How to Take Event Dining to the Next Level

Bargain bland foods are not the centerpiece for meetings that wow delegates. Today’s attendees expect an event that’s the “whole package” – charismatic speakers, valuable information, multi-purpose destinations and, yes, unique and exceptional food.

October 22, 2019

According to CWT Meetings & Events, food and beverage now makes up 20 percent of overall event budgets. Meeting professionals are feeling the pressure to provide unique offerings which are both delicious, locally sourced and make an Instagram-worthy plate. A basic chicken or beef menu will produce a lukewarm reception with your social media-savvy photog guests.

Wow your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach meeting attendees with locally-sourced menu options, including farm-to-fork produce and Gulf-to-table seafood. Arrange a consultation with your meeting venue to talk options.

Depending on the size of your event, consider a few offsite dinners at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach restaurants. Over the last decade, the Alabama Gulf Coast has become a culinary mecca featuring fresh ingredients straight from local farms and waterways. Award-winning chefs and their staffs create tempting dishes to wow your delegates and please their palates. You can easily add some spice to your meeting with signature entrees by James Beard nominees and World Food Championship chefs at restaurants including Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina, Playa, COASTAL, and many more.

Experiential Meetings with Culinary Experiences

Attendees have come to expect experiential meetings. Include some fun with a farm-to-fork or Gulf-to-table tour during downtime. Arrange an oyster farm tour with Whiteboots Charters to explore Shellbank Selects Oyster Farm in nearby Fort Morgan. Attendees will board a flat-bottom boat with an experienced captain to learn about the delicate eco-system in the bay, as well as how local oysters are grown and harvested. With advance notice, guests can also sample oysters aboard the boat. Follow up with a special dinner prepared at a restaurant serving Shellbank Selects, including The Royal Oyster in Gulf Shores.

An Orange Beach charter fishing trip is also an opportunity to experience Gulf-to-table at a cook-your-catch restaurant. After a morning of fishing, transport your group’s catch to a participating restaurant where the chef will prepare the fish for dinner that evening. It doesn’t get any fresher than right off the boat!

For more information on providing exceptional food to your destination meeting attendees, contact the sales team at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism.