News Room
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mary Gratzer
(502) 583-7855
dirona@hqtrs.com
New Orleans to Welcome Top Chefs and Restaurateurs for Annual Distinguished Dining Celebration
Louisville, KY - Hundreds of chefs and restaurateurs from North America’s finest restaurants will converge in the famous Crescent City, New Orleans, October 19 – 21, 2008, for the Distinguished Restaurants of North America’s (DiRōNA) 2008 Gala and Educational Conference. The annual event is a three-day celebration of fine food, vintage wines, education, networking and culinary excellence.
This year’s Conference Chair, Chef John Folse, a local and national celebrity chef, has taken the event to new heights and is working with a team of volunteers and staff to create a unique culinary and historical experience for conference attendees. From the opening night reception in Jackson Square and the Cabildo, to a black-tie gala at the Plimsoll Club that affords breathtaking views of the mighty Mississippi and the French Quarter, the event truly will offer something that appeals to all.
The conference theme, “Can’t Blow Us Away,” speaks to both the strength and resilience of the people of Louisiana as well as the transition of DiRōNA to a membership-based organization and the major restructuring and difficult decisions that move requires. Educational sessions will support the “Can’t Blow Us Away” theme by addressing these times of economic uncertainty and how high-end restaurants are coping with issues like rising energy costs and decreased consumer discretionary income.
DiRōNA, a non-profit organization, serves as an independent authority for recognizing and promoting excellence in dining. DiRōNA’s independent inspectors explore nominated restaurants across the United States, Canada, and Mexico to find those worthy of the DiRōNA distinction.
Registration to the conference is available on DiRōNA’s Website, www.dirona.org as well as a hotel reservation link for the Royal Sonesta, DiRōNA’s headquarters hotel. The Website also includes a full listing of DiRōNA restaurants.
