Prevue recently caught up with Caesars Entertainment’s Michele Polci to learn the latest in the ever-evolving area of food industry and customer preference trends.
If you want to know the latest in food and beverage trends for the group market, who better to tap than Michele Polci, CPCE, CMP, Director of Citywide Catering Sales with Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas? Polci, who oversees the sales efforts for all catered events held across two million square feet of banquet and event space at nine Las Vegas properties, is on the forefront of the ever-evolving F&B catering world.
At this year’s IMEX America, Prevue sat down with Polci to learn more about what she’s seeing, from Barbie-inspired breaks to plant-based meats.
Prevue: Are there many differences you see in the F&B needs between your corporate and association groups?
Polci: Corporate groups tend to be very structured in their menus. They want to be able to get up at the same time as they do at home, they want to exercise at the same time, and they tend to want the same type of coffee they drink at home, too. That sense of stability is very important to a lot of corporate groups.
Associations only hold their big meetings once a year, so when they do get to go to the annual convention, they tend to be a bit more open to trying different menu items, to experiment a bit more.
Prevue: Accommodating for food allergies and religious requirements, as well as individual preferences, has been a growing trend in recent years. Do you see that changing?
Polci: With 10% of Americans having some sort of food allergy, it’s more important than ever to provide allergen-free choices. That’s why our menus all have a healthy option, for example, you could have the protein grilled or with a cream sauce. We have to be flexible to accommodate all the dietary needs and preferences people have. And the labelling on the buffets has to be really specific so people know which foods are nut-free, which have gluten, which have seafood. At our Caesars Entertainment properties, we also put a priority on ensuring that everyone can be served at the same time — people with special meals don’t have to wait while everyone else at their table is eating. It’s also important that servers are trained on food allergies.
There also is more of a focus on wellness in general. Mediterranean-based items — hummus with baked pita chips and olives are very popular now. We also can do more with ancient grains instead of pasta, for example, for people who want alternatives to the traditional starches.
Sustainability is another area that planners ask about. We have facilities that enable us to donate unused foods to local food banks and programs like Meals on Wheels, while food scraps are sent to a local pig farm. Ask your catering service manager what types of sustainability services they have for food and beverage events.
Prevue: What are some of the fun themes you’ve seen lately for F&B events?
Polci: Last year, Barbie-based breaks that served all pink foods were popular. We’ve also done a Walking on Sunshine break where everything was yellow. People are always looking for a visually interesting, cool and fun event where people will want to take lots of pictures
Another theme that’s been well received is an upgraded tailgate party, where guests could eat lobster corn dogs and ribeye sliders while playing some of the typical tailgate party-type games. We also work with local partners to incorporate CSR [corporate social responsibility] into events, as well as other types of activations to get people engaged and involved.
Talk with your catering service manager to find out what they can do for your group to accommodate all your needs while creating a fun event that will fully engage your attendees.
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