Live events are making a comeback and Tourism Kelowna was thrilled to host an intimate culinary showcase for meeting and event planners in Vancouver on October 26.
Renowned Chef Rod Butters and acclaimed restaurateur, Audrey Surrao—co-owners of three acclaimed restaurants and The Okanagan Table, a kitchen/event/catering location, which make up RauDZ Creative Concepts— travelled from Kelowna to share a taste of our region's local fall favourites and iconic hospitality. A select group of corporate meeting and event planners from eight different companies joined our Meetings & Conferences Sales Program partners from Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort, Eldorado Resort, Ramada by Wyndham Kelowna Hotel and Conference Centre, and The Cove Lakeside Resort for a special afternoon in the trendy Railway District in Vancouver. The venue, a private event space of Domain7, also has a Kelowna connection—the innovative tech company recently facilitated a series of workshops for OKGo partner, Accelerate Okanagan, to assist them with future planning.
Event attendees had an opportunity to personally connect with our partners before the immersive cooking demonstration began. With a glass of wine in hand, thanks to 50th Parallel Estate Winery and Mission Hill Family Estate, Chef Butters put clients to work, methodically stirring risotto and chopping freshly foraged mushrooms. Throughout the demonstration, Audrey passed delicious canapes to wet the clients' palates. Before the end of the evening, Chef Butters personally signed a copy of his award-winning cookbook, The Okanagan Table, for guests to take home alongside other items representing Kelowna.
Both the planners and partners were eager to connect again in person. Many of the planners expressed an immediate or near-future return to travel and events, so this was a perfect way to reconnect in an authentic and safe way while providing inspiration for future meetings in Kelowna. For further information on this event or Tourism Kelowna's business development initiatives in Western Canada, please reach out to me at nicolle@tourismkelowna.com or at (587) 716-5599.
