The Catering Institute announced that its 2016 Restaurant Catering Leadership Workshop will include speakers such as Erle Dardick, Fred LeFranc, and Michael Mack. Meanwhile, panel speakers feature catering representatives from Panera Bread, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, and Schlotzsky's Deli.
The workshop, to be held March 9–10 in New Orleans, will provide networking and increased education opportunities for restaurant catering directors, vice presidents of off-premise sales, marketing executives, and restaurant CEOs, COOs, and CFOs. Workshop sponsors include PepsiCo Foodservice, Punchh, Voice Teleservices, Foodable Network, the Colorado and Georgia Restaurant Associations, and LBP Manufacturing.
"Through ongoing education, our goal is to help catering leaders and restaurant executives at all levels better understand the leadership structure and tactics needed to make catering a success," says Erle Dardick, founder and CEO, MonkeyMedia Software, The Catering Institute and Catering Insights.
Leadership is Pillar No. 1 of the Five Pillars of Successful Restaurant Catering and the Restaurant Catering Leadership Workshop will explore the best strategies for moving off-premise sales forward. Event registrations so far include executives from Olive Garden, Firehouse Subs, Capriotti's, Newk's, Panera Bread, Schlotzky's, Moe's, McAlister's Deli, White Castle, Tropical Smoothie, Garden Fresh, Souplantation, Fazoli's, Red Robin, Potbelly, Subway, Which Wich, and more.
"We will discuss how restaurant teams can focus on getting their customers to spend more money, and also the ways that will make far better use of existing infrastructure to make restaurant catering more profitable," Dardick says. "We've been working with restaurants on their takeout, delivery, and catering strategies for nearly 20 years and for the brands that want to succeed, investing in their people is a huge priority."
