Food Connected

...and we're back! Welcome to Season 2 of Food Connected! Kicking off our new season is David Sabin, Festival Organizer of Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival and President of Brickhouse PR & Special Events (and a recent new Dad!). With a background in design and public relations for local, national and international brands, David created Brickhouse Public Relations & Special Events to provide a unique experience and unlimited opportunities for clients. As a passionate foodie, David is the organizer of the exponential growth of the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival. David’s commitment and tenacity has brought star talent and legendary celebrity chefs to the Palm Beaches for this annual event. 

Kris Moon is the Chief Operating Officer for the James Beard Foundation, a national culinary non-profit focused on Good Food For Good™. 

During his tenure, Moon has been responsible for spearheading the strategic planning and launch of the JBF Impact Programs which focus on engaging the culinary community in food policy advocacy.

Before moving up the ranks to COO, Moon has held several positions at JBF including: VP; Senior Director, Strategy and Development; Director of Charitable Giving and Strategic Partnerships; and Director of House Operations and House Events.

In his role at COO, Moon oversees all revenue, property, IT, and general operations for the Foundation. He has been featured in numerous publications on behalf of the Foundation and also frequently speaks on the Foundation’s work at culinary events and food conferences across America.

Carl Mittleman is president of Aramark’s Sports and Entertainment division. In this role he provides leadership for more than 120 premier stadiums, arenas, convention centers and cultural attraction venues across North America where Aramark provides award-winning food and beverage, retail service and facility service programs. As president, Mittleman engages with leaders across Aramark in the key areas of healthcare, education, leisure, and corporate dining services.   

Mittleman has over 22 years of service with Aramark and most recently served as a Regional Vice President in Sports and Entertainment. Since joining Aramark as a management trainee, he has established himself as a versatile hospitality professional in numerous sales and operational roles across the enterprise, including the parks and destinations and international business units.  

Throughout the course of his career, Mittleman has been honored for his work. In 2012, he was recognized with the company’s prestigious Most Valued Partner award for his efforts to expand client partnerships, enhance customer satisfaction and create loyal customers. He was named to Sports Business Journal’s 2013 list of “Forty Under 40,” awarded the 2011 Venues Today Generation Next Award; and twice named Aramark Manager of the Year, in 2004 and 2005.

He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Cholula Holdings, LP, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition, is a member of the Cornell Hotel Society, sits on the Executive Advisory Board for University of Denver, Knoebel School, and the Board of Directors for Spurs Sports and Entertainment.

Mittleman is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and earned his Executive MBA from the Daniels College of Business at University of Denver.

Randall C. Fisher is the President and Founder of Culinary Related Entertainment and Marketing, LLC. As far back as he can remember, Randy was focused on hospitality and guest experience.  “I remember as a kid having friends over and creating buffet lunches complete with separate hot and cold stations.  Most of my friends had no clue what I was doing, but it made me feel good to be doing something special for them.  I also remember making an incredible mess, but they never saw that part.”  And while attending law school, when most of his classmates were clerking for local law firms, he was busy working his way up the ladder at a local hotel or restaurant.  After earning finance and law degrees and years in business and real estate development, Randy joined a prominent Miami hotel development and management firm, The Continental Companies (TCC), where he served as a partner and Senior Vice President of Development, responsible for identifying new hotel opportunities for the company.  It was during this period that Randy also joined the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival as an Event Producer.  “I was always intrigued by food-focused events and the guest experience…especially how to deliver the very best for every person on site.  The insight I gained in the hotel and restaurant business was perfectly suited for the culinary events and marketing business.  In the end, it’s all about over-delivering for your guest.”  After being approached to produce events from New York to California and other markets, Randy knew it was time to launch an independent company to take on new opportunities and challenges.  Since 2004, Culinary Related Entertainment and Marketing (CREaM) has gained a sterling reputation for executing best-in-class culinary events and marketing initiatives throughout the nation.  CREaM works closely with the brightest stars and brands in the culinary industry and has developed long-lasting and important relationships across every discipline within the industry.  “Every once in a while I’ll run into one of my childhood friends at an event and I get a kick out of knowing that I'm still trying to impress them with great food, entertainment and an overall memorable experience.  And, I'm making less of a mess now.”

Dave Hardie is a member of The Revelry Group, a Certified B Corporation that creates shared value for companies in the food, beverage and hospitality sectors. As Vice President, Sales and a Managing Partner of Revelry Foods, LLC., Dave leads the creation and expansion of their innovative product solutions initiative by launching the liquid dairy, shelf stable, start-up business. The launch of “Yay! Milk” (www.yaybeverages.com) includes Strategy Development, Business Development, Product Development, Launch, Marketing and Sales. In a few short years, the business has grown from zero revenue to over $15 million annual revenue and a 5-year projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to exceed 30%.

