Happy Valley Culinary Week 2014

HappyCulinaryWeek.com

RESTAURANT PARTICIPANT GUIDE

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 2013 ...................................................................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 off er a discounted three-course fi xed price menu during their hours of operation. Diners will have an opportunity to sample cuisine from a broad selection of restaurants at an aff ordable price. Meals will include an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

{ July 14-20, 2014 }


WHAT IS EXPECTED... Responsibilities of Restaurant Participants:

REGISTERComplete and return the registration form and participation fee to the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau. Send your logo (B&W & color format) and restaurant photos to [email protected]. Registration must be completed by Monday, May 19, 2014.

CREATE YOUR MENUCreate a multi-course meal for the fi xed price menu during Happy Valley Culinary Week at one of the three prix fi xe levels available.

Lunch - $6 / $10 / $13Dinner $15 / $22 / $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 fi rst 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] menus will be reviewed by the Happy Valley Culinary Week committee for approval before the promotion.

Once menus are 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 & fi nished menus will be sent to participating restaurants. All restaurants are required to print their own HVCW menu.

Restaurants MUST off er 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. It must be

presented to all restaurant guests 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…

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. Events will be posted on the web site and also used in PR if given enough notice. Suggestions include: wine tastings, meet the chef/local growers, cooking demos, ladies night out, live music, etc… Be creative and have some fun with it!

Inform and educate your staff about the Happy Valley Culinary Week promotion so they can properly explain it to customers (as well as friends & family) leading up to and during the week-long promotion.

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.

Note: All restaurant-specifi c information is kept confi dential and is only reported in the aggregate.


FAQ’sDo 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 = $200 + three $20 gift cards• Non-Members = $250 + three $20 gift cards

Note: Gift cards will be used for contests and promotions for Happy Valley Culinary Week.

Does my restaurant have to participate for the full week of July 14-20, 2014?All participating restaurants are required to participate for the full one-week period based on your regular operating hours.

Do I have to off er a multi-course meal?Yes. Each restaurant will need to off er a multi-course meal for a fi xed price, Lunches = $6/$10/$13 and Dinners = $15/$22/$30 (including tax).

Will I need to create my own culinary week menus?You will need to provide us with the menu items 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 off er “upgrades” to the menu for more money?Yes. That is, you could off er the basic option and add, “With shrimp, add $4.00; with lobster, add $8.00.” But you must off er at least one multi-course option at fi xed 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 signifi cant follow-up to maximize the exposure. Traditional media campaigns as well as social media 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, et...

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 benefi ts so each participating restaurant has to register individually.

What is a prix fi xe menu?A “prix fi xe” menu is simply a menu of pre-determined items presented as a multi course meal (typically an appetizer, entree and dessert) at a set price. It is suggested to include more than one option under these menu items .


Happy Valley Culinary Week Website


Logos & menus from each participating restaurant will

be included on the web page which will be hosted by Visit

Penn State.

In 2013: - 17 participating restaurants- The web page received around 5,000 pageviews between January 1-July 1

O� cial Guide to Happy Valley Culinary Week

Over 15,000 guides were printed and distributed

through the Centre County Gazette. Guides were also

distributed to participating restaurants and the Visitors

Center.

Each restaurant’s menu was published in the guide so

guests could get a “taste” of what to expect.

MARKETING & PROMOTIONS


Special Advertising Issue for:

Your O� cial Guide to...

Social MediaHappy Valley Culinary Week

was promoted through Visit Penn State’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest

accounts. Participating restaurants also promoted it through their social media

channels as well.

#HappyCulinaryWeek is the hashtag used for this

promotion. Make sure to use it when promoting it with

social media.


Advertising & PRAds were placed in local

publications and on the web leading up to the promotion

and during the week.

2013 Advertising: - Town & Gown-Centre County Gazette- State College Magazine- Centre Daily Times- HappyValley.com- Google AdWords - Facebook

PromosSignage, table tents, and

take-away cards for Happy Valley Culinary Week was

placed throughout the area at local hotels, participating

restaurants, the Visitors Center and local businesses.

Banners were used at the local farmer’s markets and a sign promoting the cooking

demonstrations was used the day-of the demos to pull

people into the event.

Cooking DemosCooking demonstrations were coordinated in 2013

during the lunch hour at the Downtown Theatre. Local

chefs prepared food 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.

MARKETING & PROMOTIONS

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

and

andd

andd

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

Menu items need to be submitted by Monday, May 19, 2014 to [email protected].


CHECKLIST...DETERMINE PRICE POINT & MENU: Determine the price points you’ll be working from as noted in the registration form. Send us the menu text & pricing. We’ll take care of the format, design and return it to you print ready! Include a 10 word/one-line bio. The menu will be used on the website and for promotional materials (travel writers, media, etc.). Send to: [email protected].

