2015 HVCW Participant Guide

RESTAURANT PARTICIPANT GUIDE

HappyCulinaryWeek.com

2 Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com

What is Happy Valley Culinary Week? ......................... 3

What is expected? ..............................................................4

FAQ’s ....................................................................................... 5

Marketing Overview ..................................................... 6-7

Sample Menu ...................................................................... 8

Participating Restaurant Checklist .............................. 9

HVCW Timeline ................................................................. 10

Registration Form .............................................................11

A Look at 2014 ...................................................................12

ON THE MENU:

“ ”One cannot think well, love well, sleep

well, if one has not dined well.- Virginia Woolf

3Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com

What is Happy Valley Culinary Week?Happy Valley Culinary Week is a seven day celebration of the art of cooking, local foods and the chefs who prepare them. Events and demonstrations will be scheduled throughout the week; Culinary Week menus will be featured at participating restaurants.

Participating restaurants will offer a discounted three-course fixed price menu during their hours of operation. Diners will have an opportunity to sample cuisine from a broad selection of restaurants at an affordable price. Meals will include an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

{ June 22-28, 2015 }

”


WHAT IS EXPECTED... Responsibilities of Restaurant Participants:

REGISTERComplete and return the registration form and participation fee, with the three $25 gift cards, to the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau. Send your logo and restaurant photos to [email protected]. Registration must be completed by Tuesday, February 27, 2015.

CREATE YOUR MENUCreate a multi-course meal for the fixed price menu during Happy Valley Culinary Week in the price range available.

Lunch - $6 - $13Dinner $15 - $30

Make sure to create a true VALUE for the consumer. Menus will leave an impression with diners, including many who might be trying your restaurant for the first time. Choose to feature dishes that are most popular among your guests, some signature menu items, or your own favorites. Whatever your approach, be creative and have fun!

Submit your menu items to [email protected] no later than March 20. All menus will be reviewed by the Happy Valley Culinary Week committee for approval before being promoted.

Once approved, menus will be formatted into a customized Happy Valley Culinary Week Menu template. These menus will include your restaurant logo and location info. Menus will be available for consumers to view and download from the Happy Valley Culinary Week website. Formatted & finished menus will be sent to participating restaurants. All restaurants are required to print their own HVCW menu.

Full page, color menus will be featured in the HVCW Guide, with over 10,000 distributed locally in the Centre County Gazette.

Restaurants MUST offer the Happy Valley Culinary Week menu in addition to the standard menu every day and/or evening they are open during Happy Valley Culinary Week. Menu items should be representative of the restaurant in both portion size and quality.

MARKETING & EVENTSUtilize the promotional materials that will be provided, including but not limited to: Happy Valley Culinary Week logo, HappyCulinaryWeek.com website, signage/posters, table tents, social media promos/contests, etc…The three $25 gift cards must be submitted by February 27, and will be used in promotions and marketing.

Promote Happy Valley Culinary Week to your newsletter list, regular customers, and social media crowds.

Hosting events throughout the week related to Culinary Week in your restaurant location are strongly encouraged, and will be promoted through our website and PR campaigns if given enough notice. Suggestions include: wine tastings, meet the chef, cooking demos, ladies night out, live music, etc… again, be creative and have fun!

Inform and educate your staff about the Happy Valley Culinary Week promotion so they can properly explain it to customers leading up to and during the week-long promotion. The requisite participation meeting on February 10 is open to all your employees.

AFTER HAPPY VALLEY CULINARY WEEKComplete a survey which will be e-mailed by the CPCVB to participating restaurants.

Keep count of total diners during Happy Valley Culinary Week, broken down by lunch and dinner so numbers can be tracked for planning purposes year-to-year.


FAQ’sNote: All restaurant-specific information is kept confidential and is only reported in the aggregate.

Do I have to be a member of Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau in order to participate?No, you do not have to be a member, but there is a reduced rate for members. The participation fee is:

• CPCVB Members = $250 + three $25 gift cards• Non-Members = $300 + three $25 gift cards

Note: Gift cards will be used for contests and promotions for Happy Valley Culinary Week. Earlybird pricing is available until January 30, 2015.

Does my restaurant have to participate for the full week of July 22-28, 2015?All participating restaurants are required to participate for the full one-week period based on your regular operating hours.

Do I have to offer a multi-course meal?Yes. Each restaurant will need to offer a multi-course meal for a fixed price within the range provided: Lunches = $6 - $13 and Dinners = $15 - $30 (including tax).

