Cater+Event Schedule 2027

"Two steps or two seconds = $2.00"

Most caterers think they have a labor problem. They don't. They have a waste problem disguised as a labor problem.

Every unnecessary step, every minute spent waiting, every duplicate task, every unnecessary trip to the truck, and every last-minute scramble quietly steals profit long before the first guest arrives.

The companies that consistently produce exceptional events aren't simply better staffed; they're better designed, they develop their people, add value, and eliminate waste!

Every catered event contains a hidden event: waste. Some of it costs money. Some create unnecessary labor. Some causes delays, frustration, and last-minute heroics. Much of it goes unnoticed because it has become "the way we've always done it."

Drawing on experience from more than 3,600 catered events, including luxury weddings, the Oscars Governors Ball, the Emmy Awards, the Grammys, Super Bowls, and countless corporate and social events, Roy Porter introduces a practical framework for identifying and eliminating hidden waste throughout every event.

Using the Ten Elements of Lean, attendees will follow the lifecycle of an event—from proposal and planning through purchasing, production, transportation, setup, service, strike, and return to the warehouse—to discover where profit is quietly leaking and how simple 1% operational improvements can transform execution. Your wealth is in your waste!

This is not a session about manufacturing or complicated Lean theory. It's about seeing events differently. Through real-world examples, photographs, stories, and practical solutions, attendees will learn how to eliminate unnecessary motion, waiting, transportation, overproduction, defects, communication breakdowns, and other hidden forms of waste that impact labor, profitability, team morale, and ultimately the guest experience.

Attendees will leave with a new way of leading, executing, and evaluating every event, one that leads to smoother operations, stronger teams, happier clients, and healthier profit margins without adding staff or investing in expensive equipment. In lean, this is called "Wits over wallet and or fix what needs improving!"

Attend this session and know how to get the wealth out of the waste!