IN THE NEWS -- DNC

Caterers find eco-standards tough to chew

By Douglas Brown
The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 05/18/2008 11:33:44 PM MDT

Fried shrimp on a bed of jasmine rice and a side of mango salad, all served on a styrofoam plate. Bottled water to wash it all down.

These trendy catering treats are unlikely to appear on the menu at parties sponsored by the Denver 2008 Host Committee during the Democratic National Convention this summer.

Fried foods are forbidden at the committee's 22 or so events, as is liquid served in individual plastic containers. Plates must be reusable, like china, recyclable or compostable. The food should be local, organic or both.

And caterers must provide foods in "at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white," garnishes not included, according to a Request for Proposals, or RFP, distributed last week.

The shrimp-and-mango ensemble? All it's got is white, brown and orange, so it may not have the nutritional balance that generally comes from a multihued menu.

"Blue could be a challenge," joked Ed Janos, owner of Cook's Fresh Market in Denver. "All I can think of are blueberries."

The national nominating convention Aug. 25-28 will bring about 50,000 people to Denver, and many will scarf loads of chow served at catered parties.

The prospect of that business windfall has tantalized caterers since Denver was named host city for the convention more than a year ago.

Caterers praise the committee and the city for their green ambitions, but some say they're baffled by parts of the RFP.

"I think it's a great idea for our community and our environment. The question is, how practical is it?" asks Nick Agro, the owner of Whirled Peas Catering in Commerce City. "We all want to source locally, but we're in Colorado. The growing season is short. It's dry here. And I question the feasibility of that."

Agro's biggest worry is price. Using organic and local products hikes the costs.

"There is going to be sticker shock when those bids start coming in," he says. "I'll cook anything, but I've had clients who have approached me about all-organic menus, and then they see the organic stuff pretty much doubles your price."

The document, which applies only to the host committee's parties, came after months of work that involved discussions with caterers and event planners along the Front Range, says Parry Burnap, Denver's "greening" director.

Burnap is attached to the host committee full time for now; the committee works closely with the city but is a separate, nonprofit entity.

Thousands of other parties hosted by corporations, lobbying groups, individuals, nonprofits and more will happen in Denver during the convention, Burnap says. None of them is subject to the committee's green agenda.

The committee's effort to host eco-friendly events, she says, hinges on its determination not just to put on a smart convention but to transform Denver into a top-shelf green city.

"We are hoping that everything we are doing for greening (the convention) has some legacy value," she says.

The RFP, for example, will likely live on after the convention in a brochure the city will distribute widely to help guide local businesses interested in improving their green practices.

Burnap says taking the organic and local route may be more costly, but the committee thinks caterers will find ways to comply and still make a profit.

"It takes some creativity because some of these things are more expensive," she says. "But we're at the front end of a market shift."

Joanne Katz, owner of Three Tomatoes Catering in Denver, cheers the committee's environmental aspirations and is eager to get involved with the convention, but she wonders if some of the choices the committee is making are really green.

Compostable products, such as forks and knives made from corn starch, are often imported from Asia, delivered to the U.S. in fuel-consuming ships. But some U.S. products are made from recyclable pressed paper. Which decision is more environmentally sound?

"Customers are beginning to demand these things, and we don't have all of the information," she says. "And we are doing the best we can, one project at a time."

Burnap acknowledged that figuring out what is most green can be difficult.

"Maybe in 20 years, there will be better analysis for us to make better choices," she says. "One we are talking about now is, is it better to compost or to recycle? If you are using a cup for a beverage, is it better to be (plastic) and back in the materials stream, or compostable, biodegradable waste and go into the waste stream or compost? There are no definitive answers."

Composting for the convention hasn't been entirely figured out yet, she says.

Colorado has commercial composting companies, such as A1 Organics in Eaton, but the link between the composters and caterers hasn't been made.

The committee is working with other groups to develop a carbon-footprint "calculator" that will measure the environmental impact of each event and suggest an "offset" — a fee — that will go toward a fund helping to match carbon losses with carbon gains.

"That's a fun one," Burnap says. "If these event planners will calculate and offset, it will start to get the money flowing into the Colorado Carbon Fund, a fund that will reinvest in renewable energy here in Colorado."