Will I need to create my own culinary week menus?You will need to submit your menu items to [email protected] no later than March 20 and the CPCVB will

design the special Culinary Week menus so they continue with the branding/theme for Culinary Week. Each restaurant will be required to print your customized Happy Valley Culinary Week menu and provide them to customers in addition to your regular menu.

Can I offer “upgrades” to the menu for more money?Yes. That is, you could offer the basic option and add, “With shrimp, add $4.00; with lobster, add $8.00.” But you must offer at least one multi-course option at fixed price.

How will Happy Valley Culinary Week be promoted?All registration fees will be used for marketing and promoting Happy Valley Culinary Week. CPCVB will develop a comprehensive marketing campaign for Happy Valley Culinary Week, including a press campaign and press releases to gain exposure for the event. There will also be significant follow-up to maximize the exposure. Traditional media campaigns as well as social media, which we encourage you to participate in, will be used to promote the event.

The CPCVB will provide marketing materials to each participating restaurant to help with promotion. Ex: posters, cards, table tents, etc...as well as social media guidance.

Cooperative advertising opportunities will be available in addition to the event promotions and advertising.

What if I have more than one restaurant/property, does each restaurant have to register separately if they want to participate?Yes. All restaurants receive identical benefits so each participating restaurant has to register individually.


WebsiteHappyCulinaryWeek.com

Logos & menus from each participating restaurant will be included on the

web page, hosted by Visit Penn State. Also includes a downloadable Recipe Book

from participating chefs.

In 2014: - 17 participating restaurants- Web page received approximately 5,000 pageviews between January 1-July 1, 2014

Official Guide

Over 10,000 guides were printed and distributed

through the Centre County Gazette. Guides were also

distributed to participating restaurants and the Visitors

Center.

Each restaurant’s full-color menu was published in the guide so guests could get a “taste” of what to expect. Advertising space is also

available.

July 14-20

Your 2014 Official Guide to ...

HappyCulinaryWeek.comHappyCulinaryWeek.com

GazetteThe CenTre CounTy

Special Advertising Issue for:

Social Media

Happy Valley Culinary Week is promoted through Visit

Penn State’s Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

and Google+ accounts. Restaurant cooperation is

encouraged. Gift Certificates are used in promotions.

#HappyCulinaryWeek is the hashtag used for this

promotion. Make sure to use it with all social media posts.

Happy Valley CUlinary Week

Recipe Book2014

MARKETING & PROMOTIONS


Advertising & PR

Ads were placed in local publications and on the web

leading up to, and during, the week. Articles covering the event were included in the CDT, Collegian, Town &

Gown and HappyValley.com.

2014 Advertising: - Town & Gown- Centre County Gazette- State College Magazine- Centre Daily Times- HappyValley.com- Facebook & more!

Promos

Signage, table tents, and take-away cards for Happy Valley Culinary Week were

placed throughout the area at local hotels, participating

restaurants, the Visitors Center and local businesses.

Banners at the local farmer’s markets and a sign

promoting the cooking demonstrations were used

the day-of the demos to pull people into the event.

Cooking Demos

Cooking demonstrations were coordinated in 2014

during lunch and evening at the Downtown Theatre. Local chefs prepared food on stage in front of a group ranging in size from 20-50 people each

day.

If you’re interested in doing a demo during Happy

Valley Culinary Week please contact CulinaryWeek@

visitpennstate.org.

Fixed Price Menus cheF deMonstrations

daily social hour with reFreshMents & door Prizes

suPPorts local non-ProFits

Check the website for event schedules!

Happy Valley CUlinary Week

Recipe Book2014

MARKETING & PROMOTIONS


SAMPLE MENUFrom: San Diego Restaurant Week

TO NOTE:Menus will be reviewed by the Happy Valley Culinary Week committee.

Menu items need to be submitted by Friday, March 20, 2015 to [email protected].


TO-DO CHECKLIST...REGISTER: Complete and submit your registration form to the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau by Tuesday, February 27, 2015.

DETERMINE PRICE POINT & MENU: Determine your price points from the range noted in the registration form. Send us the menu text & pricing. We will format, design and return it to you print ready! Menus are due March 20. This is a hard deadline that must be adhered to for menus to be included in the Gazette’s HVCW Guide. Menu item descriptions look great on menus and are strongly encouraged. Menus will then be printed in the Guide and used for promotions. Send to: [email protected]. Please don’t hesitate to email or call for help with menus.

ATTEND THE PARTICIPANT MEETING: Attending the meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 will help provide you and your staff with all the info you need. At least one person from your restaurant must attend.

SUBMIT PAYMENT & GIFT CARDS: Submit your payment and three $25 value gift cards to the Central PA Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. These monies are used for marketing and promotion.