Prior to Revelry Foods, Dave served as Director, Gastronomy, of San Pellegrino, USA. He was responsible for the general management, growth and profitability of the away from home business. Dave’s extensive experience in the restaurant and chef community has interacted across a broad network of key stakeholders including chef’s, restauranteurs, influencers and media. Under Hardie’s leadership, the business delivered unrivaled growth and relevance for the San Pellegrino portfolio.

Herb Karlitz is the President & Founder of Karlitz & Company. From when he was 5-years old and played the drums and did the twist with ‘50s entertainer Chubby Checker, Herb knew he was destined for a life in entertainment. Little did he know that his passion would later take him to law school (he’s also an entertainment lawyer), after graduating from New York University.
 
Over the course of the next 14 years, he rose through the ranks of worldwide public relations firm Burson-Marsteller to create and lead its Entertainment & Event Marketing division, where he worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra and The Beach Boys to Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder. He estimates he helped conceive and execute thousands of events there, from one of the first rock concerts in Russia to “Hands Across America,” the follow-up to the “USA For Africa” Worldwide Hunger Relief Effort in the mid ‘80s, to the Rat Pack Reunion Tour with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin.
 
Herb launched Karlitz & Company in 1990 as a full service “lifestyle and entertainment” marketing firm. Herb’s love for food and wine, along with his family’s background in the restaurant business, helped shape his vision that the culinary and wine worlds were just another form of entertainment to offer clients. 
 
Herb’s passion for cooking, which he’s had for as long as he can remember, also influenced how he regarded chefs – similar to musicians or actors – whose job is to entertain and make people happy. Herb likes to say that he was working with “celebrity chefs” back when they were just called “cooks.” Now he shakes his head in amazement and admiration when he sees many of these “cooks” appearing on prime-time television, signing autographs and commanding huge appearance fees.
 
For nearly 3 decades, Karlitz & Company has established itself as the industry leader and recognized innovator in creating celebrity chef-driven events, programs for corporate partners and sponsors, and festivals, including the New York Wine & Food Festival, Vegas Un’Corked, Flavor! Napa Valley, EAT St. Pete Food & Wine Festival, Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, “Taste of the World” at The Breeders’ Cup, and for the last four years, Harlem EatUp!, which Herb created with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson.  Herb also recently took ten celebrity chefs to Israel as part of an official ”Celebrity Chef Birthright” delegation. 

Herb’s creative right-brain thinking and marketing savvy, combined with the entertainment, restaurateur and wine world relationships he has nurtured over the past 30+ years make him a force to be reckoned with – and someone with whom you would want to enjoy a good meal and glass of wine!

Andrew Chason is Head of CAA’s Culinary Department, which represents many of the world’s most influential chefs and tastemakers, including Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez, Martha Stewart, Carla Hall, Roy Choi, Christina Tosi, Grant Achatz, Katie Lee, Ted Allen, and Curtis Stone.  Additionally, CAA Culinary leverages it’s deep relationships and influence to create and produce buzz-worthy food-forward experiences on behalf of corporate brands, as well as advising brands on how to tap into the power of food culture as a way to engage consumers and drive business results.

A 20-year lifestyle marketing veteran, Chason works across CAA to create culinary-entertainment business opportunities for talent and brand clients in the areas of television, marketing, events, digital media, sponsorship, and corporate hospitality.  Prior to joining CAA, Chason co-founded Vector Eats, specializing in managing the careers of high-profile culinary personalities.  

Chason graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree from the prestigious Sport Management program at the Isenberg School of Management.

Brett Friedman, is the co-founder & Managing Partner of Agency 21 Consulting (a21), a Miami and New York based Experiential Marketing firm that specializes in Event Management, Production, Corporate Sponsorship, Strategic Marketing and Brand Consulting. a21’s primary focus is to assist clients, partners, companies and non-profit organizations create and manage dynamic special events, while achieving maximum return on investment for corporate sponsors.  Founded in 2006, a21 has developed into the preeminent culinary event management agency in North America, producing 100’s of events in 27 markets. Some of the agencies more marquee clients include: Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Food Network NYC Wine and Food Festival, Cochon555, Americas Test Kitchen, Shake Shack, Gurneys, Dan’s Taste of Summer, Nirvana at Sanctuary and the Palm Beach Food and Wine. With 24 diverse employees located throughout five (5) cities, a21 continues to grow through a client first approach, with a keen methodology towards maximizing profitability.  

Prior to establishing a21, Brett was the Vice President of Development for Alonzo Mourning Charities (AMC), a non-profit organization founded by retired Miami Heat All-Star Center, Alonzo Mourning. During Brett’s tenure at AMC and prior to his departure after 4 years, AMC’s flagship event, Zo’s Summer Groove, was widely considered one of the preeminent celebrity charity events in the country. 

