Author name: Sara Perez Webber

Sara Perez Webber has been the editor of Catering Magazine for 10 years. A veteran writer and editor, specializing in hospitality, travel and business topics, she previously held staff positions at Travel Agent and Caribbean Travel & Life magazines. Webber has also written for and edited a wide variety of publications, websites and marketing materials in a freelance career spanning nearly two decades. She graduated from American University’s School of Communication in Washington, D.C.

How to Turn Packaging Into a Revenue Driver (Not Just Another Cost)

Most catering operators treat packaging as someone else’s problem. You hand off specs to your supplier, they negotiate prices, and you move on to things that feel more exciting.

But packaging plays more of a role in a catering business than operators tend to realize. It directly affects your reorder rates, client acquisition costs and average order value. When you approach it strategically, it stops being a line item to minimize and starts generating measurable returns.

Original Café Beaujolais Black Bean Chili

Surely no old-time Café Beaujolais preparation is found in more fans’ freezers around the country than this one, a stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian chili so satisfying and easy to make. To my amazement, Julia Child ordered this homey dish when she visited the Beaujolais in the mid-1980s. Topped with grated cheese and served with warmed corn tortillas, it was a healthy, economical meal that we wound up making by the boatload for a very long time once word got out about Julia’s choice. —Margaret S. Fox

MIBE Summit: Helping Hospitality Leaders Reach New Heights in 2026

With the Rocky Mountains as its backdrop, the upcoming MIBE Summit—taking place Jan. 25-27 in Denver—is embracing a theme that feels especially fitting.

“It’s called ‘Unleash Potential,’ and it’s the idea that we’re all summiting our own mountain,” says Anthony Lambatos, the founder of MIBE (Make It Better Every Day), a culture-building and training organization for business leaders. “We all have our own challenges. How are we going to get to the top?”

Sustainable New Year: How Caterers Can Go Green in 2026

Focus on your trash. It may sound unsexy, but it’s a game-changing place to start if you’re serious about making your catering business more sustainable in 2026.

That’s one of the tips from Steve Short, a longtime sustainability expert who’s the COO of the Steve Short Culinary Team and Atlasta Catering in Phoenix, and a member of the CFE News advisory board. CFE News asked Short for the practical guidance he’d give other caterers looking to make meaningful sustainability changes in the new year.

Event Spotlight: Preview of Antigua and Barbuda’s Culinary Month 2026

On Nov. 19, 20025, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) hosted an exclusive media preview to celebrate the official launch of Culinary Month 2026 at the prestigious Platform by the James Beard Foundation at Pier 57 in Manhattan. The intimate dinner brought together top‐tier U.S. media, culinary influencers and industry tastemakers for an immersive introduction to the flavors, talent and creative spirit that define Antigua and Barbuda’s culinary identity.

2026 Wedding Trend: Creating Experiences with Guests in Mind

If there’s one wedding trend poised to fully solidify in 2026, it’s this: Couples are designing their celebrations with guests squarely in mind. From how budgets are allocated to how weekends are structured, the focus has shifted from checking traditional boxes to creating memorable, immersive experiences for the people in the room.

Plant Based World Expo 2025: Promising a Fertile Future

The 6th annual Plant Based World Expo (PBWE) North America sowed the seeds for an industry resurgence. The event—which took place Dec. 2-3 at New York City’s Javits Center—combined a lineup of educational programs and a selection of plant-based food product lines, many new to market and most targeting foodservice.

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