 |  By Casey Wurst, Marketing Manager at The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel December is the time of year for holiday parties, events, and of course, eating. As we welcome the holidays, many chefs are planning their holiday menus. There are a few things to keep in mind when planning these important events and parties. Meeting planners are seeking banquet menus that focus on local flavors, market style presentations, and customized guest experiences. Take current trends into consideration. Restaurants are often revamping their menus to highlight modern dishes and bold, local flavors. As an example, The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel is featuring blackened pork loin, cilantro crusted salmon, herb roasted strip loin and other festive culinary delights that guests are finding to be an avid presentation of light and flavorful options for the holidays on our special holiday menus, crafted to represent these meeting planner tastes. |
Emphasize local favorites you know will please attendees in your menu selections. Nebraskans love their local, corn-fed beef. Being able to feature high quality beef from Omaha SteaksÆ to showcase the deep flavors of the Midwest is something The Cornhusker has been able to take advantage of. We feature the ribeye with a shallot peppercorn demi-glace, flank steak with a merlot mushroom reduction and seared filet mignon with a merlot demi-glace. These dishes give event attendees a rich experience unique to the region and a first-hand taste of the well-known and much-appreciated Nebraska steak.
But it’s not just about the food. Making a memorable experience for hosted events involves more than putting great ingredients together and presenting them to guests. Event planners seek an interactive experience that their attendees will remember. Chefs are inspired to embrace playful and collaborative ideas for both food preparation and engaging displays.
At The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, our new executive chef, Brandon Ganus, and our event planning team have been busy making sure each of our events and menus are customized to the guest’s experience. For example, knowing Lincoln to be a city passionate about football, the hotel hosted Meeting Professionals International’s Fall Harvest with a tailgating theme. Cars were brought into the Grand Ballroom with trunks open, serving beer to attendees. Displays around the room included an action station complete with a hot wing chef and array of sauces for guests to try, build-your-own nachos and layered dessert shooters with fall flavors of pumpkin and apple pie.
Menu options which focus on fresh and local ingredients, along with interactive displays, give attendees a chance to expand their familiarity with a region and tie a memorable experience into what would normally be a standard event. As meeting planners, that is the type of event we should all strive for.
But it’s not just about the food. Making a memorable experience for hosted events involves more than putting great ingredients together and presenting them to guests. Event planners seek an interactive experience that their attendees will remember. Chefs are inspired to embrace playful and collaborative ideas for both food preparation and engaging displays.
At The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, our new executive chef, Brandon Ganus, and our event planning team have been busy making sure each of our events and menus are customized to the guest’s experience. For example, knowing Lincoln to be a city passionate about football, the hotel hosted Meeting Professionals International’s Fall Harvest with a tailgating theme. Cars were brought into the Grand Ballroom with trunks open, serving beer to attendees. Displays around the room included an action station complete with a hot wing chef and array of sauces for guests to try, build-your-own nachos and layered dessert shooters with fall flavors of pumpkin and apple pie.
Menu options which focus on fresh and local ingredients, along with interactive displays, give attendees a chance to expand their familiarity with a region and tie a memorable experience into what would normally be a standard event. As meeting planners, that is the type of event we should all strive for.
Casey Wurst is Marketing Manager for The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, a historic property in downtown Lincoln, Neb. owned and managed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts. A force in the hospitality industry, Marcus Hotels & Resorts is based in Milwaukee, Wis. with a wide portfolio that includes properties ranging from city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts and branded first-class Hotels. For more information on the latest news and updates, please visit http://media.marcushotels.com and follow The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel on Facebook and @thecornhuskerh on Instagram and Twitter.
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