How Roanoke Group Celebrated With an 85-Person Corporate Team Building Cooking Event in Chicago

Chef Alex
11 minutes ago
7 min read

Planning a corporate team-building event is already a major responsibility. Planning one for 85 employees traveling from locations around the world takes the challenge to an entirely different level.

After bringing their larger team together for a week of meetings and company activities, Roanoke Group wanted to finish the experience with something fun, interactive, and memorable. Their team joined us at Cooking Skills & Social for one of the largest corporate events we have hosted: an 85-person Italian cooking challenge, complete with a full buffet and a BYOB bar setup.

Rather than ending their gathering with another formal dinner or presentation, the group stepped into the kitchen, divided into teams, and worked together during a hands-on culinary experience designed to encourage communication, collaboration, and plenty of friendly competition.

It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of a successful corporate gathering—and an excellent example of what large-group corporate team building in Chicago can look like.

Bringing an International Corporate Team Together in Chicago

Roanoke Group had employees flying in from across the world for their larger company event. When employees normally communicate through emails, video calls, and virtual meetings, bringing everyone together in one location creates a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships beyond the workplace.

The final event needed to work for a large and diverse group while remaining approachable for guests with different personalities, backgrounds, and cooking experience levels.

A hands-on cooking challenge provided the right balance.

Guests did not need to be experienced cooks to participate. Each person could contribute in a different way, whether that meant preparing ingredients, cooking alongside teammates, organizing the workstation, plating dishes, or helping the group stay on track.

Within minutes, the kitchen was filled with conversation, movement, and energy.

That is one of the biggest advantages of choosing a cooking experience for corporate team building. Instead of asking employees to participate in forced icebreakers, the activity naturally gives everyone something to discuss and accomplish together.

An Italian Cooking Skills Challenge for 85 Guests

For this event, Roanoke Group selected our Cooking Skills Challenge using an Italian-inspired menu.

Guests were divided into teams and worked together at their kitchen stations under the direction of our professional culinary team. Each group had to communicate, divide responsibilities, follow the cooking process, and complete its dishes within the event timeline.

The Cooking Skills Challenge is especially effective for large corporate groups because it encourages participation without making the activity feel overly structured.

Some guests immediately take leadership roles. Others focus on preparation, timing, or presentation. Coworkers begin discovering strengths and personalities that may not always appear during the normal workday.

The challenge also adds just enough competition to keep the room energized while still allowing the experience to remain relaxed and social.

For an international group of 85 employees, the kitchen became common ground. Job titles, departments, and office locations mattered less once everyone put on an apron and started cooking together.

Combining the Cooking Experience With a Full Buffet

Because this was such a large corporate event, the evening included both the hands-on cooking challenge and a buffet.

The cooking activity remained the centerpiece of the event, giving guests the collaborative experience and team-building benefits they were looking for. The buffet helped create a smooth dining experience for the full group and ensured that everyone had plenty of food to enjoy after the challenge.

This combination works especially well for large corporate team-building events.

Guests still get the excitement of preparing food with their teams, but the additional buffet provides flexibility for larger attendance counts, different appetites, and the natural pacing of a major company celebration.

Once the cooking portion was complete, the group could relax, eat, continue conversations, and celebrate the end of their time together.

A Customized BYOB Bar Setup

Cooking Skills & Social is a BYOB-friendly corporate event venue, allowing companies to bring beverages that fit their group and celebration.

For the Roanoke Group event, the company brought in beer, hard seltzers, red wine, and white wine. The beverages were arranged in a proper bar-style setup, creating a polished and welcoming space for guests to enjoy throughout the evening.

The BYOB option gives corporate event planners more control over beverage selections and costs. Companies can choose the brands and varieties their employees prefer rather than being limited to a predetermined venue package.

For larger company parties, corporate retreats, and team celebrations, a customized beverage station can also help the event feel more personal.

Guests were able to grab a drink, socialize with coworkers, and enjoy the atmosphere before, during, and after the cooking experience.

Why Cooking Works for Large Corporate Team Building Events

Finding a team-building activity for 85 people is not easy.

Many activities work for a department of 10 or 15 but become difficult to manage once the guest count increases. Other options leave portions of the group watching from the sidelines instead of actively participating.

A properly planned cooking challenge allows a large corporate group to remain engaged while being divided into smaller teams.

Each smaller group has its own responsibilities, but everyone is still participating in the same shared experience.

