Simply Mumtaz Events at the San Diego Convention Center

Hey there. We hope you enjoyed the Guest Blog from Rob Carson at Patina. We got some good feedback.

We are excited to put up the following post about our recent time in San Diego. With a wonderful client and a great team we were able to put together a very cool "Monday Night Opening Reception" celebrating the client's 20th Anniversary at the San Diego Convention Center. It was a fun evening of interactive elements for attendees to partake in... although oversubscribe we had a very nice Meat & Potatoes and some Seafood added in menu. Since we were outside in the gorgeous San Diego weather - The coolest thing about the event was absolutely the Fireworks Display that we coordinated to close the speaking program. Then, the Fireworks concluded with a Set Piece lighting up with the organization's initials! Since we had the IMAG going we also had the fireworks playing on all of the plasma screens around the event. It was a lot of fun.

Thank you to all of the team members that help us put this together! San Diego Convention Center, Neon USA, J&M Entertainment & Event Production, Wildflower Linen, AV Concepts, Centerplate, A European Experience, Fireworks America, Joanna Herr Photography and us - Simply Mumtaz Events! We also have to give a shout out to our headquarter hotels - The Omni Downtown San Diego, Hilton Gaslamp and the Hard Rock. You all totally rocked! We appreciate all that you do!Above: Our General Session / Schoolroom Style at the San Diego Convention Center.
We held the "Monday Night Reception" on the outside Terrace facing the bay! It was a gorgeous day... Hope you enjoyed the photos and gained some insights for your next outside event...

Guest Blogger: Rob Carson from Patina at the Music Center

It's our total and complete pleasure to introduce our next Guest Blogger Rob Carson from Patina at the L.A. Music Center. He's been absolutely wonderful to work with and has been a shining star of what the hospitality industry should represent. He's been a part of the most exciting events that take place at the Music Center...

He's put together a great blog for you about Secret Tips when Operating with an In-House Exclusive Caterer. Please read on...

Catering Confidential by Rob Carson, Patina

Have a venue of choice with an exclusive caterer and your client or you have another caterer you want to use?

Consider this:

The in-house caterer is there for a reason, most likely their reputation so really consider using them, it will save you a lot of money. If that is not really an option then you can check if a catering buyout is available and negotiate that price.

But, keep these points in mind.

The higher the guest counts the lower the buyout cost should be.

The revenue the in-house caterer gets from buyouts is often to their bottom line so that gives you some leverage. Of course, there may be contractual obligations the in-house caterer has with their landlord but that should not stop you from getting the buyout cost to a reasonable amount. But remember, you will pay extra to have your way. If that is too much then see about getting your caterer to act a consultant with the in-house caterer. That way you use the in-house caterer avoiding the extra costs of a buyout, and you get your caterer to oversee for a consultant fee.

The in-house caterer does not want to give up their venue for another caterer so the deal you make has to be worth their while.

Tasty Tidbits

High end quality food is surviving and starting to flourish. Proof of this is the success Whole Foods has experienced with a stock price that has soared as consumers seek high quality, organic products. People are willing to spend more for quality and when you add the organic/green factor many can’t resist. In fact corporate spending on events is often justified when “green” is added into the equation.

Think lobster for your event. That may sound crazy but, lobster prices are low relatively speaking. In fact a recent report has lobster at a 30 year low adjusting for inflation. Last season, the wholesale or "boat" price of lobsters crashed from a peak price of about $10 a pound in the winter of 2006 to about $2.39 in some places-- average prices in recent years have hovered around $4.50 a pound. Some areas will have a higher costs so these are averages. A recent check on retail prices came in at $8.49 a pound in the LA Area. That is cheaper than beef tenderloin at $14.50 a pound.

So, when you're going down this road, take a moment to think about how to negotiate the best cost and meal for your client. The in-house caterer wants your business!

A little about Rob...

Rob Carson celebrates his 17th year with Patina Restaurant Group and as Director of Sales continues expanding PRG’s presence thought out Southern California. Rob’s credits include oversight of the LA Philharmonic and LA Opera Galas, the Emmy Awards Governors Ball, The Hollywood Bowl Gala and countless major events in the corporate, non profit and social realms.