Ovations

   

The Duke Energy Center is a newly remodeled 750,000 square foot convention center in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since the completion of the $160 million expansion, the convention center became large enough to host over 75% of the meetings and conventions booked in the United States. It also contains the Midwest’s largest grand ballroom at a size of 38,962 square feet. The Duke Energy Center’s kitchen is designed and equipped to produce over 5,000 innovative and fresh meals for guests.

    Ovations took over operations of the newly remodeled convention center from a major competitor on January 1, 2006. Even prior to taking over operations, Ovations invested in the center to change traditional foodservice practices to allow our fresh approach to cuisine to be delivered. Some of these improvements include: portable upscale banquet carts that promote fresh cooking, signature local and national branded concessions and Ovations’ Everything’s Fresh™ menu transition in all of the concession areas. Ovations was given the following challenges upon takeover:

  1. To create a foodservice program that is fresh and innovative to help the Duke Energy Center stand apart from it’s competitors
  2. To create a program that would benefit the community
  3. To create signature concepts
  4. To transition the Center’s labor union, H.E.R.E, over to Ovations management

   

    Ovations goal of turning the foodservice at the Duke Energy Center into one that is unmatched in quality of the cuisine, the creativity of presentation and exceptional in service was no small task, but one that Ovations was excited to perform. Several modifications were made to the existing foodservice facility design to allow for fresher cuisine and enhanced customer experiences. Also, in order to do this, Ovations had to make sure that the Center’s culinary team was made up of some of the most renowned people in the industry. The Center’s Executive Chef, Henry Warman, is a European-Trained Chef with extensive experience serving high-quality and high-volume gourmet meals. His experience is broad, but most notably Chef Warman was a member of the culinary team on the Queen Elizabeth II Luxury Liner. He now “takes the helm” at the Duke Energy Center where he displays his flair for presentation and unmatched quality.

    Ovations was also successful in creating a foodservice program that would benefit the community. Ovations immediately partnered with local businesses such as suppliers, a marketing firm, a public relations firm and a specialty catering company. This helped the Duke Energy Center create a sustaining program in several categories.

    Ovations also developed several signature concepts such as Elm Street Cafe featuring Starbucks, Quizno’s, Skyline Chili, The Noodle Bar, upscale portable banquet carts and thematic event options that doubled sales.

    Ovations successfully transitioned H.E.R.E employees over to Ovations practices and helped create a qualitative assurance program that raised the bar for the level of service.

    The convention center is still enjoying continued momentum and success since completing the expansion. The Cincinnati Convention & Visitor’s Bureau focuses on landing mega-venues such as the NAACP national convention and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement, Ovations and Global Spectrum (venue management at the Duke Energy Center) are charged with creatively seeking out the smaller meetings such as local corporations, community groups and social organizations that use the venue in between larger events.