While planning the luncheon for the first day of the Magazine Publishers of America’s (M.P.A.) Digital Conference at New World Stages, Ja-Shin Tsang, the director of events for the M.P.A., faced some logistical problems. She wanted more networking time for attendees, and she and Amira Gertz, the catering and event sales manager of Sebastian’s, saw during the site inspection that a seated luncheon wasn’t a viable option for the 400 or so guests.
So the two came up with the idea of a two-hour interactive lunch session, with small plates served from made-to-order stations, for the Wednesday-afternoon break, which would allow guests to stand and chat. (Another plus: It also meant that the M.P.A. could sell a couple of exhibitor booths in the lunch area.)Set up along the hallway of the venue’s orchestra level, three hot food stations offered items such as swordfish tacos, risotto, and butternut-squash soup. Two other tables offered salad and side dishes, while bite-size desserts sat on serving trays at either end of the hall. And everything came in relatively small portions to make it easier to juggle the food while standing—the soup was the most convenient, as it came in a coffee mug. Tsang and Gertz added tables and chairs, too, placing them around the hallway and on the mezzanine above. As M.P.A. had rented the entire venue, Gertz was able to house the food-prep area on one of the stages that opened directly into the hallway.
To make sure the luncheon didn't feel too much like a deli counter, Gertz ordered custom linens—striped blue-and-brown fabric to match the conference logo—to cover the station tables.
So the two came up with the idea of a two-hour interactive lunch session, with small plates served from made-to-order stations, for the Wednesday-afternoon break, which would allow guests to stand and chat. (Another plus: It also meant that the M.P.A. could sell a couple of exhibitor booths in the lunch area.)Set up along the hallway of the venue’s orchestra level, three hot food stations offered items such as swordfish tacos, risotto, and butternut-squash soup. Two other tables offered salad and side dishes, while bite-size desserts sat on serving trays at either end of the hall. And everything came in relatively small portions to make it easier to juggle the food while standing—the soup was the most convenient, as it came in a coffee mug. Tsang and Gertz added tables and chairs, too, placing them around the hallway and on the mezzanine above. As M.P.A. had rented the entire venue, Gertz was able to house the food-prep area on one of the stages that opened directly into the hallway.
To make sure the luncheon didn't feel too much like a deli counter, Gertz ordered custom linens—striped blue-and-brown fabric to match the conference logo—to cover the station tables.
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash