355: When Event Catering Becomes Community Care: Food that Connects & Gives Back

When you’re in Philly for PCMA Convening Leaders, you don’t just grab a cheesesteak and call it a day. You pay attention to the food culture, the people behind it, and the stories that shape the city. And I couldn’t leave town without sitting down with one of the catering chefs doing exactly that.

This week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, I’m talking with Chef Adam DeLosso, Executive Chef and COO of 12th Street Catering—and this conversation goes far beyond what’s on the plate.

Adam and the team at 12th Street believe great event food is about connection just as much as cuisine. Designing menus where every guest feels welcome without extra effort isn’t a “nice to have” for him—it’s the standard. That mindset shows up everywhere: how his team supports guests with complex dietary needs, how they approach staff training and labeling, and how they think about sustainability and responsibility.

We talk about what it really means to build safe, sustainable, and inclusive food experiences into events so seamlessly that guests simply feel cared for. Adam shares the story of creating a carbon-neutral menu before the industry was ready—and why that moment still shapes how he approaches innovation today.

We also dig into 12th Street’s Meals With a Mission philosophy and partnerships with Trellis for Tomorrow and Philabundance, showing how catering can nourish communities, not just attendees.

If you plan events, this matters. Food is where trust, risk, inclusion, and brand values all collide—and Adam offers a real-world look at how thoughtful leadership turns those moments into WOW experiences.

Because when food is done with care and creativity, it doesn’t just feed people.

It brings them together.

What does “every guest feels welcome” look like at your events?