Alpha Kappa Alpha's Dinner Sets Guinness World Record
Sorority shatters record for largest sit-down dinner – EVER!
During a ceremony on April 16, 2009, held at the Washington Convention Center, Danny Girton, Jr., an adjudicator for the London-based Guinness World Records presented the Washington Convention Center Authority and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. with official certification that they had set the record for hosting the largest-ever silver service sit-down dinner in the history of conventions worldwide. The record-breaking achievement took place on July 17, 2008 when 16,206 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority dined at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center as part of its Centennial Convention.
On hand for the official announcement were Mayor Adrian Fenty; other Washington, D.C. officials; Beverly Perry, Washington Convention Board chair and other board members; Gregory A. O'Dell, Washington Convention Center Authority CEO-General Manager; and members and other supporters of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
In accepting the certificate, the Sorority's International President Barbara A. McKinzie said: "Alpha Kappa Alpha is delighted that our dinner catapulted the Washington Convention Center Authority onto the Guinness World Records for the largest sit-down dinner ever held worldwide. It is a testimony to Alpha Kappa Alpha's power, strength and over 100-year legacy of greatness that we created the occasion for this global achievement. It is also a tribute to the Washington Convention Center Authority's excellence that the dinner was so memorable and historic."
McKinzie put the achievement in perspective when she noted that Guinness receives thousands of entries annually and only three percent make it onto the record book.
"Against that record, our achievement is even more triumphant."
For the dinner, WCCA's catering partner, Centerplate/NBSE, prepared baby iceberg wedge salad, three tons of beef filet, served as Beef Wellington, along with 2.25 tons of mashed potatoes, 1,800 gallons of pink lemonade and thousands of individual "Pink Velvet" chocolate cakes with green icing. Alpha Kappa Alpha's official colors are salmon pink and apple green.
Centerplate/NBSE used approximately 300,000 dining utensils, and tableware was set against 3.5 miles of linen table cloths and seven miles of pink and green napkins for the event. To help accommodate the unprecedented number of attendees, Centerplate solicited assistance from wait staff throughout the East Coast. Centerplate's network of chefs and convention center professionals borrowed personnel and equipment from New York, Denver and Dallas to assist.
In addition to the regular catering staff, Centerplate/NBSE brought in an additional 300 chefs, 46 managers, 65 captains, 32 distribution assistants and 1,200 waiters.
The previous world record was set on April 28, 2001, where 11,483 people were guests at the world's largest silver service dinner party sponsored by Vodafone Group PLC at Earls Court in London. According to officials from the Guinness World Records, "Walter E. Washington Convention Center's world-class achievement is undeniably impressive."
McKinzie said she expects the record to stand and that the only organization that will break it: Alpha Kappa Alpha.