Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
How chains and independents are celebrating Chinese New Year
The Year of the Dragon begins today, and chains and independents nationwide are offering promotions and limited-time menus throughout the 15-day Chinese New Year celebration. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is presenting its restaurant guests and Facebook application users with red envelopes including secret offers into February. Red envelopes are traditional at Chinese New Year, and [...]
How restaurants can set themselves apart in 2012
Longtime Denver restaurant consultant John Imbergamo brought up some good points when he disagreed with my comparison of Restaurant Weeks with daily-deal websites. He shared his comments in this interview, along with insight about what restaurants can do to set themselves apart from the competition and challenges they likely will face in 2012. What do [...]
Winter Fancy Food trends: Healthy cocktail mixers and pickled veggies
One of our favorite annual food shows is under way in San Francisco. If you’re missing the 37th Winter Fancy Food Show, here are the trends that have been identified by the show’s owner, the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. Innovative salad ingredients and seasonings. Healthy and all-natural cocktail mixers. Pickled fruits and [...]
Gearing up for New Year’s Eve
The last night of 2011 will bring celebrations nationwide, from quiet nights with a few loved ones to splashy Vegas parties, as Americans bid farewell to another 12 months of economic uncertainty and hope for better from the year to come. Big private parties still aren’t back, as evidenced by Chicago restaurateur Grant Achatz’s change [...]
Winemaker says flexibility is key in hosting pairing dinners
An increasing number of wineries — big and small, locally and globally owned — are holding wine pairing dinners at restaurants across the country. SmartBrief’s Liz DeHoff recently talked with Ben Parsons, winemaker at Denver’s Infinite Monkey Theorem winery, about the wine pairing dinners it holds for its fans in partnership with local restaurants. IMT [...]
ConAgra executive: Best practices for corporate holiday giving
With the 2011 holiday season under way, I reached out to ConAgra Foods Corporate Affairs Vice President and ConAgra Foods Foundation President Christopher Kircher to find out some trends and best practices of corporate giving. How can companies complement their year-round corporate giving programs with a holiday event or program? Look for opportunities to engage [...]
SmartBrief editors’ picks for holiday gifts
Over at SmartBlog on Leadership, there’s a lot of retweeting going on. Find out the reason. Gifts and winners are involved! Still holiday shopping? Restaurant SmartBrief’s inaugural gift guide to the rescue! Based on your clicks, the top gifts include: Dinner In The Sky dining experience Tickets to the Food Network South Beach Wine & [...]
Happy Thanksgiving!
In observance of Thanksgiving in the U.S., SmartBrief e-newsletters will not be published Thursday and Friday. Publication will resume Monday. If you don’t already subscribe, sign up for our free foodservice and nutrition publications, which keep you on top of news you need to know. Here are some of our favorite recent Thanksgiving-themed articles. The [...]
1789′s chef puts simple twists on Thanksgiving staples
More than half of Americans — and nearly 60% of women — look forward to side dishes over the main dish of ham or turkey during the holidays, according to a survey by Hormel Country Crock. Stuffing was named as the favorite side, and more than half of Americans ages 55 and older picked stuffing [...]
3 trends from the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show
The Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show rolled through Washington, D.C., during the weekend, bringing with it celebrity chefs, presenters and hundreds of exhibitors who showed off wares including kitchen utensils and gourmet food. The event was the show’s sixth in the nation’s capital. Chef Paula Deen celebrated her fifth year with the D.C. show. The [...]