Douglas Brown: 303-954-1395 or djbrown@denverpost.com

Three Tomatoes in the News

Denver Business Journal - February 18, 2008 http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/02/18/focus3.html

Friday, February 15, 2008

The art of setting the conference table

Denver Business Journal - by Jodi Torpey Special to the Business Journal

Caterers are used to accommodating special menu requests, such as preparing vegetarian meals and leaving peanuts off the plate. But when one conference requested all gluten-free meals, it took catering to a new level.

"It was logistically challenging," said John Baxter, director of catering and convention services at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center. "The whole hotel had to step up. We had pre-conference meetings with the staff to educate them about gluten so everyone was aware of how to handle it."

The kitchen set up special prep areas to keep wheat products separate from the gluten-free foods, including using separate toasters. The hotel restaurants also featured gluten-free menu items.

Though this conference presented a unique challenge, Baxter said he's noticed more special dietary requests now than in the past. There were five or six special meal requests for a recent lunch function at the hotel.

Baxter said setting the conference table these days means following the current trend toward healthier eating.

"The trend is causing us to rethink scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast. There are more requests for foods with higher fiber and lower fat so people don't fall asleep in meetings," he said. "There is a lot less sugar, too."

Deirdre Wildman, director of sales and marketing for Three Tomatoes Catering in Denver, said people no longer are reluctant to mention their special dietary needs. In addition to requests for vegetarian and vegan meals, she receives requests for non-dairy and gluten-free menus, too.

Wildman makes sure there are enough options on the buffet table so that everyone can find something to enjoy. It's not unusual for some events to have four or five entrée choices.

"Caterers are really having to bend over backwards to meet their client requests," she said. "The key is to think about every ingredient that goes into a food item. Since we make everything here from scratch, we know all the ingredients and often list the ingredients on cards placed near the food."

Wildman said there are only a few definite don'ts when it comes to serving large groups. "We stay away from high-fat and oily foods that take a long time to digest." Instead, she prefers to serve whole grains, lean proteins and light sauces.

"For breakfast we might serve eggs, but with loads of fruit," she said. "It's a complex carbohydrate, and it gives an energy boost that's much better than a simple sugar."

The most important consideration for Lindsay Rauch, president of Event Design Group in Boulder, is to determine the goals and objectives of each event and what guests will gain from their experience.

"If you're able to determine and respect the group's objectives, things fall into place more comfortably," she said.

As a meeting planner, one of Rauch's definite do's is to leave the menu design to the caterer. "We always do a food tasting with the client so they have input into the menu," she said.

For large groups, Rauch avoids certain menu items, such as strong fishes, like shark, or messy foods, like long noodles. For large groups, she prefers a knifeless menu for a buffet or a strolling station menu.

Of the current food trends, Rauch said there's a definite interest in organic foods and hormone-free beef.

If fish is served, she's asked about the country of origin or if it's been farm-raised.

Rauch often plans dessert buffets and station parties to encourage guests to meet and mingle. "People also love fresh cooking onsite, with a chef behind the table creating custom-made dishes just for them."

Nicole Marsh is president and CEO of The Arrangers in Denver. The trends she's seeing reflect requests for lighter fare and foods served on smaller plates or as individual portions at a buffet station.

"We're serving desserts in shot glasses or on a skewer, instead of a whole piece of pie or cake," she said. "We're also serving individual portions on a spoon or a chip. That allows the chef's creativity to shine and makes the event more playful."

As an experienced meeting planner, Marsh asks about special requests in advance of a meeting and has a select number of special meals prepared. To prevent severe food allergy reactions to nuts, shellfish or gluten, every food item on the buffet is either labeled or the menu is printed in the program.

Though most groups are requesting healthier fare, Marsh still sees attendees splurge and try things they wouldn't normally eat.

"They say they can always go back to dieting when they get home," she said.

Marsh said pop still is served from the beverage cart, but she's getting more requests for specialty drinks such as Red Bull, Gatorade and Propel Fitness Water.

Another growing trend for the catering industry is the need to become "green." Setting the snack table now means opting for water stations instead of individual bottled water, serving cookies family style, using compostible cups and plates, and setting up recycling containers at every event.

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Three Tomatoes Caters Good Health!

