Food Connections: Happy Hour Edition
There are Happy Hours…and then there are Food Connections Happy Hours.
Voluntarily or not, you’ve probably attended a version of the former: pre-packaged cheese platters, mediocre wine served in plastic cups with a side of stilted conversation. Sound familiar? It’s no secret that happy hour networking events range from mildly enjoyable (on a good day) to downright agonizing.
Last month’s special Food Connections Happy Hour, however, was a different story.
In keeping with our values of integrity and transparency we do have to fess up to one unfair advantage in the happy hour category: Creative Director Lori Gerdts. You might have seen the lasagna she whipped up with leftover cheese this fall? Our Food Connections appetizer spread was—if possible—even more mouthwatering.
Menu highlights included:
- Spicy Cauliflower Bites with Yogurt Blue Cheese Dip
- Short Rib Flatbread with Smoked Gouda Sauce, Caramelized Onions, Jalapeño and Cilantro
- Tortilla Chips topped with Chipotle Shrimp and Lobster Guacamole, and a Garlicky Black Bean Puree
Happy hour success isn’t just about creating extraordinary taste sensations though. It was a treat to catch up with familiar faces and meet new professionals serving the food and marketing industry in the Twin Cities area. Plus, it’s rewarding for us to see valuable connections being made among our friends, colleagues and contacts.
IN Food president and founder, Anita Nelson, launched Food Connections in 2005 with a simple—but powerful—idea: the creation of a forum for Twin Cities’ food professionals to share information, build networks and forge trusted strategic partnerships. IN Food clients also benefit from Food Connections—we’ve got friends in every food industry niche you can think of, and the rapport to tap into their knowledge and quickly expand our capabilities.
Interested in becoming a Food Connections member? There’s no cost to participate, we simply ask that you have a genuine desire to connect with other professionals serving the food industry. Breakfast meetings are held four to six times per year at the IN Food office. You’ll have the opportunity to share about your areas of expertise, participate in roundtable discussions on relevant trends and topics, and—of course—network.
Join the Food Connections LinkedIn group to receive updates and meeting notifications. Shoot us an email if you’d like to stay informed about all things IN Food (Food Connections included) via our e-newsletter, or follow us on social media. (We’re on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn!)