Friday, January 11, 2019

MetroCooking DC Sees Strong Leap in Attendance Records

Emeril Lagasse at last month's MetroCooking DC

From our friends at MetroCooking DC...

MetroCooking DC concluded its 13th edition in Washington, DC, December 1-2, 2018, increasing attendance by over 20 percent from 2017. The region’s largest two-day culinary showcase took over the Walter E. Washington Convention Center hosting over 12,400+ foodies to shop, sip and sample from an abundance of specialty food companies, local restaurants, breweries, and wineries.

MetroCooking DC has become known as one of the season’s signature gourmand shopping events in the Washington metropolitan area. The number of exhibiting companies held steady with more than 180 specialty food and home entertaining participants showcasing aisles of unique food products and entertaining gift options. The show saw a 12% increase in the number of participating local establishments in the special event areas with 50+ Beer, Wine and Spirits vendors and over 65+ participating restaurateurs.


The interactive event featured a variety of parallel activities including two live cooking stages, book signings, a Beer, Wine & Spirits Garden and multiple tasting events. This year, MetroCooking DC heavily focused on creating more hands-on experiences through programming elements. Newly added special events included pairing classes, a food photography workshop, happy hour events, a gingerbread house competition, and a highly regarded cooking class program designed by national retailer Sur la Table.

Additionally, MetroCooking DC brought together an all-star lineup of celebrity chefs. Making his first appearance at MetroCooking was national TV personality, restaurateur and award-winning chef Emeril Lagasse. Emmy-award winning TV host Carla Hall, and culinary legend Jacques Pépin, both joined the program along with many other locally and nationally recognized James Beard-honored chefs. New this year, was a featured entrepreneurial talk given by businesswoman and Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel sharing her personal insight on topic: “Cocktail to Success: Building a Successful Empire.”

“This year was all about attendee engagement and experience creation. By designing new interactive programming elements, we were able to attract a more diverse visitor base and create a personalized culinary platform.” said Kara Krause, Vice President Event Marketing & Communications, E.J. Krause & Associates.

The next edition of MetroCooking DC will take place November 16-17, 2019 at Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

About E.J. Krause & Associates:
For more than 30 years, E.J. Krause & Associates, Inc. (EJK) has been a worldwide leader in exhibition and conference management. EJK is one of the largest privately held exhibition management companies in the world, with offices on three continents. EJK produces a growing portfolio of over 40 events, serving 14 different industries. We excel in creating global brand leading events, bringing companies together to network and generate business. For more information, please visit www.ejkrause.com.