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1 of 3 rooms set for a total of 16,200+ people for a sit down dinner. This room was set for 8000. This event has been submitted to the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest sit down dinner in the world

Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 12:28 PM EDT

Convention center to host record-setting sit-down dinner Washington Business Journal - by Tierney Plumb Staff Reporter

Three tons of beef filet, more than two tons of mashed potatoes and 1,800 gallons of pink lemonade will be served to 17,600 guests Thursday night at The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, resulting in the largest-known banquet-style dinner in the history of conventions.

It’s for Chicago-based and Howard University-founded Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which is meeting at the center through Friday to celebrate the centennial anniversary of its founding.

The center’s catering partner Centerplate/NBSE will use 300,000 dining utensils, 3.5 miles of linen table cloths and seven miles of pink and green napkins for the event.

The center’s catering operation has solicited assistance from wait staff throughout the East Coast, and Stamford, Conn.-based Centerplate’s network of chefs and convention center professionals has loaned personnel and equipment from New York, Denver and Dallas to assist.

“In addition to the regular catering staff, Centerplate/NBSE will bring in an additional 300 chefs, 46 managers, 65 captains, 32 distribution assistants and 1,200 waiters,” said Gregory O’Dell, Washington Convention Center Authority’s chief executive officer and general manager, whose staff has spent several months preparing for the sorority’s arrival.

Should the 2.3 million-square-foot center reach capacity, the Grand Hyatt Ballroom, located at 1000 H St. NW is prepared to accommodate an overflow of up to 3,000 guests.