The E.Factor - Restaurant, Hospitality & Entrepreneurship September 2, 2009

http://www.efactor.com/p/events/id=27
The E.Factor Presents - Restaurant, Hospitality & Entrepreneurship

When it comes to food and hospitality, the city of Chicago has much to offer. Chicago is home to innovative food concepts, services, and successful entrepreneurs who serve this market. Entrepreneurship in the food and hospitality business is something that the Windy City doesn't take for granted. Join us on September 2 for an exclusive E.Factor evening that will make your Entrepreneurial tastebuds tingle

Learn from our seasoned experts about everything including:
Starting a food/hospitality business
Growing your business
Marketing your business
Finding and attracting clients
Securing funding
Managing your team
Choosing the right location
Creating the perfect vibe

We will be using the first 3 floors of this historic brownstone to provide an progressive and interactive event.
1st Floor - Salute Wine Bar (cash bar)
2nd Floor - Galleria Unico
3rd Floor - Go Green Management
.
Fee: US$ 10.00 for basic members, FREE for Business Class and First Class members.

Panel Includes:
Jon Wool, Founder/Owner, Finesse Cuisine (www.finessecuisine.com)
Founder, Jon Wool, has overseen hundreds of grand galas and intimate events including: Catholic Charities’ Annual Gala for the Arts, University of Chicago Renaissance Society’s Benefit, Redmoon Theater’s “Specticale Lunatique”, the Mayor’s Office of Protocol Dinner and more. Prior to launching Finesse, Wool served as Senior Vice President of Wolfgang Puck’s national catering initiative where he worked with notable artistic and educational institutions, overseeing many premier sports and special events.

In addition to regular media appearances, he hosts the weekly internet radio show, The Finesse Cuisine Hour, which features industry experts and celebrities from the luxury and hospitality markets. He also writes and lectures extensively on catering operations, entrepreneurship and event design.

A former actor who appeared in television, film and theatrical productions nationwide, Wool considers each Finesse occasion an opportunity to create a one of a kind theatrical experience for hosts and their guests.

Manolis Alpogianis, President and Owner, TAG RESTAURANTS
President and Restaurant Development for T.A.G. Restaurant Group Manolis Alpogianis brings more than 18 years of diversified restaurant experience as well as a true passion for people and great food to the management mix.

Prior to owning and operating restaurants, Manolis’ humble food-service beginnings go back to when his father purchased the Kappy’s in Morton Grove in 1985, where he worked for three years as a busboy, soda jerk and cashier. In 1988, Manolis enrolled at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and joined Lettuce Entertain You, starting with a three-year stint at Bones in Lincolnwood. At Bones, he progressed through the restaurant ranks from host, to assistant banquet manager, to banquet manager and finally, trainer. Subsequently, Manolis moved onto another Lettuce Entertain You concept in 1991 to open Maggiano’s and Corner Bakery Downtown Chicago. Manolis worked as a bartender at Maggiano’s for two years while completing his degree at UIC in Industrial Organizational Psychology. Upon graduation, he landed a management job at California Pizza Kitchen in 1993.

Daphne D. Mazarakis, Founder, Tula Foods, Inc.
Daphne is the founder of Tula Foods, Inc. and the Better Whey of Life™ brand, the first brand to bring whey protein to everyday foods. Prior to founding Tula Foods, Daphne spent eight years with Kraft Foods in brand management. At Kraft, Daphne managed several of their largest business, Kraft Singles, Kraft Salad Dressings, and Velveeta. Daphne also lead new product development initiatives across multiple global markets and managed the emerging channel sector for the dairy group. Daphne is a 1999 graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Herman Family Fellowship Recipient dedicated to funding women in entrepreneurship. Daphne’s undergraduate studies were in engineering at Northwestern University.

Moderator: Jody Birnbaum, President of Caterconsult, Inc.
Jody Birnbaum is the President of Caterconsult, Inc., a Business Management Consultancy, providing core strategies, methods, resources, training and support to entrepreneurs, with a focus on the hospitality industry. Jody is herself a survivor of twenty plus years in the catering business and was the founder and owner of Pear Tree Catering, Ltd.

As a fellow entrepreneur with a shared sense of risk and adventure, she knows how challenging it can be to keep a business strong and healthy for the long run. Caterconsult, Inc. helps business owners with strategic planning; email and print marketing; website development, search engine optimization; social networking; contact management; software integration; leadership, communication, sales training; staff development, financial management and a host of additional services.

As an adjunct faculty member at the Culinary School of Kendall College, Jody teaches Introduction to Foodservice Business Planning. Jody designed the course to help students understand the basic business issues impacting most new businesses including start-up expenses, build outs, licensing, insurance, taxes, legalities, menu development, pricing, costing, inventory, human resources, financial management, sales and marketing.

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Official Website: http://www.efactor.com/p/events/id=27