Every year Chuck and I go to Las Vegas for the Annual Catersourse Convention. As we leave Vegas this year I look back at the wonderful opportunity to learn so much and just what we have just experienced. I also recall the wonderful hotel we stayed in and the awesome food that we ate.
We continue to rave about The Cosmopolitan Hotel. It is truly a pleasure to stay there. This year we were upgraded to a suite on the 52nd floor with a wrap around balcony and a gorgeous view of the famous fountain at The Bellagio. Katie and Eric stopped by and Katie asked me if I was a Kardashian!!
Here are the restaurants we ate at with some comments:
- The Wicked Spoon in The Cosmopolitan: they have the BEST buffet ever for brunch (award winning) and dinner.
- Comme Ca at The Cosmopolitan: The best burger in Vegas that I have had so far!
- Estiatorio Milos at The Cosmopolitan: Absolutely outstanding Greek seafood restaurant.
- Jaleo at The Cosmopolitan: GREAT Spanish Tapas Bar
- BLT at The Mirage: Awesome Fried Pickles with a Paprika and Chili Aioli
- Pomplemousse: This 40 plus year old French restaurant is like going straight back into the 70’s. French cuisine at its best.
- The Steakhouse at Circus Circus: Another long-term restaurant with a great steak primed in their own meat locker.
Cirque de Solei “O” was the absolute best theatre show I have ever seen. I was mesmerized from beginning to the end. These young people are amazing. The stage was actually a pool with the flooring moving and changing according to the scene at the time. So, they were walking on water at one point to diving into the pool from 60 feet in the air at another point!
Onto the convention…some 7000 chefs and caterers and event planners from all over the world attended this convention.
I learned that country chic and New York chic are still popular but with glitz and glam accents. Color is big, and big is big! I learned that Bride’s like package deals and various choices. I learned that some things that have been popular are:
- Pairing an app with a particular wine, tequila, scotch etc…
- Very elaborate décor and tablescaping
- Interactive stations are gaining in popularity and are also becoming very elaborate
- Late-night snacks continue to be popular
- Flashy, elaborate bars are popular
- Signature anything to make our bride’s wedding reception unique
- Soup and soup sippers continue to be popular
- Spheres hanging everywhere
Most of all I learned that I still LOVE what I do and I am good at it -with an AWESOME husband and partner and an AWESOME staff.
I look forward to going back to Vegas to do some more learning next year…and eating too!
Check out the pictures I took of the convention and our hotel!
Culinary Capers At CVC 