Catering, Foodservice & Events, 60 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 900, Tempe, AZ (2025)

08/06/2025

Social Media Strategies

Tips from the pros for boosting engagement and crafting meaningful content

How much do people “like” you? Are engaged couples engaging with you online? Are you feeding customers who found you through your feed?

To learn more about how to increase interaction with potential clients through social media, CFE turned to two experts: Liese Gardner, a content strategy specialist who has advised hundreds of hospitality clients about their social media tactics since 2004; and Dora Fudali, marketing director for Bill Hansen Catering in Miami, who has organically grown the company’s social media follower count by about 10,000 since 2018. They shared some of their top strategies for creating powerful posts and expanding your virtual audience.

Read the featured article on our website:
www.cfe-news.com/social-media-strategies

By Sara Perez Webber

Featuring
Liese Gardner
Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production
24 Carrots Catering + Events
Footers Catering
itsjacobdunn

07/30/2025

Rentals: The Responsible Choice

Inherently sustainable, rentals promote reuse over replacement

From large festivals to intricate and intimate gatherings, we who work in the events space generate our fair share of waste and carbon emissions. Single-use décor, mass-produced materials and short-lived installations all contribute to a cycle of consumption that can strain our planet’s resources. But what if we could shift this narrative—not by compromising creativity or experience, but by rethinking the way events are designed and executed?

A growing movement within the industry is proving that it’s possible. And at the heart of that movement is a concept that’s known to us all: rentals.

Read the full article on our website:
www.cfe-news.com/rentals-the-responsible-choice

By Allison Freeman, CEO of Element Event Solutions
Element Event Solutions

07/23/2025

What’s Hot in Hospitality

The 2025 ECEP Trends Report identifies what’s catching on in catering and events

Caviar carts, sensorial cocktails and corporate events that emphasize flexibility. Those are just a few of the 2025 industry trends identified by Elite Catering + Event Professionals (ECEP), a collaborative network of leaders from the world’s top catering and hospitality organizations.

Following are findings from the ECEP 2025 Trends Report, compiled during this year’s ECEP Symposium in Napa, California.

Read the article on our website:

www.cfe-news.com/whats-hot-in-hospitality

ecepglobal

07/14/2025

A Breath of Fresh Air

With tempting stations, refreshing drinks and thoughtful design, caterers and venues are enhancing the allure of outdoor events

“At Constellation Culinary Group, we’ve seen a continued and growing preference for outdoor events across a wide variety of occasions,” says Katia Ponomareva, director of catering for off-premise events. “The pandemic certainly reshaped how people think about gathering spaces, elevating the appeal of fresh air and natural surroundings.”

Clients and guests appreciate the freedom of open-air events, adds Ponomareva, as well as the picture-perfect backgrounds nature provides: “Social media appeal also plays a major role—our curated outdoor event designs are tailor-made for organic content creation, with natural lighting and picturesque scenery ensuring that every shared image tells a compelling story.”

And the desire to be outdoors isn’t limited to warm-weather locales, attests Christie Altendorf, director of marketing at D’Amico Hospitality in Minneapolis: “Living in Minnesota, there is a high demand for outdoor events throughout all four seasons. From winter s’mores bars built on a custom ice table to beautiful al fresco dinners in the summertime, temperature is only one factor in creating memorable gatherings.”

Read the featured article on our website:
www.cfe-news.com/a-breath-of-fresh-air

By Sara Perez Webber

Featuring

Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club�
cadillachotelmiamibeach.com
Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Autograph Collection

Constellation Culinary Group�
constellationculinary.com
Constellation

D’Amico Hospitality�
damicohospitality.com
D'Amico Hospitality

Monticello�
monticello.org
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

SkyBeach Resort�
skybeach-resort.comstpete

07/10/2025

The new issue of CFE Magazine is out now! Read it for FREE on our website. www.cfe-news.com

ON THE COVER:
A magical golden-hour outdoor gathering at a private residence catered by D’Amico Hospitality in Minneapolis.

For more information, visit damicohospitality.com
D'Amico Hospitality

Photo by Anna Grinets Photography
Anna Grinets Photography

07/02/2025

Have you tapped into the brewing demand for specialty coffee?

If not, the robust revenue stream may be just the jolt your menu needs. As of 2024, 45% of American adults reported consuming specialty coffee in the past day—an 80% increase since 2011, according to a report from the National Coffee Association. In fact, for the first time, specialty coffee consumption surpassed that of traditional coffee.

Produced by the Specialty Coffee Association, the Specialty Coffee Expo—which took place in Houston at the George R. Brown Convention Center from April 25–27, 2025—provides operators with the information they need to increase sales of these increasingly popular drinks.

For more information, visit sca.coffee
Specialty Coffee Association

By Sara Perez Webber

Read the full issue of CFE for FREE on our website, visit:
www.cfe-news.com

06/27/2025

There’s a growing appetite for sustainable events. Are you meeting the demand?

According to a recent report from Food for Climate League and Datassential, the foodservice industry research firm, 79 percent of consumers plan to eat more sustainably in the next year. That includes 33 percent who say they never eat sustainable foods but plan to start.

Whether you’re just starting out on your sustainable journey or looking to become even greener, we’ve rounded up 10 strategies to follow to minimize your company’s impact on the environment.

Read the featured article for FREE in the current issue:
www.cfe-news.com/digital-issue-newsletter-sign-up

By Sara Perez Webber

Featuring:

Abigail Kirsch: �A Culinary Collective
abigailkirsch.com
Abigail Kirsch

Atlasta Catering
atlastacatering.com
Atlasta Catering

Datassential
datassential.com
Datassential

Food for Climate League
foodforclimateleague.org
Food for Climate League

06/24/2025

Effortless Blending

Robot Coupe’s newest immersion blenders power through large batches with ease. Designed for tilt skillets and braising pans, the blender features a 14-inch foot, powerful motor and EasyGrip handle. Maintenance and cleaning are simple with the removable stainless-steel bell and blade, while a convenient wall support keeps the blender safely within reach. The patented EasyPlug system allows quick cord replacement and equipment longevity.

To learn more about Robot Coupe’s solutions that simplify tasks in busy professional kitchens, visit:

robot-coupe.com
Robot-Coupe

06/19/2025

How the shifting economic landscape could impact the hospitality sector in the year ahead

The hospitality industry grew in 2024, as strong employment trends and positive economic growth fueled consumer spending.

At Kapitus, we expect this trend to continue for restaurants, resorts, cruises and theme parks in 2025 as long as unemployment remains low and consumer spending strong. We expect hotels, conference centers and the airlines to benefit from continued growth in business travel, as businesses emphasize in-person gatherings among a now decentralized workforce.

As we project the economy to grow in 2025—but also expect inflation to accelerate—small businesses will have a difficult balancing act of capturing economic growth while weathering accelerating costs.

Following are four factors to consider as you map out your plans for the remainder of the year.

- Inflation/Economy
- Access to Labor
- Access to Funding
- Tariffs/Global Supply Chain

Read the full article in the current issue of CFE.
www.cfe-news.com

By Ben Johnston, Kapitus
For more information, visit kapitus.com
Kapitus

06/16/2025

The California Restaurant Show is back in Anaheim this year, and better than ever before! Join your fellow industry professionals to discover the latest culinary innovations, cutting-edge restaurant design and décor, and immerse yourself in the exciting debut of the 2nd Annual Pizza Tomorrow Summit Pavilion. Gain valuable insights through world-class education sessions and culinary demonstrations, all while connecting with 250+ exhibitors representing the dynamic world of restaurants, pizzerias, foodservice, and hospitality.

Whether you're looking to plan corporate events, weddings, private parties, or stay ahead of trends - this is the place where the industry gathers to source smarter, plan better and stand out!

As a CFE Reader, you can register FOR FREE, using discount code: CFE100

Learn more and register now:
www.californiarestaurantshow.com
California Restaurant Show

06/09/2025

The Danger of Nuclear Verdicts

In an era of huge jury awards, it’s imperative for hospitality businesses to understand the risks and take precautions

A $10 million lawsuit would be the nail in the coffin for nearly every hospitality business. However, the number of nuclear verdicts continues to rise. Recent data shows that U.S. juries awarded more than $14.5 billion in nuclear verdicts in 2023—a 15-year high.

Society Insurance has spent 110 years helping protect businesses and has seen firsthand how nuclear verdicts have evolved in the U.S. The company outlines below what a nuclear verdict is, their alarming rate of increase, and precautions for hospitality businesses to take to better protect themselves against these devastating verdicts.

What is a nuclear verdict?

Nuclear verdicts are when juries award more than $10 million in a case. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the number of verdicts above $100 million reached a record in 2023. In fact, they’re up nearly 400% from 2013, as reported in The Wall Street Journal’s 2024 article “‘Nuclear’ Jury Verdicts Rise Alongside American Anger.”

Be aware: Certain states are more prone to outsized jury verdicts. Between 2013 and 2022, California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas accounted for 61% of such verdicts in the country.

What are the implications of the growing number of nuclear verdicts? How can businesses better protect themselves against nuclear verdicts?

Read the full article on our website:
www.cfe-news.com/the-danger-of-nuclear-verdicts

For more information, visit societyinsurance.com
Society Insurance

Catering, Foodservice & Events

08/06/2025

07/30/2025

07/23/2025

07/14/2025

07/10/2025

07/02/2025

06/27/2025

06/24/2025

06/19/2025

06/16/2025

06/09/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category