Basement Chefs Ketchup: A Saucy Sustainability Strategy

Not only does the events culinary team at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center  (opens in a new tab) feed 1.5 million people each year, but they do so sustainably, something recently proven by their decision to bring their big-arena mindset to a big batch of tomatoes.

“It all started a few months ago when the Dutch V&D department store chain was declared bankrupt,” the venue’s website states  (opens in a new tab). “Large quantities of fresh ingredients for the V&D’s catering arm La Place—a partner of the RAI—suddenly lost their purpose, including a large batch of tomatoes from the Stadskwekerij Osdorp city farm in Amsterdam.”

So the onsite catering team, dubbed the Basement Chefs, took the tomatoes and launched their own food line  (opens in a new tab), with the support of the RAI organization. They made ketchup and paired it with their own basil olive oil and red apple vinegar products, sold online in the Netherlands and served at the convention center’s cafe.

The Basement Chefs represent a prime example  (opens in a new tab) of thinking big. A call about rescuing a whole lot of tomatoes from going to waste didn’t faze them: It was about taking on a challenge and approaching it realistically—and thinking innovatively about partnerships in the process.

“They call themselves the Basement Chefs with good reason,” Walter Abma, an advisor to the Stadskwekerij Osdorp farm  (opens in a new tab) that offered the tomatoes, told PCMA Convene  (opens in a new tab). “They have a no-nonsense attitude and give everything their own spin.”

Tweet of the day

60 influential #eventprofs  (opens in a new tab) @Bizzabo  (opens in a new tab) Congrats @ASegar  (opens in a new tab) @VelChain  (opens in a new tab) @TahiraCreates  (opens in a new tab)! https://t.co/21ZJitsDWP  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/JlRE9ZUEi6  (opens in a new tab) h/t @EmBoro  (opens in a new tab)

— Jay S Daughtry M.Ed. (@ChatterBachs) July 20, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

It’s not Follow Friday yet, but … Stephanie Schutz at Bizzabo has a great list of folks to follow. She based her list of 60 events-industry tweeters on a couple of key social metrics. Spruce up your Twitter feed  (opens in a new tab) with some new quality follows.

More noteworthy Links

Think event planners can learn from Amazon? Lanyon, maker of cloud-based software for meetings, tells planners how they can do just that, over at the Event Manager Blog  (opens in a new tab).

You can get verified on Twitter! The social network has opened up the application process for the blue checkmark. (Not everyone will get one, but you can try.) Check out the latest news at Nick Statt’s report on The Verge  (opens in a new tab).

Chatbots are riding a big wave right now. Since these bots are all over platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Slack, and Kik, they’re something to think about down the road. Albizu Garcia at CMSWire shared  (opens in a new tab) insights about what marketers can do about chatbots.

(RAI Amsterdam Convention Center)