April 2014 Catering and Restaurant Showcase

KCMPI hosted its second annual Catering and Restaurant Showcase, "Hot Trends in Catering and Events" on Wednesday April 2, at K-State Olathe.

This was a project KCMPI decided to host last year after the Town Pavilion in downtown Kansas City was no longer able to host the event. We were hoping to offer members and other business leaders and meeting coordinators an opportunity to meet new caterers, as well as hospitality and event vendors.

This year offered an exciting new addition – food truck vendors! More than 30 vendors participated and more than 140 guests were able to network, observe new industry trends and sample some great cuisine. Everyone thought the experience was wonderful and that the event was a huge success!

KCMPI would like to thank the Olathe Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for serving as our partner level sponsor. Another big thank you goes out to K-State Olathe for hosting this year’s event and providing such great facilities and
amenities.

KCMPI would also like to thank our Friends of the Chapter sponsors who helped make this event possible. Proforma US Marketing, Photo Booths and More, Black Mariah Productions, Making the Mark and George Fern Exposition and Exhibit Services. All of these sponsors donated services or products, which greatly added to the event. Vendors also donated prizes to attendees, so guests had many opportunities to walk away with some great schwag!

The Showcase took place over the lunch hour from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and guests were able to taste great menu samples, such as burnt ends, cupcakes, chips and salsa, paella, bruschetta, bananas foster, gnocci and much, much more. No one went away hungry and many planners had new catering contacts and ideas for their next event. Attendees were also able to connect with other hospitality vendors such as hotels, transportation companies, equipment providers and other helpful organizations.

A big thank you goes out to all the vendors who participated this year: Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hilton Garden Inn-Manhattan, Holiday Inn at the Campus, Four Points by Sheraton-Manhattan, Bluemont Hotel, Comfort Suites near KSU, Courtyard by Marriott-Shawnee, The Sweet Nook, Prairie Fire Oven, Zarda Bar-B-Q & Catering Co., Jimmy John’s, Crazy Good Eats, Bread & Butter Concepts, Making the Mark, Inc., The Rub Barbeque, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Crave of Kansas City, Great Wolf Lodge, Beauty of the Bistro, Studio Dan Meiners, KCTG, Arthur Bryant’s BBQ, Hawthorn Suites Overland Park, Freebirds World Burrito, K.C. Hopps, LTD Restaurants & Breweries, Plaza Catering/Cinzettis Restaurant, 39 Bevco Restaurant & Retail Group, Deco Catering KC, Classic Catering, Hampton Inn & Suites Country Club Plaza, Lidia’s, delish! Catering, Hereford House, Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, Above & Beyond Catering and Olathe CVB.

This year, vendors were asked to spice up their displays in keeping with KCMPI’s Ignite the Fire theme! Attendees received three tickets to vote for their favorites by food choice, decor, staff interaction or simply who they liked best. The top vendors won a one-month KCMPI website side banner ad. First place went to Lidia’s, and second place was a tie between delish! Catering and The Sweet Nook.

As everyone was leaving people vendors expressed an interest in exhibiting again next year so they could continue to meet other KCMPI and other potential customers and guests were asking when the event for next year would be held!

The Catering and Showcase Committee comprised of Tony Ballard, Kara Brady, Brandi Brumback, Cheryl Grinter, Corey Ringh, Michelle Lizak, Rob Wilson, Mgan Gialde and Renee Hultgren did a great job putting this event together, and KCMPI would like to commend them for all their innovative ideas and hard work!