What's good for pro athlete is good for us, too

By The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 03/16/2008 11:19:14 AM MDT

Carmelo Anthony is a high-performance athlete who needs more protein and healthy carbohydrates than the average person to stay on top of his game, but aspects of his eating plan would be good for the rest of us, says Beth Danowsky, registered dietitian at Forza Fitness and Performance Club, 1849 Curtis St.

It all comes down to choices, she says.

People trying to lose weight should eat more fresh and frozen vegetables and high-quality proteins at every meal and snack. Similarly, they should decrease the amount of carbohydrates they get from breads, pastas, pastries and other baked goods.

And don't think you have to eliminate all fats, she says. "Healthy fats from things like avocados, nuts, flaxseed and olive oil are actually very good for a person and should be consumed daily."

She also recommends eliminating trans fats, hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup. "You wouldn't put a harmful substance like molasses into your gas tank, so why would you put things like that into your body?" Danowsky says. "It's not the most efficient fuel and will eventually cause your 'engine' to shut down," from such ailments as heart disease and diabetes.

Forza is building a kitchen and will soon be offering meals to clients. In the meantime, it is having Three Tomatoes catering make breakfast and lunch items that patrons can pick up after a workout. Tofu quiche and breakfast burritos made from egg whites, vegetable salads and wraps are among the items that provide the 10 grams of high-quality protein the typical adult needs within 30-45 minutes after an intense workout.

"The ingredients in the foods are functional — nothing has been added for flavor's sake," Danowsky says. "We've tried our best to balance the carbohydrate-to- protein ratio so the body maximally absorbs the energy from the food for optimal recovery."

Three Tomatoes WINS 2008 ICON Best Food

Specializing in fabulous food has been the cornerstone of the Three Tomatoes Catering business for 30 years. The event, Colorado Celebration, was awarded Confetti Magazine's coveted ICON Award for excellence in catered cuisine on Thursday, February 21st at the Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for Performing Arts beating out tough competition, and securing the winning title for 2008.

Shining Stars Foundation Event, Bringing Hope to Children with Cancer

Three Tomatoes Catering is proud to sponsor the 2008 Snowball. Held on leap year day, Friday, February 29th, 2008 at the Colorado History Museum; 1300 Broadway, Denver. All proceeds benefit the Shining Stars Foundation Winter Games 2008, bringing hope to children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The event features worldly cuisine, signature drinks and extraordinary entertainment with a live concert by Hazel Miller. Tickets are $100 in advance, $125 at the door or $1000 for a table of 10.

The mission of the Shining Stars Foundation is to provide sports, recreational, and outreach programs to children with cancer and other life threatening diseases at no cost to the child or their family.

10th Annual Mardi Gras Krewe Goes Off with a Bang!

The final, and 10th annual Mardi Gras Krewe de Colorado Bash went off with a bang on Saturday, February 9th at the Seawell Grand Ballroom at the DCPA. Catering provided by award-winning Three Tomatoes Catering, a 30-year-old, women owned business, followed true cajun standards with items such as Crawfish Ettouffee, Aligator Sausage, Fried Oysters, and Cafe' du Monde-style Beignets. Decor was top-notch, and the entertainment was stellar as guests danced the night away in costumes of the traditional New Orleans style

Pajama Party Benefits "Denver's Road Home"

The 3rd Annual Pajama Party to benefit Denver's Road Home was arguably the best one yet! Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Walter Isenberg, President and CEO of Sage Hospitality Resources and Evan Makovsky, General Partner of Shames-Makovsky Realty Company partied the night away in their best pair of jammies with the cities finest at this annual event sponsored by The Residence Inn by Marriot Denver City Center.

World-class food provided by event sponsor, Three Tomatoes Catering, gave guests a taste of comfort with several stations to tempt taste buds. Macaroni and Cheese, mini Bacon Cheeseburgers, Chicken Pot Pies, Housemade Chili, Cheese Fondue and a dessert extravaganza topped the favorites for guests.

Denver's Road Home, Mayor Hickenlooper's 10 year plan to end homelessness made great strides by reducing homelessness by 11%, chronic homelessness by 34% and panhandling by 92% is well on it's way to achieving the organizations goals by making great strides in only it's second year.

Three Tomatoes Catering, a supporter of the Denver community for 30 years and women-owned business (WBENC designated) is proud to contribute food and labor to this event and to support the Mayor's extraordinary cause.