Officials from the London-based Guinness World Records just announced that the Washington Convention Center Authority (WCCA) and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. had set the record for hosting the largest-ever 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.

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.

More info at www.dcconvention.com and www.centerplate.com.