Brett has also worked with Knight Ridder (KNR), formally the 2nd largest Media Publishing Company in the world and parent company of the Miami Herald, in their Shared Services Division. Brett was the youngest employee in the division, by 13 years and was responsible for managing three (3) sub-divisions: Telecommunications, Office Administration and Circulation with the main task of negotiating multi-million dollar national contracts for all of the 32 KNR subsidiaries.  Brett was also the Knight Ridder representative for the Media Consortium, a media buying consortium between Dow Jones, Knight Ridder, The New York Times and Conde Nast.

Brett graduated from the University of Florida in 1998 with a Degree in Business Administration and later went to Nova Southeastern to obtain his Masters Degree in Finance, graduating with honors. While obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree at University of Florida, Brett co-created an online Internet coupon company, CampusQpons.com, with his college roommate at the age of 21. CampusQpons.com later became FunU.com, which was an online college website that was localized to each University throughout the Southeast. The site focused on providing college students pertinent information about their schools and lives by acting as a search engine and provided online coupons and information about the popular bar/dining scene. The site successfully raised three (3) rounds of financing, with several million dollars from various Venture Capital firms, twelve (12) full-time employees and fifty (50) local college representatives at the Company’s height. 

Brett is fortunate to call himself a third generation Miamian who is married to Genevieve Lake-Friedman and the proud father of his ten year old son, Jake Friedman. 

Today's episode features Brady Lowe, founder of Taste Network and Cochon 555. Taste Network began in 2002, Cochon555 in 2008 and Brady created anchor celebrations at The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Toronto Food & Wine Festival and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The portfolio includes the ground-up creation and cultivation of the festivals: Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival, PeachFest and Mags For Ag; in addition to hosting Kosta Browne’s 20th Anniversary Party that raised over $100,000 for local charities. The mission is simple: Further the conversation of heritage breeds and support family farms on dinner tables worldwide, all to campaign for those championing agricultures with purpose and passion while educating influencers, chefs and buyers on how to sustain small business owners stewarding responsible growing practice.

Brady Lowe is a respected authority of fine wine, artisan foods, premier foods, heritage breed pigs and experiential events. He has produced exceptional food events since 2003. It was then, while working in Atlanta at the dawn of the good food movement, that Lowe was amongst the first to unite boutique wines and hard-to-find cheeses for affluent audiences. One taste pairing in particular sparked an ‘out of body experience’ in a customer that Lowe would never forget. At that moment, he devoted himself to transcending the boundaries of the food world, to creating unique combinations, not just with ingredients but among people. Now a food educator and taste influencer, Lowe is passionate about reaching individuals with a social conscience to support a responsible community of local chefs, butchers, winemakers and farmers that we all depend on.

Lowe grew up in Iowa reading the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series and his mother’s collection of cookbooks; books that would influence the narrative of his culinary future. At University of Iowa, he studied communications and marketing. Upon graduating, he moved to Atlanta and stepped into the world of fine dining. While selling cigars at the height of the burgeoning cigar culture, he discovered there was a unique vernacular to cigars, a flavor vocabulary that he enjoyed learning and sharing. The ideas translated naturally to other disciplines he wanted to study, those of wine, cheese, chocolate and cuisine.

After getting his 90 points of service in hospitality fine-tuned at Atlanta’s premier restaurant group in 2002, his appetite for the larger food movement blossomed and Lowe started hosting larger tasting events for private clients and notable members of the Atlanta food community under Taste Network. Three years later in 2008, he launched Cochon555, a 16-city culinary tour showcasing five chefs, five pigs and five winemakers in a friendly competition to promote heritage breed pig diversity and whole animal utilization. In 2010, Cochon555 teamed up with Food + Wine Magazine as an Official Event of the Food + Wine Classic in Aspen, Grand Cochon became one of the most talked about events of the weekend. What started as 250 million impressions in the media annually has grown to over 1 billion impression in the top media channels worldwide. Now ‘heritage pig is big,’ and Cochon555 is the most talked about culinary competition in North America featuring 100% heritage breed pigs. In 2011, the tour continued to expand with the addition of Heritage Fire, a tribute event to fire cooking and butchery, and later that year was summoned to host the opening festivities for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas with the debut of All-Star Cochon, the first ever non-competition event featuring fan favorites and best bites. In 2012, Cochon555 expanded again to release Heritage BBQ, an event dedicated to expose commodity BBQ restaurants and celebrate chefs cooking on community based-platforms that support local family farms. Cochon Island was developed to bring awareness to  water-locked food ecosystems like Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Senior Brand Manager, Cultural Strategy & Events at Rémy Martin, Naeemah Leonard is responsible for cultivating strategic collaborations with media, influencers, celebrities, and other partners across relevant cultural pillars: music, film, fashion, culinary, and sports. Additionally, Naeemah spearheads the “Producer Series”, a national music platform which highlights the art of making music. Debuting in its 5th season, the program is designed to discover and celebrate emerging music producers. Through the strength of her relationships, her innovative thinking, passion, and dedication to building relevant marketing initiatives, Naeemah has shaped and shifted brand strategy at Rémy Martin. Her contributions have consistently championed the Rémy Martin portfolio on its journey to becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits.