Create Value to Gain Business; Colorful Pastry Tables for Special Events

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PG Distributor

April 2011

Greetings!

Welcome to the April edition of the PG Distributor! Though Mother Nature dealt the Northeast one more wintry blow to start the month, spring is in the air and event season is starting to pick up speed. This month, we'll be taking a look at how you can create value for your clients without lowering prices. We'll also be highlighting a recent blog post where we talk about setting up delicious looking pastry tables. Finally, we'll be featuring Lance Mion in this month's chef spotlight.

Create Value to Gain Business

Ginger Shrimp Dumpling

Creating value has become a hot topic in the industry as event planners are dealing with smaller budgets and being more cost-conscious after the economic troubles of the last few years. You can create value for your guests without lowering your prices by finding out what is important to them. By asking a question as simple as "What do I need to do to gain your business?" you can determine what is of value to your potential clients. Keep in mind that every potential client will have a different way you can create value for them so it is important to ask every time and not assume. Some possible ways to create value include:

Allowing clients into a space early to decorate
Being accommodating of changes
Being responsive to last-minute questions in a timely manner

For more on creating value, check out this article from Catersource.

Blog Spotlight: Pastry Tables for Easter and Mother's Day

Progressive Gourmet's blog, The Banquet Bulletin is a weekly look at issues in the foodservice industry, along with product presentation ideas and more.

Easter and Mother's Day are right around the corner and that means it's time to start thinking about pastry table displays. Or, maybe you always have a pastry table and are looking for some new inspiration. Take a look at some of the creative ideas our in-house chefs came up with.

Keep Reading...

Finding Ways to Stay Creative in Banquets: A Conversation with Lance Mion

In his early 30s, Lance Mion decided it was time for a change from his career in photography and managing Ritz Camera stores in Maryland. He had always enjoyed cooking and started investigating culinary programs that would allow him to just study in the kitchen. He enrolled at L'Academie de Cuisine and has been in the kitchen ever since.

"I was just tired of [photography]," he said. "The cooking bug had always been there. I went from making decent money to making $6.50 an hour but it was a great hands-on experience."

After almost becoming a pastry chef, Mion decided to follow the path to becoming an executive chef, a position which he currently holds with the Westin Georgetown after being hired as Executive Sous Chef 10 years ago. Previously, he had also worked at restaurants such as the Jockey Club and has even done some contract work with the White House.

"As Executive Chef, I don't do as much hands-on cooking as I used to, but I work closely with my Sous Chef," he said.