REGISTER: Complete and submit your registration form to the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau by Monday, May 19, 2014.

PAYMENT & GIFT CARDS: Submit your payment and three $20 value gift cards to the Central PA Convention & Visitor’s Bureau in order to participate in Happy Valley Culinary Week.

PREPARE YOUR STAFF: Educate and involve your staff . It is of vital importance that your staff is prepared and is familiar with Happy Valley Culinary Week.

SEND US IMAGES: Food & chef photos, culinary specialties, images of people dining in your establishment… these could be used in print, on our Website, and in social media.

SPREAD THE WORD: Promote Happy Valley Culinary Week by sharing it with your newsletter lists, social media channels, and customers! We will be distributing posters and table tents to place in your business for promotion of the event.

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTSHappy Valley Culinary WeekPARTICIPATING RESTAURANTSHappy Valley Culinary WeekPARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS


THE TIMELINE...

JULYJuly __ - HVCW Offi cial Guide publishedJuly __ - HVCW Offi cial Guide DistributedJuly 14-20 - Happy Valley Culinary Week July 21-25 – Restaurants complete survey

FEBRUARY February 11 - Informational meeting

APRILApril 8 - Informational meeting

MAYMay 13 - Informational meeting

May 19 - Registration forms dueMay 19 - Menus due

JUNEJune 24 - HVCW Kick-off party!

QUESTIONS?Contact: [email protected]


GET SOCIAL!#HappyCulinaryWeek

MARCHMarch 11 - Informational meeting

11Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com 11Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau | 800 East Park Avenue, State College, PA | 814-231-1401 | HappyCulinaryWeek.com

Happy Valley Culinary Week | July 14-20, 2014PARTICIPATING RESTAURANT REGISTRATION & AGREEMENT FORM

Your Bene� ts:• Increased promotion and advertising• Increase in revenues• Connect with fellow restaurants

Your Obligations to Participate:• $200 (Members) or $250 (Non-Members) Registration/Mar-keting Fee• Donation of three (3) $20 gift cards/certifi cates which will be used for promotion of the event• Provide your Happy Valley Culinary Week menu for publica-tion on the website and in the offi cial guide

Your Menu: • Menus must include a multi-course meal for the fi xed price menu during HVCW at one of the 2 prix fi xe levels available.• Be as fl exible as long as you have one of the three prix fi xe levels on your Happy Valley Culinary Week menu: [lunch = $6 / $10 / $13 and/or dinner $15 / $22 / $30] • In creating your menu, please remember diners are looking for VALUE and creativity when choosing a restaurant. • Present all diners with both your regular and Happy Valley Culinary Week menus.

Some Key Points:• Diners choose restaurants based on creative menu, value or to try something new.• Diners appreciate the restaurants that off er a vegetarian option.• Restaurants are accommodating allergies with substitutions.• Consider holding an event, demo, or live music

Attend A Meeting: • Various meetings will be held at the Centre County/Penn State Visitors Center for interested and participating restau-rants:

o Tuesday, February 11 – 2:00 PMo Tuesday, March 11 – 2:00 PMo Tuesday, April 8 – 2:00 PMo Tuesday, May 13 – 2:00 PMo Kick-off Party: Tuesday, June 24 – time TBA

• We will distribute promotional materials, collect gift certifi -cates and provide key points for media opportunities at these meetings. • Someone from your restaurant must attend at least one participant meeting to be considered for earned media spots.

Restaurant Contact Info:

Restaurant: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Website: _________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________

Facebook: _______________________________________________ Twitter: @_________________________________

Participating Restaurants must off er a prix fi xe menu at one of the following price points: *choose from the following price points

Lunch: $6 / $10 / $13 Dinner: $15 / $22 / $30

Payment Information PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THIS FORM IN ORDER TO BE PROCESSED

Registration Fees: ___ $200.00 for CPCVB Members ___ $250.00 for Non-members of the CPCVB+ three (3) $20.00 gift cards/certifi cates

Check enclosed: Check number: ___________To pay by credit card (Visa and MasterCard accepted) please call Kevin Breon at 814-231-1401. Registration fees are non-refundable.

AgreementI AGREE TO THE TERMS ABOVE AND AGREE TO PARTICI-PATE IN THE 2014 HAPPY VALLEY CULINARY WEEK JULY 14-20, 2014.

RESTAURANT NAME: __________________________________________________SIGNATURE: __________________________________________________DATE: __________________________________________________


A LOOK AT 2013 >>“Culinary Week diners told us the meal deals encouraged them to come in and try the unique cuisine…we made many new friends!”

- Duke Gastiger, Spat’s Cafe

“We really enjoyed participating and would love to do it again!”

-PJ Harrigan’s

Documents

Happy Valley Culinary Week 2014