-- Vibrant Occasions Catering provided full-service plated dinner catering for the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce 2026 Annual Banquet, held March 10, 2026, at the Benton Event Center. The evening marked a historic milestone, celebrating 75 years of the Chamber's service as a cornerstone of communication, connection, and business growth in Saline County.
The event featured a keynote address by Sarah Thomas, the NFL's first female official and one of Sports Illustrated's 100 Most Influential NFL Figures of All Time. Thomas reflected on her groundbreaking career navigating a male-dominated industry, sharing leadership lessons on breaking barriers, maintaining focus under pressure, and striving for excellence in any field.
Vibrant Occasions Catering served a plated Mediterranean dinner for 550 guests, featuring Mediterranean Steak Kebabs, flame-grilled steak skewers marinated with fresh tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and cilantro, alongside Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs topped with feta and house-made tahini tzatziki sauce with fresh cucumber, onion, and tomato. Sides included Tri-Color Roasted Potatoes with Yukon Gold, sweet potatoes, and baby reds, and Roasted Broccoli drizzled with olive oil and oven-roasted to create flavorful charred edges. Pre-set on dining tables was a smooth, savory house-made hummus served with pita chips. The evening concluded with a dessert bar featuring pecan bars, cherry ooey gooey bars, blueberry cheesecake bars, and lemon bars.
"It was a privilege to be part of such a significant evening for our community," said Chef Serge Krikorian, Executive Chef and Managing Partner of Vibrant Occasions Catering. "The Benton Area Chamber of Commerce has been the heartbeat of this region for 75 years, and we were honored to bring the celebration to the table."
As a Benton-based company, Vibrant Occasions Catering was honored to help celebrate one of the community's most significant annual business gatherings during the Chamber's milestone 75th anniversary year. The banquet was sponsored by First Security Bank, Jones Heating and Air, Baxley-Penfield-Moudy Realtors, CDI Contractors, Everett Buick GMC, Ferguson's Furniture, McCauley Services, Middlebrooks Electric, P. Clark and Associates, and Smith Benton Funeral Home.
Vibrant Occasions Catering has been recognized with back-to-back national ACE Awards from Catersource and The Special Event, named Best Boss by Arkansas Money and Politics, and recognized by AY Magazine as a Best Place to Work finalist. The company maintains one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the Arkansas catering industry, a reflection of its heart leadership philosophy and commitment to team culture.
For more information about Vibrant Occasions Catering or to schedule a consultation, visit vibrantoccasionscatering.com or call (501) 408-2111.
About Vibrant Occasions Catering: Chef Serge Krikorian and his wife, Mary Krikorian, started their catering business in 2002 and have been in the family restaurant business since 1994. Having catered thousands of events over the years as Dinner's Ready, they launched Vibrant Occasions Catering, a new name that more accurately depicts the level of food and service provided at weddings and social events. Krikorian was born in Lebanon and moved to the United States with his family as an adult entering college. He now hails from the quaint town of Benton, Arkansas. His southern hospitality paired with his penchant for developing unique international fusion-style recipes, especially sauces, has garnered his reputation as foodies' fan favorite in his community and now on the YouTube space for his cooking show, Cooking with the Kriks. After years of dreaming about owning a mobile kitchen, in December 2020, Serge and Mary launched Our Mobile Kitchen with the intention of providing fresh, 5-star quality chef-prepared cuisine on site for catered weddings and social, private or corporate events. Krikorian is an alumnus of Henderson State University where he studied business earning his Bachelor's Degree and met his wife, Mary. He earned his MBA from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Serge became a restaurant entrepreneur when he purchased an old, run-down pizza parlor he and Mary revived called Sergio's Pizza. After a few years, they knew the restaurant business was not for them. Mary booked their first official catering gig, much to Serge's surprise. They began receiving more and more requests for catering luncheons and events. The catering business took over after six months and they never looked back. They have three sons who often work in the business around their academic and career schedules, making their enterprise a family-built business.
To explore the array of catering options offered at Vibrant Occasions, please contact:
Mary Krikorian
Managing Partner
Vibrant Occasions
Email: [email protected]
For media inquiries about Vibrant Occasions, please contact:
Meredith Corning
PR Agent
Meredith Corning PR
@meredithcorningpr
Email: [email protected]
Vibrant Occasions Catering is a premier full-service catering company based in Central Arkansas and serving clients throughout the state and beyond for corporate events, galas, weddings, and social gatherings of all kinds.
Contact Info:
Name: Meredith Corning
Email: Send Email
Organization: Vibrant Occasions Catering
Website: https://vibrantoccasionscatering.com/
Video URL: https://youtu.be/6iA4T0bSyzs?si=Uw6H-8JrLurRKgpA
Release ID: 89194632
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