Raleigh Convention Center Serves Over 86,000 Meals Post-Fire with Mobile Kitchen Solution

RALEIGH N.C., February 24th, 2026 – In the wake of the December 1st fire at the Raleigh Convention Center, the venue and catering partner Sodexo Live! have served over 86,000 meals, over 30,000 snacks and desserts, including over 20,000 custom menu options. These were served to nearly 30,000 event attendees from the mobile kitchen currently set up in Red Hat Amphitheater, one of the convention center’s sister venues. This is over 2,000 meals per day that the Convention and Performing Arts Center have served across their venues from the mobile kitchen setup. These preparations have included everything from vegan shepherd’s pie to sesame tuna bites. 

Venue staff and Sodexo Live! have continued to show exceptional adaptability and resilience. As the venue has begun welcoming in its usual large-scale events, including sports tournaments, conventions, corporate meetings and beyond, the convention center team has employed this creative mobile kitchen solution to ensure continued high-quality service. The primary operational impacts to the venue have been in the kitchen, which led to the establishment of this mobile kitchen setup, which has operated for the past 6 weeks and will be in place through March. 

The mobile kitchen provider services large scale events around the country and has set the RCC and Sodexo Live! teams up to provide the same high-quality service guests of the venue have come to expect while repairs are done to the venue’s permanent kitchen.

“This data really tells the story of our team’s resilience” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “To still be able to serve tens of thousands of meals and provide world-class hospitality to our guests while still recovering from this issue is really remarkable. Our team is made up of professionals who rise to the occasion, and for us to find not just a solution, but something that’s allowed us to keep operating at this high of a level is a testament to what a great group we have at our venues.” 

In the upcoming month, the venue will serve an additional 100,000 menu items to 32,000+ guests at 40 events, ranging from gourmet gala dinners, to sporting event snacks.