Cooking team building works particularly well for large groups because:

Every guest can participate in some way.
Teams must communicate and divide responsibilities.
The experience is approachable for all skill levels.
Friendly competition helps maintain energy.
Food creates a natural reason for people to gather.
The event ends with a shared meal and celebration.
Guests can socialize with coworkers outside their normal departments.
The format can be customized around the group’s goals and schedule.

For companies bringing together employees from different cities, countries, or offices, the experience also helps create connections that may continue long after the event ends.

What Made This Corporate Event Special

Every private event has its own energy, but the scale and purpose of the Roanoke Group celebration made this one especially memorable.

Hosting 85 guests made it one of the largest corporate cooking events Cooking Skills & Social has provided. More importantly, it demonstrated that a large company gathering can still feel personal, interactive, and genuinely fun.

The group was not simply attending dinner together. They were creating something together.

They communicated across kitchen stations, learned new skills, enjoyed an Italian-inspired menu, and celebrated with coworkers who had traveled from around the world.

By combining the cooking challenge, buffet, and BYOB bar setup, the evening offered several different ways for guests to participate and connect.

Some guests were highly involved in the culinary competition. Others enjoyed supporting their teams, socializing around the kitchen, or catching up with coworkers over food and drinks.

The result was a corporate event that offered structure without feeling rigid and team building without feeling forced.

Planning a Corporate Retreat or Company Celebration in Chicago

Large corporate gatherings often include several days of meetings, presentations, training sessions, and strategic conversations.

Finishing the schedule with a social experience gives employees an opportunity to relax and enjoy the relationships they have been building throughout the week.

Cooking Skills & Social can serve as the final celebration for:

Multi-day corporate retreats
International company meetings
Sales conferences
Leadership gatherings
Employee appreciation events
Department celebrations
Company anniversaries
Holiday parties
New-hire and culture-building events
Client appreciation experiences

The cooking format can be adjusted around the group’s size, event goals, menu preferences, dietary needs, and desired level of competition.

For large groups, we can also discuss options such as buffet service, beverage station layouts, company remarks, team assignments, and event flow.

A Flexible Corporate Event Venue Near Chicago

Located in Itasca, Cooking Skills & Social provides a convenient corporate team-building option for companies throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Our location works well for organizations with employees based throughout Chicagoland as well as groups flying into the area for meetings, conferences, and company retreats.

Companies searching for corporate team building near Chicago often need more than just an activity. They need an event partner who understands scheduling, food service, group organization, guest experience, and the additional logistics that come with a large attendance count.

Our team works directly with event organizers to determine the right cooking format and event structure for their group.

Whether you are planning an intimate leadership outing or a company-wide celebration, we will help build an experience that fits your team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Large Corporate Cooking Events

Can Cooking Skills & Social host more than 70 guests?

Yes. The Roanoke Group event included 85 guests, making it one of the largest corporate team-building events we have hosted. Large-group availability and event format will depend on the date, menu, and specific needs of the group.

Does everyone need cooking experience?

No. Our corporate cooking events are designed for all skill levels. Guests receive direction from our culinary team, and responsibilities can be divided between team members based on their comfort levels.

Can companies bring their own alcohol?

Yes. Cooking Skills & Social is BYOB-friendly. The Roanoke Group brought beer, hard seltzers, red wine, and white wine for its event. Our team can discuss the setup and event guidelines with your planner before the event.

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes. Dietary needs should be provided during the planning process so our team can review the menu and discuss appropriate accommodations.

How far in advance should a large corporate group book?

We recommend reaching out as early as possible for groups of 50 or more. Large corporate events require additional planning, and popular dates during the fall and holiday seasons may book well in advance.

Book a Large Corporate Team Building Event in Chicago

The Roanoke Group’s 85-person event showed that even a large, international corporate team can come together for an experience that feels interactive, welcoming, and personal.

Their employees finished their company gathering by cooking, competing, eating, drinking, and celebrating together—and that is exactly what a successful corporate team-building event should accomplish.

Whether you are bringing together a local department or employees traveling from around the world, Cooking Skills & Social can help create a corporate cooking experience built around your group.

Submit a private event inquiry at cookingskillsandsocial.com/privateeventsinquiry to begin planning. A member of our team will follow up to discuss your preferred date, estimated guest count, menu, event format, dietary needs, and additional setup options.

Cooking Skills & Social — Chicagoland’s destination for corporate team building, large private cooking events, company celebrations, and hands-on culinary experiences.