HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

WISHING YOU A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON 

AND A NEW YEAR FILLED WITH PEACE AND HAPPINESS.

Iron Chefs Compete and the Audience has a Blast!

The competing chefs arrive for the Taste of Charleston Southern Living 2013 Iron Chef.

Amphitheater at Palmer Campus

It's a full house!

Culinary Competitions? Bring them on!

 

 

The South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) sponsored the first Cooking Well Invitational as part of the Working Well Initiative  in South Carolina. The event highlighted the efforts from 10 Gold Apple hospitals to make hospital food affordable, nutritious, and delicious. The two-day event kicked-off on Thursday evening with a reception in downtown Palmer campus. Celebrity Chefs Robert Irvine, from the Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible,” and Marvin Woods demonstrated healthy dishes in the Culinary Institute's state-of-the-arts demonstration kitchen.
Chef Irvine also delivered the keynote address for Friday’s Cooking Well Invitational, which moved to the TTC Conference Center on Main Campus. Twelve hospital culinary teams of  four competed to create a three-course meal over the course of two hours. For details, see: http://bit.ly/1fdiRAU

Can We Hold 500 Attendees for a Debate? You Bet!

The Democratic candidates for Senate District 42 spoke directly to potential voters. More than 500 people attended the SC Senate District 42 Debate sponsored by the South Carolina Democratic Party at Trident Technical College.

The 6 candidates are Emmanuel Ferguson, Herbert Fielding, Marlon Kimpson, Margaret Rush, Bob Thompson, and Maurice Washington answered questions about ethics reform, funding public education, and the Affordable Healthcare Act.
http://www.counton2.com/story/23064388/dems-competing-for-sc-42-square-off-in-debate

I Do. I Do.

Real Simple magazine created a great "Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist" with "a timeline based on the 16-month length of the average U.S. engagement." One of the first things to check off: Reserve your date and venues.

Whether your number of expected guests is large or small, we'd love to be your wedding venue. Enjoy these pictures from a recent ceremony.


 http://www.realsimple.com/weddings/planning/wedding-planning-checklist-00000000000222/index.html 

Welcome Googlefest!

TTC Conference Serviced welcomes Google for the second year of Googlefest, a free, one-day conference formatted especially for non-profit organizations, small businesses and educators. Attendees gained first hand knowledge from Google experts, on how to effectively use the full range of Google tools—including Google Apps, Google Docs and Drive, plus so much more. It’s the one time of of year a cadre Google experts will demonstrate and answer questions—all in one place and at one time.

Entertainment Can be Inside and Out

 

Coco-Cola's South Carolina Coastal Inspirational Meeting was a Saturday of fun for the whole family. Because use of the Conference Center can include use of the grounds, there were activities for the children both  inside and out. 

How to Whip Up a Unique Event

It's not difficult to cook up ideas for extraordinary events when you have the Culinary Institute of Charleston as part of your planning strategy. Party in a Kitchen? Tasty! We'll make great food for your dining pleasure or your group can do the cooking. Corporate team building events can involve making gourmet meals or competing Iron Chef style. Just say Bon Appétit!

Spring Is In The Air!

It's so easy to change the atmosphere. These Japanese lanterns brought spring right into the ballroom.

"Iron Chef" Competitions Can Also Feature Mixologists

Hot off their Iron Chef America battles on the Food Network, The Modern Mixologist, aka Tony Abou-Ganim, and Charlotte Voisey reunited to host the second annual BB&T Charleston Wine + Food® Iron Mixologist Competition at our Palmer Campus amphitheater. Four of Charleston’s finest bartenders battled through three rounds of cocktail warfare in a series of challenges demanding creativity, speed, quick thinking, and composure behind the bar. A top shelf judging panel and a series of whimsical secret ingredients kept each contender on their toes as they competed for the ultimate title of Iron Mixologist Charleston.

Décor at the Door

The theme for Summerville's Pinewood Preparatory School Auction Gala was Great Gatsby-Style. They keyed the décor at the door with this vintage ragtop. It also served as an effective backdrop for photos. 

Need a creative program for your group? We can deliver!

When the Chamber of Commerce wanted a program for the state's Congressional Delegates, we cooked up  Farm to Table demonstration for them. Jim Martin, of Compost in My Shoes, brought in vegetables and Chef David Vagasky, Chef Instructor of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, created dishes with them. They both gave a great talk - and followed with a tasting. We used the demonstration kitchen at our Palmer Campus. Bar chair seating around the counter simulated a chef's table. For a larger group, there is amphitheater seating.

The WOW Factor

ADD WOW: Shoot the logo of your title sponsor on the entrance.

ADD WOW: Use all  shimmering silver, white, and ice blue for a winter theme.

ADD WOW: Use two-tier bars with smoked silver tops. And don't forget the GOBOs.

ADD WOW: Place your stage in the middle of the room with circular lighting above it.

Needless to say, there was plenty of WOW for TTC's 2013 Night in the Valley black-tie dinner and auction!

A GOBO Can Really Be Effective

These pictures were taken while we were setting up our ballroom for TTC's Night in the Valley event. Notice the effect of the GOBOs on the wall panels. The white branches really heightened the effect of the winter theme. We can't wait to show you how they looked on the tented outside bar. Stay tuned!


A gobo (or GOBO), derived from "Go Between" or "Goes Before Optics," is a physical template slotted inside, or placed in front of, a lighting source, used to control the shape of emitted light. 

Thanks PDA for another great lighting production.

Flowers for TTC's Night in the Valley. A winter theme.

This year, the theme of  TTC's The Night in the Valley fine dining event is Winter. We'll have photos later showing our fabulous ice blue and white draped ballroom at the Conference Center, but caught these photos of the centerpieces today. There are three, alternated on the tables so that there is variety across the room. Don't they look like winter! There's nothing richer than white hydrangeas. But we're thrilled that baby's breath is back in style. There are so many ways to use it, with so much bang for your buck. 

The Pinning Ceremony

This is the decor for the December Pinning Ceremony. A ceremony is planned for each group of May and December nursing graduates. The nurses are required to wear professional attire, which must be a completely white uniform. Female nurses wear dresses and the school cap. The line stretches out through the foyer. It is a beautiful - and touching - evening. 

New Backdrop Works Like a Charm

Finance magnate Darla Moore making keynote address. Note how well the backdrop lights 
and how it shows on the screens.

On November 16, 2012, Trident Technical College and the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau hosted a luncheon for hospitality leaders celebrating "Charleston's Number 1 Designation". The keynote speaker, finance magnate Darla Moore, spoke on "Retaining and Leveraging #1."

Luncheon host, Dick Elliott, president and founder of Maverick Southern Kitchens, announced the Maverick Southern Kitchens was making a donation of $100,000 to Trident Technical College, the largest donation Maverick Southern Kitchens has made to the Charleston community. To date, the Maverick Match has generated $70,500 in matching funds. In addition, Ms. Moore personally donated $100,000.