Kravis Center Names New Catering Company

The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts has named Lessing's Hospitality Group as its new catering company, according to Kravis Center CEO Diane Quinn, and Michael Lessing, Lessing's Hospitality Group president.

With more than 100 locations throughout the Northeast and Florida, Lessing's Hospitality Group adds the Kravis Center to its local holdings, which include the prestigious, Jupiter-based Pelican Club, the four restaurants at Charlie & Joe's at Love Street, and the Crane Club at Tesoro in Port St. Lucie.

In its new role, Lessing's will now cater and manage operations for the Kravis Center's more than 500 events annually, including meeting and event facilities in the multipurpose Cohen Pavilion, as well as dining and bar service in its performance venues.

"The Kravis Center has been home to so many important events since we opened the Cohen Pavilion almost 20 years ago," said Quinn. "We are now excited to welcome Lessing's Hospitality Group to our family and look forward to greeting guests with their remarkable hospitality. Hosts and guests for fundraisers, meetings, trade shows, weddings, bar/bat mitzvah parties, proms, graduations, and more have counted on the Kravis Center to make their events truly world-class and memorable. As we prepare to celebrate our 30th anniversary of serving Palm Beach County and beyond, we look forward to working with Lessing's to continue our tradition of exceeding all expectations."

Steeped in more than 130 years of its own tradition, Lessing's Hospitality Group is the oldest family-owned, continuously operated, highly diverse food service company in the U.S. Known for providing each guest with a unique, personalized experience and remarkable hospitality, the company operations include 21 wedding and catering venues, 20 full-service restaurants, and over 60 corporate and academic dining centers.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for us to partner with such a prestigious facility in the South Florida area," said Michael Lessing, president of Lessing's Hospitality Group. "We couldn't be more excited to provide a creative and remarkable overall experience to the guests and patrons of the Kravis Center. We look forward to bringing new and refreshed hospitality offerings to the performing arts center."

The new agreement with Lessing's follows a nearly 20-year contract with The Breakers Palm Beach. According to Kravis Center Board Member and The Breakers Palm Beach CEO Paul Leone, the shift allows The Breakers to focus on core enterprises and devote personnel and resources to primary resort operations, as demand for those services continues to increase.

"Our journey in off-property catering has been a tremendously rewarding experience," said Leone. "We would not have achieved such success without the mutual support and dedication to excellence that we shared with the Kravis Center. We are confident the Kravis Center will continue to provide outstanding cultural and artistic offerings, while delivering the highest quality food and beverage service."

Opened in October 2003, the Kravis Center's Cohen Pavilion is a grand and expansive venue with meeting and catering facilities, including the 10,500-square-foot Weiner Banquet Center and Gimelstob Ballroom, with seating for more than 700 people. It also comprises The Picower Foundation Arts Education Center with the Helen K. Persson Hall, practice rooms, classrooms, lecture halls, theatre labs, a dance studio, and a recording studio. These and many more amenities are available for rent and make the Kravis Center a versatile and magnificent venue in Palm Beach County. For event and catering information, visit www.kravis.org/rentals/catering.