National Restaurant Organization Chooses Sarasota for Annual Meeting, Bucking Chains on Agenda
The Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA)has choosen Sarasota, FL for their annual Directors meeting. Extraordinary leadership, passion and intriguing programs are cited as the deciding fator.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS OF AMERICA CHOOSE SARASOTA
Sarasota-Manatee Originals To Host National CIRA Meeting

/24-7PressRelease.com/ - Sarasota, FL - May 13, 2005 - Don Luira, president of The Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA), announced today that Sarasota has been chosen to host the 2005 member's meeting. "We currently have 16 CIRA Chapters in some of America's nicest and most gastronomically diverse cities and, because preserving regional flavors is one of our central missions, it's always a difficult task to pick a location to bring everyone together," said Luira. "Sarasota gets the nod this year not only because of the lure of the Gulf Coast climate, but also because of their extraordinary leadership and passion. They have some fantastic programs in place and we'd like to see them in action," he added.

CIRA officials and chapter presidents will spend May 15-17 at The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort on Longboat Key strategizing, networking, exchanging ideas and, if time allows, absorbing some long overdue sunshine. "We've set aside Sunday evening to sample some of the exceptional Sarasota-Manatee Originals restaurants," said Luira, who also owns Caf Terra Cotta, a Tucson, AZ restaurant with $3.5 million annual sales. "I've had the pleasure of eating at Pattigeorge's and am convinced their Chilean Sea Bass is the best in America," confided Luira.

Michael Klauber, president of the Sarasota-Manatee Originals and co-proprietor (with Philip Mancini) of multiple award-winning Michael's On East restaurant, acclaimed Michael's On East Catering, Michael's Seafood Grille and the Down Under Jazz Club, is thrilled CIRA picked Sarasota for their meeting this year. "A few years ago, several Sarasota independent restaurant owners and I began to meet on regular basis to investigate ways that we could best preserve our culinary heritage," said Klauber. Klauber was concerned that Sarasota's increasing population and accompanying influx of chain-type restaurants would dilute the local flavor of the region's dining. "We had heard wonderful reports about how CIRA was helping independents find their voice," he continued, "and the Sarasota-Manatee Originals were born." What began with just a few passionate independent restaurant owners now has more than 50 members, including some vendors who have joined the culinary heritage bandwagon. "I'm really excited CIRA is coming to Sarasota," enthused Klauber. "I'm very proud of what we've accomplished so far."

About the Sarasota-Manatee Originals

The Sarasota-Manatee Originals came into being in September 2003 as a way to celebrate and maintain the heritage and flavors of the independently owned restaurants in the Sarasota region. The upsurge in population growth on Florida's Gulf Coast attracted the notice of legions of chain restaurants that became determined to grab their slice of the burgeoning dining out trade. With no deference to local culture and a blind eye to regional cuisine, the chain's number one priority remained the expansion of their bottom line.

Recognizing the economic threat this posed and cognizant of the chain's deep-pocketed marketing departments, a handful of independent Sarasota restaurateurs decided to organize and work together to protect the heritage flavors of the Sun Coast. The Sarasota-Manatee Originals were born to become Florida's first local chapter of the Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA). CIRA has chapters in 15 other cities and works tirelessly to preserve a deeply rooted sense of place with commitment to offering the best of local products and indigenous cuisine.

Nowhere is this sense of independence more important than the Sarasota region. Within a twenty-mile radius of downtown Sarasota, there are more Florida Trend Award and Zagat top-scoring restaurants than any other area of the state and every one of this acclaimed coterie is independently owned.

The main goals of the Sarasota-Manatee Originals are:

? Increase the awareness level of local residents and visitors about the location and quality of member restaurants
? Bolster public awareness of the significant social, economic and charitable contributions the Sarasota-Manatee Originals make to the surrounding community
? Educate restaurant goers about the differences between chains and independents
? Improve the economic viability of independent restaurants by combining buying power to obtain pricing levels compatible to those available to national chains

The Originals have roots in the Sarasota region---many delighting locals and visitors for twenty to thirty years---and have established a culinary heritage that simply can't be replicated in the corporate kitchens of Chicago, Los Angeles, or Dallas.

The Sarasota-Manatees Originals have quickly grown from the few nascent visionaries to a 50+ restaurant stronghold. For more information and a list of member restaurants with links to their websites, please visit www.sarasotaoriginals.com.






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