Press Releases

These are the press releases we've issued over the last year.

1. Seasons Expands Culinary Presence via Coffee Kiosk
2. Seasons Celebrates Five Years
3. Seasons Culinary is upon us

"Seasons Expands Culinary Presence via Coffee Kiosk"

May 9, 2003, 2003 – Alexandria, VA

Seasons Culinary Services, Inc. was awarded the food service contracts at The Penguin Café at SRA International Headquarters in Fairfax, VA. SRA is a leading provider of technology services and solutions.

Seasons also manages the cafe, catering and vending operations at the National Education Association & The Arnold & Porter Law Firm in Washington, DC and American Management Systems also located in Fairfax.

Seasons niche has always been high caliber food in the corporate setting. The Penguin Café award presents Seasons with a natural market offshoot to the demands of the corporate culture – homemade food and beverage retailed from a custom designed kiosk.

Seasons paired their own Expressways grab and go concept with the ever popular coffee bar concept. Seasons will offer tailor made sandwiches (like the Croissant Club, and Veggie Powerhouse) with protein enhanced salads and sides. Seasons lure at the Penguin Café is the Starbucks Coffee menu (the caramel macchiato has been a huge hit!) and the undeniable charm of the manager-attendant, Norma Robinson.

The five-year-old company was founded in January of 1998. Seasons is owned and operated by Jorgen Petersen, Mary Kate Spainhour, Art Witebsky and Claus Nielsen. Seasons was formed as a reaction to the ever-growing demand for increased personal attention and culinary flare in the corporate environment. Seasons looks to break down old stereotypes of corporate cafeterias by implementing creative menus, home made food, colorful presentation and healthy alternatives in a simple and clean atmosphere.

Seasons Culinary is a $4 million a year company with a 60-person workforce. Seasons aims to build a small, strong and unique presence in the DC area!

"Seasons Celebrates Five Years"

Distributed To Local Press Media, February 26-2003

    History

Highlights

"Seasons Culinary is upon us"

Food Service Director Magazine
MARCH 01, 2003 -- If you haven't heard of Alexandria, VA–based Seasons Culinary Services, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary in business this year, it's because the four partners at the helm know how to keep a secret. But now the founder/owners—formerly from Sodexho Marriott (prior to its transition to Sodexho) and Capitol Restaurant Concepts—are "seasoned" enough to be willing to crow about the company's $3.7 million in sales (including three corporate accounts and catering); its 100% bid-to-acceptance ratio on contracts; and its unshakable dedication to "great food first."

Established in January 1998, the company is owned and operated by Jorgen Petersen, Mary Kate Spainhour, Claus Nielsen and Art Witebsky. At the outset there were three founders: Petersen, Spainhour and Roy Hartner, Spainhour explains.

"As regional v.p. at Sodexho, Roy was our boss. He said, 'Now's the time to start our own company.' So this was his brainchild. Jorgen and I both had great jobs at Sodexho—I was in sales and Jorgen was a chef.

"Roy was our CEO and financial person for Seasons but on our first day in business, he suffered a massive heart attack and died. Needless to say we were in shock!"

At the outset, Spainhour served as manager of the Natl. Education Assn. location in D.C., while formulating corporate strategy, accounting practices and positioning the company for future growth.

Peterson was previously regional exec. chef for Sodexho where he brought culinary guidance to over 50 operations.

Art Witebsky, a graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Admin., has held varied operational positions with major contract management companies including Sodexho and, most recently, Aramark. He serves as the human resources leader for Season's–and can golf with the best of them. A certified PGA pro, he's published Golf's "Little Instruction Book"—as well as Season's corporate handbook.

Claus Nielson brings to the table the restaurant panache and cuisine he was known for as exec. chef with Capitol Restaurant Concepts (J. Pauls, Georgia Browns, Paolos, Georgetown Seafood Grill). He heads up Season's purchasing department and is also credited with setting many of the culinary standards of the company.

Just who of the four partners is "president" depends on the year, Spainhour points out. "We switch every year just so no one gets too high on his (or her) horse. Originally, we said we'd flip a coin. Two of us own more than the other two, but it's one person, one vote. Our clients get a chuckle out of it, but we want to be different."

"We now have 65 employees serving customers in four buildings including the Natl. Education Assn. (NEA), Arnold & Porter, and American Management Systems which has two buildings in Fairfax, VA. We do staff restaurants for upscale corporate accounts. The NEA and American Management Systems are open to the public. We also get all of the catering for our accounts—that's our true niche and the source of most of our revenue.

"In contract feeding, you may get the catering but often it goes outside. We have that culinary strength to handle it and we'll pay the big bucks to get that restaurant caliber chef in every location in order to get the catering to strengthen our financials.

"Our focus is totally culinary: if the food is great, we'll have strong financials. We are only here today because of the people around us. They want to work for a great culinary company."

For More Information Contact:

Seasons Culinary Services, Inc.
705 King Street, Suite 200. Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: 703-706-0440
FAX: 703-706-0443
Internet: info@seasonsculinary.net

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Last modified: 10/13/06