Today we are celebrating some of the wonderful activities our staff participates in as part of our company culture club called MIVE, an initialism acronym that stands for “Make It Vibrant Everyday.”  Vibrant Occasions founded the MIVE culture club this year and have had a lot of fun with it.  Back in March of 2022, chef Serge and his wife, Mary, attended the 2nd annual Heart Leadership Workshop in Denver, Colorado hosted by a team at Footers Catering.  The workshop aims to revolutionize the hospitality industry through culture and heart leadership. Footers Catering is owned by second generation catering professionals, Anthony and April Lambatos.  While Anthony’s father, the original founder of Footers Catering, taught him first generation lessons like how to pour his heart into his work, Anthony’s second generation learning quest is focused on how to pour your heart into your staff and the people you serve.

Chef Serge and Mary Krikorian, owners of Vibrant Occasions, brought back the lessons they learned at the Heart Leadership Workshop and immediately started implementing them into their own company culture. MIVE culture club was born and one of the main objectives has been to create group activities on a consistent basis that the staff can take part in as a way to bond, share moments together and have some fun.  The hospitality industry can be busy and even brutal at times due to jam-packed schedules, working on holidays and simply being the people-pleasers that are found within the field.  Coming together to create memorable experiences not only generates genuine, authentic connections between staff members, it also translates out into the community.  If a company’s staff is happy and less stressed, that attitude will radiate onto clients and anyone served by Vibrant Occasions.  We consider our team as our work family (and many of our team members are actually family), so how we treat one another is paramount to our success as a company, but more importantly as people and leaders.

Here are some takeaways from Anthony and April Lambatos’ core values on leading that really hit home with Serge and Mary.

Lead

• Value people for more than the job that they do. People aren’t separate from who they are away from work and at work.
• Look at people as people and help them through every phase of life. Everyone has a psychological need to be appreciated, validated, understood and affirmed. We often forget to do the meaningful things that make the most impact in our employees’ lives.
• 87% of employees expect their employers to support them in balancing work and personal commitments. We have to understand where people are at all different points in their lives.

Here are a few of our own MIVE culture club activities this year.  We couldn’t make all the things that we do at Vibrant Occasions happen without our TEAM.  To all of our staff, past, present and future, we salute you and look forward to making many more memories for years to come!

MIVE Culture Club Activities 2022

• Staff lunch gatherings
• Food art class
• Nonprofit volunteering
• Teepeeing the kitchen (we kind of felt bad about this one, haha)
• November birthday bash with several of our staff members celebrating birthdays, including Chef Serge
• #rednoseday participation to end child poverty
• Pumpkin carving workshop
• Hand turkey drawing art day
• …and many more

This recipe by Chef Serge Krikorian was originally featured on THV 11’s The Vine broadcast with Adam Bledsoe and Ashley King.  Chef Serge knew that Ashley is vegan and kept that in mind when deciding to showcase this particular dish.  Around the holidays, people are always trying to find the best vegan recipes out there that will leave guests feeling satisfied.  It can be difficult to find a dish that is filling, tastes great and has that holiday flair.  This stuffed acorn squash recipe accomplishes all of these goals and more.  The recipe has also been picked up on Newsweek in an article found here:

https://www.newsweek.com/vegan-thanksgiving-dinner-recipes-celebrity-chefs-1761091

Thank you to THV 11’s The Vine hosts, Ashley King and Adam Bledsoe for having Chef Serge Krikorian with Vibrant Occasions Catering share his recipe, Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Try this recipe out for yourself this holiday season or any time of the year!  Don’t forget, you can always visit the Cooking with the Kriks show on Youtube for more guided recipes.  Cooking with the Kriks is hosted by Chef Serge Krikorian as he demonstrates some of his favorite recipes with local celebrity guests, influencers, entrepreneurs and interesting people.  Go check it out at the link below and be sure to SUBSCRIBE:

https://www.youtube.com/CookingwiththeKriks

Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Yield: 2 Servings 

Ingredients: 

2 Acorn Squash 

1/2 Cup Harvest Blend Rice (I recommend Ralston Family Farms)\ 

1 tsp. Vegan Bouillon 

1/4 Cup Diced Yellow Onion 

1/4 Cup Diced Celery 

1/4 Cup Diced Red Bell Pepper 

1/4 Cup Diced Green Bell Pepper 

1/4 Cup Frozen Sweet Whole Kernel Corn 

1 Cup Fresh Spinach 

1 tsp. Minced Garlic 

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste 

1/4 Cup Canned Chickpeas 

1/4 Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts, divided 

1/4 Cup Craisins, divided 

1/4 tsp. Ground Allspice 

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin 

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt 

1/4 tsp. Course Ground Black Pepper 

Cut the acorn squash in half from stem to bottom and remove the seeds with a spoon. Rub the acorn squash with olive oil and place it in a preheated 325 degree oven with the skin side up for 25-30 minutes, until it starts wilting on the outside. Remove from the oven and season with a little salt and pepper to taste. 

