No. For 2024's event, Stir It Up!  will be unticketed and open to all FMI Midwinter attendees.

Contact the Stir It Up!  team and we can work with you to reserve a spot or find a kitchen partner.

The program is up to you! You will be able to network with leaders in our industry while tasting their favorite family meals. Stir it Up! is designed as a dine-around without assigned seats so all attendees can move and mingle as they please. Attendees sample dishes from different kitchen hosts, enjoy themed activities throughout the room, and get to participate for a chance at prizes with themed trivia questions. The FMI and FMI Foundation team will also announce the winners of this year’s Gold Plate Awards in several categories: Chef's Pick, Best Theme Execution, and Best Meal. 2024's event also featured a special mascot race to honor the event's sports theme. 

Yes, but custom/build-your-own opportunities are limited! Contact us with your goals and objectives and we will be in touch with more details.

Each kitchen's partner(s) will decide on their own menu. Menus often feature new and emerging products from the company/companies participating in that kitchen station. 2024's event will feature fan-favorite food, centered around a sports theme.

Resort casual--leave your ties at home! This is a fun, casual event involving movement as you dine-around and network. 2024's sports-themed event encouraged you to wear your favorite team's jersey or merch.

No. The hotel will be preparing your team’s menu and will deliver it to your kitchen station. Depending on your level of sponsorship, some companies have the option to bring a chef to add to the theme of the evening and display their culinary talents.

Yes! If you are a sponsor at the Partner, Premier, or Title level, you can bring your chef to do a cooking demo at your kitchen or help plate the prepared food.

All Stir It Up! attendees will be able to vote. 2024's event welcomed Gold Mitt Awards for Chef's Pick, Best Theme Execution, and Best Meal. Chef's Pick was selected by the chef team at the JW Marriott Marco Island, the host hotel for the Midwinter Executive Conference.

The meal will be plated in small tasting portions to allow attendees to experience dishes from all of the kitchens. If you have additional questions on portion sizing--including questions on the hotel's food vessels and availability for rented vessels--contact us at StirItUp@fmi.org. 

There will be printed and digital signage around all of the kitchens designating where different companies are located. Assignments for kitchen sponsors' setup will also be sent out prior to the event. Kitchen sponsors may also be featured on sponsorship promotional materials, like the Midwinter Conference's Know Before You Go missive, mainstage graphics and remarks, social media posts, and official floorplans for the event.

Members of FMI that are invited to the Midwinter Executive Conference. This includes retailers, wholesalers, product suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers. If you have any additional questions on eligibility, please contact the Stir It Up! team for details.

Partner-level sponsors are able to partner with another company in your category or outside of your category to host a kitchen. Premier and Title-level sponsors are eligible to host a kitchen on their own.

This will depend on your level of support. Please contact the Stir It Up! team for details.

We are expecting 800-900 attendees, as Stir It Up! serves as the Midwinter Executive Conference's opening night event. So as not to have too much food waste, we plan to serve 500 portions of each dish for the Midwinter audience.