SCHEDULE YOUR COOKING DEMO (and other events): The most popular events of the week are the cooking demos. Check the schedule and choose your time. Email [email protected] or call 814-231-1401. Also, decide what other events you can host to help gain visibility & promote Happy Valley Culinary Week.

SEND US IMAGES: Logos, food & chef photos, culinary specialties, images of people dining in your establishment… we’ll use these for online and print promotions.

SPREAD THE WORD: Promote Happy Valley Culinary Week by sharing it with your newsletter lists, social media channels like Facebook & Twitter, and customers! We will be distributing marketing materials to place in your business for event promotion. We’re happy to help you with social media promotion - just ask!

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTSHappy Valley Culinary Week


THE TIMELINE...

JUNEEarly June - HVCW Kick-Off Party!June - HVCW Official Guide DistributedJune 22-28 - Happy Valley Culinary Week June 29-July 6 – Restaurants complete survey

MARCHMarch 20 - Menus Due*

FEBRUARYFebruary 10 - Informational meeting (open to all interested parties)

February 27 - Regular Registration deadline

APRILPreparation & Committee Meetings (TBD)

MAYMay - HVCW Official Guide published

QUESTIONS?Contact: [email protected]

HappyCulinaryWeek.com

GET SOCIAL!#HappyCulinaryWeek

JANUARYJanuary 30 - Earlybird Registration deadline


Happy Valley Culinary Week | June 22 - 28, 2014PARTICIPATING RESTAURANT REGISTRATION & AGREEMENT FORM

What You Get:• Full page menu with your logo, address, phone & website printed in the official HVCW Guide Book - 10,000+ distributed locally by the Centre County Gazette. Adjacent ad space also offered for an extra cost.• Increased promotion and advertising, including traditional print and radio advertisements as well as social media campaigns conducted by the CPCVB’s marketing department• Increase in revenue and awareness. Menu, logo and website link included on the HVCW website, offering apx. 5,000 unique page visits• Connect with fellow restaurants, local organizations and the community

What We Need:• Register your business as soon as possible. Registration & Marketing fee: Regular pricing: $250 (members) $300 (non-members) Deadline February 27. 2015• Discounted Early Bird pricing available: $200 (members) $250 (non-members) Deadline January 30, 2015• Menus due March 20 (hard deadline)*• Menus should offer multiple courses and a variety of items within the prix fixe menu range (lunch= $6 - $13; Dinner = $15 - $30) Menus must offer diners value as well as creativity• Present all diners with regular menu and Happy Valley Culinary Week menu• Attend Participation Meeting on February 10, 2015 *refer to sample menu and former menus for guidance. We are happy to help; please call or email us with questions.

Restaurant Contact Info:Restaurant: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Name: ______________________________________ Email: __________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Website: ___________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________

Facebook: __________________________________________ Twitter: @_______________________________________

Payment InformationPAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THIS FORM IN ORDER TO BE PROCESSED

I AGREE TO THE TERMS OUTLINES IN THIS AGREEMENT & PLEDGE TO PARTICIPATE IN 2015 HAPPY VALLEY CULINARY WEEK:

NAME:_______________________________________SIGNATURE: ________________________________DATE: ___________

Key Points:• Create menus based on offering diners a creative menu with VALUE, encouraging customers to try something new• Diners appreciate vegetarian and gluten-free options• Please be prepared to accommodate allergies with substitutions• Consider increasing your presence by hosting an event, demo, live music, etc. Email us for guidance and ideas.

Early Bird Registration Fees: (deadline Jan. 30)_______ $200 for CPCVB Member_______ $250 for Non-Member+ three (3) $25 Gift Certificates

Attend Participant Meeting Tuesday, February 10, 2015:

• We will distribute promotional materials, collect gift certificates and provide key points for media opportunities at this meeting.

• Someone from your restaurant MUST attend the Participant Meeting to be considered for earned media spots.

Regular Registration Fees: (deadline Feb. 27)_______ $250 for CPCVB Member_______ $300 for Non-Member+ three (3) $25 Gift Certificates

Check enclosed: check number ____to pay by credit card (Visa & MasterCard accepted) please call Kevin Breon at 814-231-1401

Registration fees are non-refundable


A LOOK BACK: 2014 Food, fun and new friends!

Thank you for setting this up! I love Culinary Week - it’s so great to expand my cooking horizons. - Ceara M.

Great idea to promote local restaurants and farmers! - Megan B.

Fun & foody time! - Nancy M.

2015 HVCW Participant Guide

Documents

Transcript of 2015 HVCW Participant Guide