Industry Leaders Archives

Caterer Close-Up: Jordan and Emily Swim of Vestals Catering in Dallas

The story of Dallas-based Vestals Catering begins like many meaningful meals do—with a charming backyard party that grew beyond the picket fence.

In 2008, Jordan and Emily Swim launched Food Creates Community, a grassroots dinner series they hosted in the backyard of their Texas home. With long tables under string lights and seasonal menus thoughtfully curated, the couple invited friends, neighbors and curious guests to slow down and truly savor a meal.

CFE News Introduces Inaugural Editorial Advisory Board

CFE News is proud to announce the formation of our
inaugural Editorial Advisory Board, featuring nine prominent catering professionals from across the country.

These respected industry leaders will provide insight, guidance and expertise to help shape the digital news outlet’s editorial direction and ensure that CFE News continues to serve as a trusted voice for catering, foodservice and event professionals.

Caterer Close-Up: Ken Barrett-Sweet of Boston’s The Catered Affair and Folio

Long before he stepped into Le Cordon Bleu in France, Ken Barrett-Sweet’s culinary journey began in Alabama with a simple recipe: one wise grandmother and a set of well-worn pots and pans.

“I must have had four or five,” he recalls. “While other kids played with dolls, I played chef. My grandmother gave me her old cookware, and I’d mimic her every move.”

Introducing CFE News: Fresh Look, Same Trusted Source

We’re thrilled to announce that Catering, Foodservice & Events (CFE) has a new name—CFE News—and a new digital-first direction.

Perez Webber Media Group acquired the leading trade publication and digital communications platform from International Media Group, Inc., and former publishers Klaas and Antoinette De Waal. The new CFE News is led by longtime Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber (editor since 2010) and Publisher Jay Webber, who will build on the publication’s legacy as the premier news source for catering, foodservice and events professionals.

Bill Hansen Unveils Innovative Catering Laboratory at 80th Birthday Bash

Miami caterer Bill Hansen—CEO of Hansen Group and Bill Hansen Catering—celebrated his 80th birthday on Aug. 16 with 300 guests at the Kovens Conference Center at Florida International University (FIU) in North Miami.

The event also marked the unveiling of the Bill Hansen Catering & Events Laboratory at FIU. The lab will provide students in FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management with hands-on training in event management.

Social Media Strategies

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.

Feeding the Fans

From major golf tournaments to air shows to motorsports races, Proof of the Pudding knows how to keep sports fans well fed.

The Atlanta-based catering company is expanding its reach into major outdoor sporting events. A longtime partner of the PGA Tour, Proof recently added NASCAR races at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina and the Quad City Air Show in Davenport, Iowa, to its roster. That’s in addition to Proof’s many other large foodservice clients, including convention centers, sports and entertainment arenas, yachting shows and college stadiums.

What’s Hot in Hospitality

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. The organization released the ECEP 2025 Trends Report, compiled during this year’s ECEP Symposium in Napa, California.

What’s Next for Catering?

Signs point to a robust year for catering in 2025. That’s the consensus from three veteran caterers, who shared with CFE their outlook for the industry.

“It’s hard to believe that we are five years removed from the pandemic,” says Anthony Lambatos, owner and CEO of Footers Catering in Arvada, Colorado. “After the dramatic drop-off and then meteoric return of events, business has stabilized, and we are settling into an environment with a bit more predictability.”

Lambatos—along with Kevin Lacassin of Good Food Events + Catering in Tampa, Florida, and Robin Selden of Marcia Selden Catering in Stamford, Connecticut—pointed to six trends they see impacting their businesses going forward.

A Toast to Collaboration

When the leaders of Elite Catering + Event Professionals (ECEP) chose the location of the group’s recent annual meeting, they knew what would appeal to their audience. After all, what better place for a group of foodies to come together than a stunningly beautiful locale known for its fine wines and innovative culinary scene?

More attendees than ever convened at ECEP’s fifth annual Symposium, which took place March 9-13 at the Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, California. And while the picturesque surroundings and world-class dining added to the appeal, the 76 ECEP members and sponsors who attended also found sustenance in interesting discussions, dynamic speakers and plenty of bonding opportunities in the heart of wine country.