Can't-Miss Content at the 2026 Vibe Conference

Sam Bakhshandehpour, CEO of José Andrés Group, will be kicking off the Vibe Conference with a rousing discussion on the state of our industry. He’ll share how bold leadership and partnerships are reshaping hospitality. 

Driven by the mission of “changing the world through the power of food," the José Andrés Group's platform spans 40+ world-class restaurants across 9 markets globally, including the 2-Michelin starred minibar by José Andrés and numerous Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants. 

sarah davanzo

General Session: A Techno Futurist + AI Predict 2030 Pours

We start the day on Tuesday with a general session led by Sarah DaVanzo, Technofuturist & Chief Innovation Officer at Porter Novelli, for a provocative exploration of what’s next in on-premise beverages. 

Attendees will get a front seat to the six macro forces reshaping beverage futures. Each trend will be grounded in real-world data, emerging signals, and a unique spin to help you see beyond the obvious. Plus, Sarah will be giving a live demonstration of Porter Novelli's Synthetic AI Futurist, which will lay out three 2030 scenarios for on-premise beverage programs.  

These are future forward insights you won't find anywhere else!

Melki Ko

Breakout Session: Using Social Media to Predict Guest Behavior

Have you ever wanted to eavesdrop on your customer base to find out exactly what they want? Well, it turns out you can!

Join Melki Ko, CEO & Founder of Ground Signal, to learn how you can tap into what guests are talking about before they even walk through your doors. Melki will break down how operators and beverage companies are using insights from social conversations to spot what’s trending now—from cocktails and flavors to the occasions that drive real volume behind the bar.

Breakout Session: Sell More (Non) Alcohol

andrew katz

david crooch

This interactive session will feature a first-of-its kind dual non-alcoholic beer and spirits training, with real-world examples of how the right non-alcoholic program can drive incremental sales. 

David Crooch, who successfully built Ritual Zero Proof and sold it to Diageo, and Andrew Katz, the marketing mastermind behind the monumental growth of Athletic Brewing, will debunk myths around this category while showing you how to increase the revenue this category can add to your bottom line.

Come thirsty as there will be plenty of samples!

Breakout Session: Reviving Wine Culture: How Staff Buy-In Creates Guest Buy-In

wine session vibe

We all know wine is struggling, but are you focusing on the right things to increase sales? The real key to selling more wine is your staff. When they’re educated and energized, wine isn’t just a beverage—it’s an experience. 

Join a panel of experts as they explain how to train your staff to become wine-selling superstars:

• Joe Wagner, Owner & Winemaker, Copper Cane Wine & Spirits
• Robbi Jo Oliver, Divisional Vice President Wine & Spirits / Learning & Development, Certified Sommelier | CMS,
  Mastro's Restaurants
• Anthony Giglio, Contributing Editor, Food & Wine
• Andrew Deitz, Senior Vice President of Sales, DeMeine Estates

Breakout Session: Creating Guest Loyalty

eatertainment session

In a crowded on-premise landscape, entertainment alone isn’t enough. Operators are winning customer loyalty by pairing experiences with beverage strategies that drive higher check averages and repeat visits.

We've brought together leading entertainment venue operators to share how they're using beverage strategy as a powerful tool to capture guests' share of wallet and build lasting loyalty:

• Bill Koning, Vice President of Operations, Chicken N Pickle
• Jencey Keeton, Chief Marketing Officer, Punch Bowl Social
• Nels Storm, Vice President, Food & Beverage Product Strategy, AMC Theatres
• LP O'Brien, Global Creative Director of Beverage, F1 Arcade
   

More sessions are being announced daily! Be sure to bookmark our agenda to stay up to date!