With thousands of panels to choose from at South By South West, it wasn’t easy creating our schedules. Here are a couple of our favorite panels at SXSW interactive.
Photo via Jason Boucher
Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick explained the power tips to achieve the maximum results from your efforts.
The Art of Social Media | Panel details
Photo via Gretel Perera
The spirit of craft beer was founded with the ideals of fraternity, community, and inclusion. The small craft beer movement has flourished into an industry that has infiltrated America, state by state, with a rising subculture brought together by online communities. Like many subcultures, it has developed elitist factions, and condescension and snobbery have pervaded web forums, social media, and the craft community at large. Through the veil of internet anonymity, an uprising of negativity has overtaken the culture, causing a shift in the attitudes and perception of craft beer. What was once a welcoming community is now often perceived as snobbish and closed to newcomers. A panel of experts included Caroline Wallace (Writer/Co-Founder, Bitch Beer), Christopher Sheppard (Writer/Editor of Craft Taste), Josh Hare (Founder/CEO of Hops & Grain Brewing), and Matt McGinnis of What Are You Drinking? in the craft beer industry discussed the evolving attitudes and the effects of elitism amongst craft beer lovers.
You Can’t Sit with Us: Craft Beer Subculture | Panel details
Photo via Ben Felder
The evolution of blogging has seen the medium move from outlets of a personal nature to a major source of online content, often with great notoriety and controversy. Today the genre faces an identity crisis, as the line has blurred between opinion writing, reporting, and paid content. Integrity often takes a backseat to earning a living, and journalistic standards are all but abandoned under the guise of platform ownership. The blogger community is experiencing an internal backlash as many cry out for stronger guidelines and a movement toward integrity. Can the reputation of blogging be restored through more ethical writing policies and is it possible to be both credible and earn compensation for opinions?
New Journalism: Black and White and Reddit All Over | Panel details
As pre-made meals become even more accessible and the market for processed, ready-to-heat foods increases for busy Americans, we have seen a move away from the scratch-made traditional dishes passed down for generations. In the past, immigrants and their descendants were often encouraged to become “more American” and to turn their backs on their traditional culture, language and food. Now, whether the descendant is a first, second, or even fifth generation American, they are taking another look at their own family histories and what made them who they are today. Traditional food plays a key role of facilitating cultural pride. Amy Kritzer (What Jew Wanna Eat), Annette Priest (Revel Insight), Kay Marley-Dilworth (ATXFoodnews), Sahar Arafat-Ray (Tart Queens Kitchen) discussed how they rejected and later embraced their heritages, their memories of the foods they each grew up with, and what they are doing now to keep their culinary memories alive in the foods they cook. Fork in Hand, Nostalgia at Heart: Food and Heritage | Panel details
Photo via Kim Adams
Laura Gordon (VP Brand Innovation at 7-Eleven), Russell Wager (VP Marketing at Mazda), and Vinoo Vijay (Exec VP/Chief Mktg Officer at TD Bank) reflected on the big question – how has the digital revolution changed the value and purpose of a brand?
What Is A Brand Now Anyway | Panel details
David Chang, owner of Momofuku, and Matt Buchanan, Editor of The Awl, discussed how tech is shaping and changing the way we interact with and consume food, both inside and outside of the restaurant. David Chang announced he’ll be opening Fuku in NYC (163 1st Ave). Tech component integrated.
The Future Role of Tech in Dining and Food | Panel details
Bethany Joy Clark, Director of Global Customer Engagement and Community at TOMS shared how TOMS connects with influencers and bloggers. Indiana Adams, the founder of Texas Style Council, a three day conference for fashion and lifestyle bloggers, will shared the influencer POV.
“Go where the influencers are. Instagram & Meerkat are big” – Indiana Adams
Bloggers and Beyond: Brand Partnership & Influencers | Panel details
Eater Editor in Chief Amanda Kludt and Hot Bread Kitchen’s Jessamyn Rodriguez discussed what her non-profit does and how we can apply its lessons to the greater world.
