Kathleen S. Margoles

Community and Economic Development Director

The CRA has contracted with South Florida Food and Wine since March 2015 to assist us in creating specialized culinary activity in the Culinary Arts District.  This has included Music on Main Street and the Culinary Arts Showcase.  Created in 2009, South Florida Food and Wine is a professional full service culinary arts business.  They offer a full array of creative services to showcase food and wine.   The managing officer, Ms. Najac has also coordinated the Collaborative Kitchen at the Delray Garlic Festival and the Turn the Table: Guest Chef Series in Boca Raton and is a regular blogger and judge for culinary events in the tri-county area. 

Ms. Christine Najac has worked with CRA staff to grow Music on Main Street and the Culinary Arts Showcase (CAS), as well as our social media presence, since first establishing our relationship in March 2015.  Through her extensive contacts with the culinary industry, Ms. Najac has brought wine, beer, spirits and coffee pairings to the CAS chef presentations. Attendance at the CAS has tripled due to the caliber of the chefs, creativity of the pairings, presentation of the event and the promotion on social media.

The agreement was not bid out but quotes were obtained for comparison purposes.  This is allowable under the exemptions clause of our Code of Ordinances on procurement.

Sec. 2-198.  Exceptions to competitive procurement requirement.

g.   Artistic services which are original and creative in character and skill in a recognized field of artistic endeavor such as music, dance, drama, painting, and sculpture, photography, culinary arts, fashion design and the like

The FY16 agreement with SFFW is $50,000.

The FY17 budget includes several new events:

Holiday Village

Dancing in the Streets

Wilton Manor/Oakland Park Culinary Event

Taste of Oakland Park

The total for event management for these culinary events, in addition to Music on Main and the Culinary Arts Showcase, will be $60,000.   The Holiday Village and Taste of Oakland Park events entail extensive recruitment of vendors in addition to the event management on the day of the event. 

The management of the additional events are incorporated into the new event management contract with South Florida Food and Wine and the new agreement of $60,000 will be funded from FY 2017 budget after it is adopted. The proposed expenditure for FY 2017, is as follows:

South Florida Food and Wine Agreement
Acct. Name & Number	2017 Recommended Budget	Proposed Expenditure	2017 Remaining Available
Other Current Charges – Special Events 13017559.449550	$ 104,000	$ 60,000	$ 44,000