Business & Tech
Cooking up Success at the Cobb Galleria
The Cobb Galleria Centre is coming off its busiest summer ever.
This past summer at was a busy one - its busiest on record in fact. Michele Swann, Cobb Galleria Centre CEO and manager, explained that this adds up to big business for Cobb County.
“The Cobb Galleria Centre's trade shows and conventions translated into more than 10,000 hotel rooms nights during the months of June, July and August," she said. "Even during the slower summer months where leisure travel is more prevalent, group business is holding its own. Increasing the level of visitors to Cobb County through events booked in the convention center accomplishes our mission of enhancing the quality of life and providing economic benefit to the community."
Cobb Galleria’s Executive Chef Nicholas Walker might have something to do with the busy season. He’s recently made it his mission to prepare “unconventional conventional food” that pairs fresh, local and international ingredients.
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Walker loves cooking with local ingredients, but thinks they need to be used in a creative way.
“It’s great if you’re using local produce, but what are you doing with it?” he said.
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Walker uses local ingredients to prepare dishes like sweet tea braised pork belly with parsnip puree, a foie gras trotter tot with smoked tomato jam and pork demi or chilled sweet corn soup with roasted red pepper flan.
“Convention food doesn’t have to suck,” Walker said. “This is more of a challenge.”
Business continues to boom at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Wednesday, Sept. 28 is the 4 in 1 Career Expo: a career fair, health fair education fair and work from home fair all in one. The expo begins at 10 a.m. and includes free resume brand evaluation, health screenings for diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Participating employers are looking to fill 800 positions. Admission and parking are free, but business attire is required.
Anime Weekend Atlanta comes to the Galleria Friday, Sept. 30. This three-day Japanese animation and comics festival features an art show, vendors and a ball. For a complete schedule and registration information, visit the festival’s website.
Tuesday, Oct. 4 is the Women for Hire Career Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission to the career fair is free, but business attire and resumes are required to attend. The fair includes coffee and career chats, resume critiques and a mentor match program that pairs interested women with a leading employer for a 15-minute one-on-one mentoring session.