“We need to invest in the world that feeds us” – Chef Amanda Kludt
72 Ways Food Can Change the World | Panel details
While we can’t say that we liked the quality of this panel, Michelle Phan and Eva Chen, Editor-in-chief of Lucky Magazine, do stress the importance of keeping your photos real.
“Your pictures don’t have to be perfect. People celebrate realness” – Michelle Phan
How To Keep Your Social Media Game Sincere | Panel details
Chicago restaurateurs Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser ran a Michelin-starred restaurant in a shoebox kitchen with just five cooks. Filmmakers Kevin Pang and Mark Helenowski made a feature-length film with two Canon DSLR cameras and practically no budget. They discussed the entrepreneurship required, the triumphs and woes of their mutual journeys, and how they collaborated on the documentary “For Grace,” premiering at SXSW 2015.
How to Build 3 Michelin Star Restaurants + Make a Doc | Panel detail
In the age of Yelp, everyone is a critic. Journalism as a profession is in a state of turmoil, and food sections are often the first to fold when print publications nip and tuck their budgets. Does the noise of the internet make professional criticism more relevant than ever or have instagram and twitter made the critic irrelevant? We’ll hear from restaurant critics and food writers about how they have adapted their craft to the digital age and how they foresee the future of food criticism.
Writing a Yelp review after one visit is not a review. – @alisoncook, Houston Chronicle
Food Criticism in the Digital Age | Panel details
Pursuit Farms has become a beacon for discerning palates seeking the finest Wagyu beef available…
New Orleans, LA - On October 22, 2024, I recently had an opportunity to attend the grand opening of Caesars New Orleans, marking the completion of a stunning $435 million transformation of the former Harrah’s New Orleans. It was an evening to remember, filled with excitement, luxury, and the vibrant spirit of New Orleans. The festivities began on Canal Street with an exhilarating ceremony led by Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg, President & COO Anthony Carano, and Caesars New Orleans General Manager Samir Mowad. The atmosphere was electric as they joined Caesar himself and an iconic New Orleans second-line band in a lively procession into the casino. It felt like the entire city had come out to celebrate, with Caesars New Orleans team members and Mayor LaToya Cantrell also joining the event to commemorate this historic occasion. Anthony Carano’s pride in introducing Caesars to New Orleans was palpable. “From local favorite Emeril Lagasse to our long-time partner, Chef Nobu, to the beautiful state-of-the-art Caesars Sportsbook, all-new rooms and gaming floor, and of course, our gorgeous new center bar, Octavia, Caesars New Orleans offers something for everyone. It’s a world-class resort in the heart of the Big Easy, and we can’t wait for our guests to experience it,” he said. The ceremony was a spectacle, kicking off with an iconic Mardi Gras float featuring Caesar and his court, and a dazzling firework show that lit up the New Orleans sky. The second-line band then led us revelers into the resort’s elegant center bar, Octavia, where we indulged in a “Taste of Caesars New Orleans.” Each bite from the six on-property restaurants was a delightful journey, capturing the essence of New Orleans’ rich culinary scene. Throughout the night, elemental entertainers, including the Saints Cheer Krewe, Mardi Gras Indians, Zulu Tramps, and showgirls, created an authentic and unforgettable Big Easy experience. Everywhere I turned, there was something new to marvel at, each performance more mesmerizing than the last. Samir Mowad, SVP and GM of Caesars New Orleans, highlighted the significance of the transformation, stating, “This year marks 25 years since we opened in New Orleans, and the completion of this project is the perfect way to usher in a new era with Caesars. Synonymous with the Caesars name, our new resort is pure elegance, and we’re excited to introduce a luxury brand like this to New Orleans. We are extremely grateful for the support of the community, our team members, and our guests as we come to the finish line of this tremendous transformation.” The hotel itself is impressive,…
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