonnet House Museum & Garden

Chairs: Jennifer Hardiman, Fabuluxe Events & Oniki Hardtman, Oh Niki Occasions

Tuesday, February 25 • Opening Night Party at Backyard/Revolution Live/Stache

Chairs: Boris Seymore, BDS Catering & Productions & Jenice Stallings, Styles By Stallings

Wednesday, February 26 • SEARCH Foundation’s Annual Signature Event

The can’t miss networking celebration to raise funds for our industry is back! Join the SEARCH Foundation for their Annual Signature Event and mingle with top industry professionals all while supporting friends and colleagues in crisis. VIP Booths and Sponsorship Packages are available by contacting SEARCH: [email protected].

Thursday, February 27 • Closing Night Celebration at The Venue Fort Lauderdale

Chair: Heidi Brumbach, Technisch Creative

We’re offering quick-hitting 30-minute chats this year where attendees can discuss targeted topics with industry experts. Topics range from food truck catering to AV to networking to entertainment. Have a little bit of time between appointments on the tradeshow floor or want to learn something quickly? Fast Chats on the Ignite stages are where it’s at! 

Each year, we honor industry leaders who we, at Catersource + The Special Event, feel have made a significant and positive impact on our industries. 

Tom McDowell

Join us in celebrating recipients Tom McDowell (Michael Roman Lifetime Achievement award); Scott Frankel (Special Events Gala Lifetime Achievement award); Corinne Z. Dudine (Carbotti Award); and Debbie Meyers (Steven Kemble Award) at our annual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 27 on the Keynote Stage, prior to the Closing Night Celebration. 

Catersource + The Special Event 2025 will also feature the annual ACE, Gala, and ICA CATIE Awards, which will be presented during the Awards Ceremony. Click here to see this year’s ACE Award finalists. 

Beyond the evening events and Tuesday morning welcome gathering, there’s plenty of time between sessions to say hello and move between the tradeshow floor and conference rooms. Most sessions allow 30 minutes pass time. Enjoy time with peers in any of our conference area networking spaces.

Catersource + The Special Event is the only annual event of its kind, and in 2025 it returns to Fort Lauderdale, FL from February 24–27. A show of unrivaled influence and inspiration, it’s a spirited gathering of all the people, ideas, and trending innovations shaping the catering and events industry.

Register by February 7, 2025 for your Early Bird discount.

The time is now to register at the best rates available to experience three days of conference sessions (February 25–27, 2025) coupled with two full days of tradeshow exhibitions, opening and closing general sessions with Will Guidara (restaurateur and best-selling author) and Brett Culp (Stage Story), awards ceremony, happy hour, and multiple evening events to keep you busy! All the major industry associations will be in attendance, conference sessions will allow attendees to keep their accreditations current, and “surprise and delight” installations are in the works to keep your social posts snappy.

You can now start planning out your week for Catersource + The Special Event. The agenda for the 2025 show is now live! 

Check it out here and be sure to sign up for updates on this year's show. 

You can search by track, conference, association to find the sessions you're looking for.  

It's also open for Art of Catering Food!

Start your week early by attending Art of Catering Food, two packed days (February 23– 24, 2025) of chef-forward sessions that promise to inspire and elevate the work you do, be it onprem, off-prem, from large festivals to intimate weddings to corporate fundraisers. Taste samples as chefs demo the cuisines on stage, ask questions, and network with other chefs from around North America during breaks, lunches, and an end-of-day happy hour. Chef Eric LeVine will deliver this year’s keynote session.

We can hardly wait to see you in Fort Lauderdale this February!