Food and Wine is Now the Most Popular Form of Entertainment, According to Karlitz & Company

More Spent On High-End Dining Entertainment in Las Vegas Than At the Casinos


NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Over the past five years, food and wine have become "the most popular form of entertainment," according to Herb Karlitz, president of Karlitz & Company.

Karlitz & Company, founded in 1990, is one of the most diversified luxury event marketing boutiques in New York.

"Obviously people have to eat, but now they want more than good food; that's a given," Karlitz says. "Now they want an 'experience' that provides a context for that meal, whether it be in a 4-star restaurant, a fast food outlet or at home, where people who have been inspired by the chefs they've seen on television can live out and share their TV viewer 'experience' with family and friends."

"What's amazing about this trend is that it's not over and in fact has gained steam since the early 90s, when 'cooks' started to evolve into 'celebrity chefs.' While a cookbook is a requirement to get to the next level, television is the Holy Grail for chefs. Those lucky enough to get the television exposure today command appearance fees matching those of movie stars and former U.S. presidents," Karlitz said.

As one of the original prime movers behind the Celebrity Chef trend, Karlitz says there seems to be a directional shift toward the more accessible chefs like Rachael Ray, who take a more informal approach to cooking. "She is accessible to that Middle America audience who wants to cook. They aren't intimidated; Rachael inspires them by what she whips together in her jeans and a sweatshirt -- just like the audience who is watching her. "It's no wonder Dunkin' Donuts took her as their spokesperson for their current campaign," according to Karlitz, who feels his friend, Emeril Lagasse, really started that directional shift by focusing on the entertainment factor in his TV show and less on measurements and the need to precisely follow a recipe.

As an example of the movement's continued popularity that shows no end in sight, Karlitz noted that visitors to Las Vegas last year spent more money on food and wine than they did in the casinos.

"It's no accident every casino hotel continues to feature brand name celebrity chefs as attractions to their property, as opposed to just the traditional entertainment shows that used to populate the Strip," said Karlitz. "A visitor to Vegas, Atlantic City or Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut carefully plans which celebrity they want to experience during their visit."

Foxwoods Casino is a Karlitz client, which just announced a roster of celebrity chefs and restaurants coming on line later in the year, thanks in part to Karlitz, whose firm also produces an annual celebrity chef food and wine festival on property.

"At the high-end of the market, the formats vary," Karlitz explained. "A company can sponsor a nice dinner for key customers at a fancy restaurant; anyone can do that, but our approach is different: We would have the noted chef of that restaurant, like a Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud or one of the other chefs people have seen on television, such as Tom Colicchio prepare a special gourmet dinner just for them, and also have someone like Robert Parker, the most famous influential wine critic in the world, on hand to pour the wine himself! Anyone with money can buy the Lafite Rothschild; however, most people can't have Parker there to share it with. That's what appeals to this high end audience, who on their own can buy just about anything they want."

Another example of the company's creativity and rolodex firepower is a Celebrity Chef Charity Golf Tournament they created for former baseball hero and celebrity restaurateur, Rusty Staub. Staub now runs his own foundation which provides hot meals to underprivileged kids in New York and the tri-state area.

Karlitz put celebrity chefs who play golf in all the foursomes, along with donors willing to pay $2,500 each for the privilege to play with them, and then enjoy food usually only served at their restaurants right there at the golf club, served by the celebrity chefs themselves.

"The key at this level is to provide guests with something they can't buy, because that's what they're looking for ... something they can brag about. Call it 'access' -- giving your guests or clients something the next door neighbor will never be able to experience, no matter what other toys and gadgets he or she may have."

Herb Karlitz, 51, is a resident of Bergen County, NJ. He has been a pioneer in lifestyle marketing for more than 30 years. Before forming Karlitz & Company in 1990, he was at Burson-Marsteller Public Relations where he headed the firm's Entertainment/Event Marketing Division. He has worked with personalities from Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder to Emeril Lagasse and wine guru Robert Parker.



            

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