It is an honor and privilege to introduce this book and its authors, Lisa Lynn Backus and Patti Shock. Based on my 40+ years’ experience in catering and event planning, I am convinced their collaboration is a beam of clarity to guide as you navigate through the twists and turns of our fascinating profession!
As with every other industry, the hospitality, event, and catering segments are changing rapidly and, unless we keep up or, better yet, stay ahead of the curve, we will not survive in the present competitive marketplace. Event professionals must use every tool available to stay current or be left behind!
It is a win for the catering or event industry when Patti Shock decides to share her vast practical and academic knowledge with an eagerly awaiting audience. Having met Patti in the early 1980s and witnessed her growing contributions to our industry affirms my belief that Patti is truly qualified to write this book. I met and was fortunate to have Patti’s advice when I was the national president of the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE). Patti was instrumental in securing the NACE admission to the Convention Industry Council (CIC) and was also the first to receive a grant for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) given by the Foundation of NACE. Her previous books about catering are benchmarks.
This time around, Patti went a step further and collaborated with an industry veteran who brings a proven track record of producing breathtaking and trend setting special events. Lisa Lynn has decades of successfully creating events in numerous environments, each requiring a nuanced set of solutions or needs of adaptation to make the event shine! I worked with Lisa Lynn early in her career and I am thrilled to see her rise to this level of excellence and leadership.
The authors addressed numerous aspects of event planning and covered every step necessary from inception of an idea to the completion of the project. This is also one of the few books to cover every possible locale, indoors or outdoors, permanent or temporary structure, intimate restaurant or immense ballroom, even including the unique world of casinos, notorious for their short-term decision-making process while insisting on spectacular, unique, and absolutely flawless events.
Needless to say, food and beverage is one of the most important ingredients of a successful event. No matter the occasion, joyful or sad, political or social, private or corporate, thousands of years of history confirm, nothing of importance happened in the past, nor will happen in the future, without the host offering the best foods and beverages that are affordable and available.
It is our good fortune to have Patti and Lisa Lynn taking on the task and responsibility to help us advance our knowledge.
Respectfully,
Peter E Gunther, CMP, CPCE
Director, Global Communication, Maxwell Events, Inc.
Director of Catering and Event Planning, Marriott, Retired
President Emeritus of NACE, Founder and President Emeritus of the NACE Foundation