One of the reasons we’re so excited for our State of the Industry event on Feb. 3 is our venue: the new Westin Edina Galleria. Julie Broders, the Westin’s director of catering sales, was kind enough to give me a sneak peek at the catering and presentation plans for the big day, and ran through some of the things the Westin’s kitchens are doing to get green.
The hotel’s restaurant, McCormick & Schmick’s, is headed by Chef Sean Thomas, who comes to the Westin by way of Chicago and oversees all kitchen operations from banquets to in-room service. Any McCormick and Schmick’s fans out there can expect a few classics from the well-known name in seafood, from crab cake appetizers to the restaurant’s signature desserts such as apple pie, chocolate espresso cake, carrot cake, New York-style cheesecake and possibly crème brulée ramekins.
As usual, I’m getting ahead of myself and skipping straight to dessert. Let’s back up. The main lunch will be what Broders calls the “signature Westin serving table,” which will include options of chicken, beef and salmon, plus several side salads including tossed greens with the Westin’s signature white balsamic vinaigrette (yes, the Westin officially has a signature
everything). Broders also notes the presentation will be “very minimalist, very clean, very contemporary yet warm.” In short, very Westin. “Some of the nice things you’ll see when you come in the door are the use of furniture pieces instead of skirted, draped tables. We don’t do a lot of the ‘fluff and stuff.’ We use these gorgeous wood and marble tabletops,” Broders says. You’ll also see griddles and induction heaters in place of chafers. “That way you’re able to see the presentation of the food and see what you’re getting versus having to dig inside,” Broders says. “It’s just a cleaner look.”
She also plans on serving what she considers some of their best appetizers, which include: parmesan cheese cups filled with Waldorf salad or a crab salad with mango chutney, possibly a miniature beef Wellington with minced mushroom and onion wrapped in a piece of phyllo dough, the aforementioned crab cakes, and an ahi tuna wrapped in English cucumber with Asian slaw. The ahi tuna will be served on individual baby forks with handles that are curved like the handle of a mug. “It’s a really cool presentation,” Broders says. “And that’s the importance of presentation. You eat with your eyes first. If it looks appealing you’re more likely to enjoy it.”
Broders is also working with us to make the event as green as possible by serving no bottled water, having condiments such as sugar and cream in bulk rather than individual packets, and making sure all waste gets sorted and recycled. Possibly the coolest thing the Westin already does is recycle all their food scraps into pig feed, which is distributed throughout local farms. “It’s definitely important to the hotel that we be green,” she says.
To find out more about what’s new at this year's event, see Associate Editor Ellie Bayrd’s blog entry and catch up on the seven ways the event is even better this year. For schedules and more information on attending, explore our State of the Industry Web site to learn more.
--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor
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