February 2005
Eat, Drink and Be Varied

What’s in and what’s out in convention F&B

By Linda Chandler

When it comes to convention food and beverage, less is more in 2005. Attendees and exhibitors want healthier choices, while show managers still want to create a strong visual impact. The good news? You’ll be cutting back on portions and probably offering more buffet and a la carte items. The bad news? It won’t necessarily cost you less. To find out the latest trends in convention F&B, EXPO interviewed some of the industry’s premier players to find out what’s hot and what’s not. No matter the latest diet craze, here’s what you need to know about ordering F&B in 2005 to make exhibitors and attendees happy.
 
Water, water everywhere
One of the most obvious changes to occur in catering is in beverage service. Aramark’s beverage marketing group recently determined that water has taken over the No. 2 spot, following sodas for convention/trade show orders, bumping beer and wine to No.3, says Cindy van Rensburg, Regional Vice President of Aramark Convention and Cultural Attractions, Houston.

Sam Bonfe, Director of Catering/Sales for the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC, agrees water’s popularity is widespread. “Five years ago, for a typical afternoon break of 1,000, we’d set half diet sodas, 25 percent regular colas and the remainder Sprite or other non-cola drinks. Now out of 1,000,” he says, “the typical set is 350 bottled water — still and sparkling mixed — 300 diet sodas and the rest a combination of cola and non-cola drinks.”

Bonfe adds: “Drinking more water is part of a general increase in health awareness. People of all ages are reading nutrition labels more. My casual observation is that 25- to 32-year-olds are most likely to follow the latest food fads — whatever was on TV that morning — but the water thing is across the board.”

The most important meal of the day
Breakfast food is following diet trends, and most convention centers and hotels are offering more choice to customers, including healthy options.

“A few years ago, everyone was talking low-fat, so we dropped the eggs and bacon buffet and went to yogurt, granola and fruit,” says Deidre Ross, CMP, Director of Conference Services for the American Library Association, Chicago. “Now, it’s low-carb, so the adjustment we’ve made is adding hard-boiled eggs for the protein-seeking, carb-conscious segment.”

Murat Eskicioglu, General Manager of Food and Beverage Services for Catering by SMG at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, says, “In general, we’re doing fewer big breakfasts these days. The lighter, continental style breakfasts are frequent choices, particularly for medical groups that feel they have to set an example of healthy eating.”

Bonfe adds: “Variety is more in demand at breakfast.” The Wardman Park now offers up to a dozen cereal varieties, not just three or four; cranberry and several other juices in addition to orange, apple and grapefruit; and an assortment of herbal teas and lighter coffees. 

Aramark sees the demand for variety even in milk served on breakfast buffets, particularly in the corporate market. “With whole milk, 2 percent, 1 percent, skim, soy, and even rice milk available, the planner sends the message that everyone’s needs are being met, even if the consumption of less ordinary choices is not that high,” van Rensburg says.

Convention centers and hotels that host large numbers of international attendees must be prepared to offer unusual selections — at least from an American perspective.

“It’s important for travelers to have a comfort level with what they consume,” says Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Manager Jeffrey Magatagan, of The RK Group LLC, the official caterer for the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, TX. “People who are on the road want to see familiar choices; they’re often careful not to upset their systems. The biggest selling item on the menu of most hotel restaurants is a club sandwich. It’s a safe choice, and you know what you’re getting every time. In the convention center setting, we try to accommodate the needs of international travelers. Choices on breakfast buffets that cater to Asian or European tastes may include sliced meats, cheeses, fish and rice. And we offer thick, robust coffees that Europeans like.”

Boasting of coffee brands has become a big deal, a result of the popularity of Starbucks, caterers say. But other well-known brands, as well as local products, are being touted in convention centers.

What’s for lunch?
Show planners have learned that lighter is better at lunch. No one wants participants to doze through an educational session or opt for a nap back in the room instead of a trip to the show floor.

The Marriott Wardman Park offers a luncheon option with a mixed green salad, a small but delicious egg and mushroom tartlet and a refreshing fruit sorbet dessert. “It’s an attractive, balanced and nourishing menu that allows people to be alert and keep thinking through the afternoon,” says Bonfe.

For a more upscale, but on-the-go option, the Wardman Park offers a “jewelry box for food.” Bonfe describes an Oriental black and red box with compartments filled with selections such as maple-smoked scallops, poached salmon with dill sauce, a wheel of imported cheese, a bit of fruit and a small dessert. “The presentation is great, the smells are wonderful and we educate clients about the foods, sometimes including nutritional facts about them,” he adds.

Grab-and-go foods are popular for trade show lunches, whether they’re offered on buffets or in concession stands. In San Francisco, Eskicioglu has seen trade shows acquiring more sponsors for meals to help keep costs down. Some shows have given attendees $10 lunch coupons good at any outlet in the facility, rather than setting up buffets on the show floor. Fresh whole fruits and fresh-food preparation stations are popular and fast options, too.

Concessions in convention centers are also accommodating trendy tastes, says Tom Marchetto, President of Brandywine Hospitality Group LLC, a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm that focuses on food service in public assembly facilities. “Low-carb is here to stay,” he says, “and so many food service products have been developed to address the demand. In-house concessions can offer low-carb frozen pizzas, and Coca-Cola has the new C2 product.”

On the trade show floor, there’s a growing trend to use food as a selling point or traffic flow mechanism, whether it’s in San Antonio or New York. According to an EXPO survey in December 2004, 83 percent of respondents have F&B functions on the show floor. Planners are locating food stations and then selling booths around them and using stations to increase traffic flow, rather than putting the food at the back of the room or using unsold spaces for food concessions.

“It’s a strategy of making food work for the show,” says Thomas Mulrenan, President of Thomas Event Services, an East Newark, NJ-based independent show producer. “A new, quick-and-easy craze is the mini-burger. Although there’s some upscale with crab claws and shrimp, you can combine that with mini-burgers or small sandwiches and fit everyone’s taste.”

Give me a break — or a reception
Over the past few years, shrinking budgets probably took the greatest toll on breaks and receptions. Although budgets are increasing, some planners continue to conserve by foregoing desserts with lunch and offering them at afternoon breaks instead.

Ross’ librarians enjoy ice cream breaks in the afternoon, and she serves crushed fruit bars for those wanting healthier choices. Cookie breaks may provide granola bars and whole fruit as healthy alternatives.

Ross notes that alcohol consumption at business events has been steadily waning. “Most people are opting for just beer and wine, for both cost and liability issues,” she says. “The only way we offer liquor at receptions now is in cash bars. We don’t stock liquor in our hospitality or presidential suites.”

Just because people are drinking less doesn’t mean receptions can be ignored. Ice sculptures and martini bars are popular, says Mulrenan. “And talk about food variety, at a high-end event in Las Vegas, I’ve seen meatloaf on hors d’oeuvres stations along with shrimp!”

Bonfe says, “Whether it’s cocktails, hors d’oeuvres or banquets, caterers know they must please the eye and produce great flavors using fresh ingredients.”

Dinner is served
“In the ’90s, we served lots of beef and chicken,” Ross says. “When I first started to order fish, I’d have back-ups of other entrees, but now I can serve fish for dinner, and no one complains.” Ross adds than her audience is 70 percent women; she’s unsure whether fish would go over as well with a male-dominated audience.

One interesting trend, says Bonfe, is how producers and suppliers have reacted to healthier eating demands by developing leaner meats or using organic processes in growing vegetables. He notes that smaller meat portions with just spoonfuls of rich sauces, accompanied by less dense starches can combine in beautiful and tasty presentations.

Chefs in convention centers compete not only with hotels but also with local restaurants, says Eskicioglu. Not easy for him in San Francisco, but no less difficult in Las Vegas, New Orleans or many other convention cities. “Memorable dinners come from using local ingredients and focusing on regional specialties. It’s not necessarily more expensive to work with local suppliers,” he says, “and it guarantees freshness and value for the customer.”

Sit-down dinners are being enhanced by action stations, says Marchetto. Well-constructed buffets can become conversation pieces, adds Magatagan. Aramark offers such a conversation piece in a chocolate dessert customized with the client’s logo.

Some groups are opting for a dessert reception. “Besides avoiding the interruption of the dinner program caused by removing entrée plates and setting desserts, a separate function allows people to network and wind down from the day. And it’s an opportunity to make an impression with a chocolate fountain or other elegant presentations and unique choices,” Magatagan says.

These special touches are in growing demand, says Eskicioglu. “Corporate clients — especially in the technology sector — are tending to spend more money to present a positive image to attendees that reflects things are getting better.” 

Balancing the health kick and the need to stay alert and energized during a long day in meetings or on the trade show floor, says Bonfe, is the tendency to relax and indulge at dinner. “I think the whole world goes back to the comfort zone — a great glass of wine, a wonderful filet, a devilishly decadent dessert and the conversation about experiencing great food and wine. If we aren’t serving a glass of wine, offered as a choice in today’s environment, it’s a rare occasion indeed. And it’s exciting to see how the American palate has advanced to include options other than cabernet and chardonnay.”

Without a doubt, the most significant trend for banquets is the growth of specialty meals to accommodate Kosher, vegetarian, vegan, Halal (Muslim) and other diets. “What’s interesting,” says van Rensburg, “is that when people know these options are available, we find more requests for them even if there’s no real reason. Some people want to try them just out of curiosity.”