Chef Rosana Rivera Launches Gatheria Studio, a Modern Hospitality & Culinary Studio

In an event economy where "catering" no longer cuts it, the operators winning premium contracts are the ones selling an experience, not a menu. That shift just got a sharp new standard-bearer.

Award-winning chef, entrepreneur, and Beat Bobby Flay champion Rosana Rivera has officially launched Gatheria Studio, a Tampa-based hospitality and culinary studio that serves clients nationwide through chef-led cuisine, intentional design, and immersive guest experiences engineered to move well beyond traditional catering.

The launch marks the evolution of Rivera's long-standing company, Events by Chef Rosana. Since founding the business in 2006, Rivera and her team have produced more than 3,500 events for Fortune 500 companies, charitable organizations, and private clients. Gatheria Studio expands that legacy into everything from luxury celebrations and weddings to corporate activations and multi-day retreats.

Gathering as an Art: The Gatheria Studio Model

Built on the belief that "gathering is an art," Gatheria Studio merges culinary direction, experiential production, and design-forward hospitality. Rather than dropping in food and pulling out, the studio designs each event around the client's vision, integrating cuisine, cocktail programs, tablescapes, atmosphere, and service into one cohesive environment.

The scope runs wide by design:

• Luxury celebrations and brand activations
• Micro weddings and destination celebrations
• Corporate gatherings and large-scale culinary events
• Intimate private dinners and multi-day retreats
• High-touch experiential functions

The through-line is intentionality — moments designed to leave guests not just impressed, but genuinely connected to the occasion.

A Puerto Rican Table, Scaled for the Modern Client

"Gatheria represents the evolution of how I've always believed hospitality should feel," said Chef Rosana Rivera. "I grew up in a Puerto Rican family where hosting was an expression of love. My grandmother would begin cooking days before gatherings, and every detail mattered because it was about how people felt when they walked into the room. That perspective continues to shape everything we create today."

While headquartered in Tampa, Gatheria Studio executes events nationwide. The team pairs elevated creative direction with operational excellence — the balance that lets a studio produce highly customized experiences at scale without losing the intimacy and personalization that define the brand.

A Milestone in a Growing Hospitality Portfolio

The launch is a major milestone for Rivera, who serves as Operating Partner of RC Hospitality Group, overseeing culinary, creative, and experiential strategy across the company's growing portfolio of hospitality ventures. Through Gatheria Studio, she continues advancing her vision of "uncommon hospitality," where culinary artistry, emotional connection, and thoughtful guest engagement intersect.

Rivera is also co-founder of the acclaimed European-inspired bakery concept Chef & The Baker alongside Chef Ricardo Castro. She notably made national headlines as the only Latina chef to defeat Bobby Flay on Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay (Season 22).

Why It Matters

For event professionals, corporate planners, and procurement directors sourcing hospitality partners, Gatheria Studio signals where high-end events are heading: away from commodity catering and toward experiential production that bundles culinary, design, and service under one accountable creative lead.

The practical takeaways for operators and buyers:

• Experience is the differentiator. Clients increasingly pay a premium for a cohesive, emotionally resonant environment — not just plated food. Programs that integrate menu, cocktails, and atmosphere can command higher margins than traditional catering.
• Personalization at scale is a competitive edge. Rivera's 3,500-plus event track record shows demand for a partner who can serve Fortune 500 activations and intimate private dinners alike without losing the personal touch.
• Chef-led credibility sells. A recognizable culinary name at the helm de-risks the buying decision for corporate and luxury clients evaluating vendors.

If you're building an events or catering pipeline, Gatheria's launch is a useful benchmark for how to package hospitality as a full-sensory product.

Want more on how operators are rethinking service and beverage programs? See our coverage of the new economics of craft beverage programs and strategic growth in hospitality leadership. Learn more about the studio at Gatheria Studio online.

Is your operation treating events as catering or as experience? Weigh in and share your take in the comments.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.