Meanwhile, combine the rice with 2.25 cups of cold water in a small pot. Add the vegan bouillon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer until all liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente, about 20-25 minutes. 

Add the olive oil to a skillet on a stove on medium heat. Saute the onions, red and green bell peppers and celery until the onions are almost translucent and the remaining vegetables are soft. This generally takes 3 to 4 minutes. Add the corn, chickpeas, and fresh spinach, sauteeing for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and the remaining seasoning. Saute for another couple of minutes. Add the rice, ¾ of the toasted walnuts, and ¾ of the craisins. 

Stuff the rice mixture into the acorn squash. Garnish with cucumber aioli (recipe below) the remaining walnuts and craisins.

Cucumber Aioli 

½ English Cucumber, seeded 

Juice of ½ Fresh Lemon 

2 Cloves Garlic, minced 

1 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

½ Cup Vegan Mayonnaise 

1 Tbls. Fresh Cilantro, chopped 

½ tsp. Kosher Salt 

½ tsp. Course Ground Black Pepper 

Put all the ingredients except for the mayonnaise in a blender and blend until well combined. Fold the mayonnaise into the mixture and refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving.

Vibrant Occasions catering is completely committed to participating in the efforts of local nonprofits that directly benefit the community and the people within. Being able to make a splash while raising money and putting smiles on people’s faces was an honor in itself. Chef Serge Krikorian and his wife Mary have been catering to Arkansas since 2002 and have been making theirs, and others, dreams come true. Menu planning, catering, and being active in changing the lives of as many people as they can has always been their goal. The EMpact One Foundation has a passion for serving the youth. They have been helping shape the futures of children in their community of Saline County, Arkansas and bettering the lives of many people around the state. Their mission? Transform the way youth impacts the world. Our future will be characterized by the children of our world today. They want to be able to provide children of all ages with the opportunity to engage in high-quality character building experiences that could forever change the trajectory of their lives. With the help of those such as the Benton Chamber of Commerce, Arkansas Thunder Fastpitch, Arvest Bank, Vibrant Occasions, and many more, they have been able to raise funds to be able to support the youth of their community.

EMpact Objectives:

• Providing access to high-quality experiences for children and families.
• Building character and emotional intelligence within a child.
• Empowering youth through leadership training and development opportunities.
• Promoting inclusivity and cultural infusion.
• Supporting the physical and mental wellness of children and youth.
• Advancing parent, sibling, and community support through training and resources.

On September 15th The EMpact One Foundation hosted a donation dunking booth! $10 ensured three tries at dunking some special people, Jason Brown, Andrew Norris, Jordan O’Roark, Ashley Copple, Dr. James Cooper, Ashley Strange, Brook Plack, Danny Young, Justin Jackson, and Vibrant Occasions’ very own Serge Krikorian! With a goal of $2,500, they were able to totally surpass that with everyone’s help and reached $3,350. Every $80 that was raised is able to fund one month of enrollment for one child in whatever athletic activity they enjoy. That’s nearly 50 children who are now able to participate in their dream sport. From football, to gymnastics, to softball, those who have been underserved and underrepresented will now have the ability to partake in something they wouldn’t have been able to before.

With 30 minutes in the dunk tank, Chef Serge awaited being dunked, and was submerged before he knew it! Sacrificing himself for a good cause while having fun is always a good time in his book. We had a wonderful time at the dunk booth, even if it called for being dunk’d! If you’re in need of a quick laugh, check out EMpact One Foundation’s facebook to watch Chef Serge and other brave troops make a splash! It’s sure to make your eyes water. If you are wanting to support The EMpact One Foundation and take part in helping the youth of the Benton community by donating or volunteering your time, visit their website here.  Donations made directly to EMpact One are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.