(SAVANNAH, GA) Chef Matt Cohen The New South Pub & Catering Featured in Association Now Magazine

www.newsouthcafe.com

Chef Matt Cohen, owner of The New South Pub & Catering and founder of Savannah’s Coastal Catering Alliance (CCA), is featured in a special edition of Associations Now magazine.  The supplemental publication, produced by ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) & The Center for Association Leadership, is featured as a Guide to Southeast Destinations.
 
A leading caterer in the convention city of Savannah-Cohen was interviewed for the article, along with several other well-known chefs throughout the South.  Cohen discusses utilizing local themes and fare to enhance a national conference.  Cohen has had great success with this through the Savannah-based catering co-op the Coastal Catering Alliance which he founded in 2008.
 
The article titled "Just Add Local Flavor" by Linda C. Chandler, explores the topic of how national meeting planners are selecting southern venues for their annual conventions and tradeshows in an effort to distinguish and make memorable their annual conferences.  With the help of local culinary specialists such as Cohen, meeting planners like Saundra K. Wirtz, Director of Seminars for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), are using the South’s unique flair and food culture to leave a lasting impression in the minds of their attendees.
 
Cohen and the CCA worked with Wirtz last year to host the NBAA’s annual Scheduler and Dispatcher Conference in Savannah’s historic Forsyth Park-an event that she describes as an "out-of-this-world" affair in the recent article.  A huge and highly successful cocktail party themed Ghosts and Legends was enjoyed by over 1000 guests, with interactive culinary booths set up throughout the park where chefs cooked delicious, local gourmet fare on-site.
 
Foods such as slow-roasted BBQ pork, Peanut crusted Fried Chicken, Sweet Potato chips and Key Lime pie were among some of the foods presented.  Additionally, the CCA arranged a grand southern décor along with entertainment that reflected Savannah’s rich culture and history such as the Gullah Storytellers and Savannah’s Johnny Mercer band.  Cohen and his team planned every detail of the large scale event to give attendees an authentic taste of Savannah, something he strives to do with each event that he caters.
 
Wirtz is quoted in the article "Just Add Local Flavor" as saying, "People come to learn at conferences.  Enjoying a city’s food culture is part of the whole learning experience.  But I believe that giving people an opportunity to taste the local fare involves more than just the fun of it.  It is also a courtesy to the city, showing that we appreciate being in their culture."
 
The ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership are two organizations linked together by the common passion and belief that associations have the power to transform society for the better, by connecting great ideas and great people.  Associations Now-just one of several publications produced by the ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership-is designed to deliver essential information, insights, and ideas to empower professionals to master challenges, invoke imagination, and act decisively to create a better future for their organization and the world.  For more info, check out ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership at www.asaecenter.org.
 
The Coastal Catering Alliance (CCA) is a professional hospitality cooperative made up of some of Savannah’s top chefs, offering an expansion of services not available from small independent firms, including the ability to cater an event for up to 100,000 people.  The CCA is a full-service caterer, assisting with venue selection, food and beverages, tents, tables, and entertainment.  The CCA prepares fresh, high quality and authentic southern cuisine with a gourmet twist.  For more info go to www.thecoastalcateringalliance.com or call 912-313-8781. Chef Matt Cohen’s The New South Pub & Catering is located at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, Georgia, just minutes from downtown Savannah.  The New South Pub is now open exclusively for lunch seven days a week from 11AM to 3PM, with plans to open for dinner in the near future.  Cohen offers upscale catering services-for corporate events, conventions, executive lunches, private parties, weddings, receptions and bar mitzvahs-as in house caterer for the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, and for off-site functions through the CCA.  They are located at 175 Bourne Avenue in Pooler; Take Exit 102 off of I-95.  912-748-8888 www.newsouthcafe.com

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