of Argentinian wine to Globant while sampling some of the world’s best empanadas and fire-roasted filets. Each bite offered a taste of the brand’s history. Meridian Capital Group Demands Culinary Creativity Eventique’s team has a talent for matching a brand with the perfect celebrity chef or caterer, but they’ve also brainstormed and executed more complex food-themed events. In 2019, Eventique designed a one-of-a-kind luncheon experience for Meridian Capital Group’s ICSC conference in Las Vegas. “We came up with a concept called ‘Meridian Hall’ which entailed looking at every market where Meridian has a major presence — think New York, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles,” Eric says. “Then we worked closely with a chef partner to develop a food theme where we paired up different signature dishes and compared them across various food stations.” The 14,000-square-foot ballroom welcomed 700 guests who wandered from station to station. At the “Dog Park” display they dug into New York- and Chicago-style hot dogs under a ballpark stadium facade. At a fabricated taco truck they compared Los Angeles- and Miami-style street tacos. They tasted tropical fruit at a cart inspired by Los Angeles fruit vendors, and loaded up plates of meat at “The Capital Carver.” “We wanted to create a communal food hall experience with a multitude of stations serving different foods, from poke to sweets to a salad station, a carving station, fun, simple stuff like hot dogs and tacos,” Eric says. An Unforgettable, Edible Anniversary Three years later, Eventique reprised its role at Meridian Capital Group’s ICSC 2022 event. This time, they tackled the theme of
food trends. The stations reflected on 30 years of food history for Meridian’s 30th anniversary, ranging from Chinese chicken salad, sliders, and cronuts, to Chick-fil-A inspired “Meridachick” chicken sandwiches. Food emojis crafted from sustainable balloons floated over the space. “The pièce de résistance was what we called MerEATian. We created a “Jeopardy”-style trivia wall. Guests could walk up and see if they could name a variety of trendy ingredients like quinoa. They wrote their answers Jeopardy-style, and when they opened a box they got a piece of the food in question, whether it was a sip of matcha, a bite of acai, or a macaron,” Eric says. Eventique Founder Liron David explains, “When we’re planning an event, we’re always thinking about the storyline. That story doesn’t just influence what happens on the screen or the stage — it’s completely infused in all aspects of the event, and food is one of those major elements. Around food, people let their guards down. They’re not just an audience member, they’re actually part of the experience.” By Epicures, for Epicures Both Liron and Eric grew up in the back rooms of New York City restaurants. Not only are they passionate about incorporating food into Eventique’s events, but they’re also always on the hunt for fresh local flavors. When Eventique’s production team travels to host an out-of-state event, they seek out local restaurants and watering holes. A recent booze-infused visit to Beaver’s Pub in Bay City, Michigan, was a pleasure for the whole crew. On site, the team keeps its Hospitality Table well stocked during setup and teardown. They may be serving caviar to guests, but in back rooms they’re likely munching on beef jerky, energy bars, and Sour Patch Kids — whatever it takes to keep the party going.
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