All Posts

Chef Alain
Dietary Needs

Eating Vegan – A Hotel Chef’s Perspective

0Comments

As few as five years ago, hotel kitchens weren’t as prepared to satisfy the needs of a vegan, and planners struggled to meet the nutritional requirements of their vegan attendee. Now in 2019, we’ve seen a great shift in education and accommodation for this group. I spoke with Alain Vergnault, pastry chef at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, to understand how hotel banquet staff have made changes to ease what was once seen as the vegan burden. “The frustration [in cooking for vegans] was here because we were not prepared,” Vergnault says. “If you prepare, and you have all the documentation…

Read more

year of the vegan
Dietary Needs

Welcome to 2019 – “The Year of the Vegan”

0Comments

Many of you may know that nine years ago, I started thrive! meetings & events after realizing that it was very hard to eat at the hundreds of events I planned and attended each year because I have a food allergy. While I had made significant dietary changes, and felt renewed in all aspects of life — certainly physically — I realized, perhaps more importantly, that I needed to educate the meetings and events industry on how to feed me and the millions of people like me. I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and took other nutrition and food…

Read more

Trends

The Newest Food Trends to Expect in 2019

0Comments

2019 is an exciting year to work in the food industry. There is a lot of development in new food and drink ideas, incorporating previously unheard of ingredients into dishes. The following are just a few of the projected food trends for 2019. Clean Meat Meat has been a major topic of discussion in 2018, and many food providers are changing their offerings and tweaking the concept of “meat.” Plant-based alternatives such as the trendy Impossible Burger are one way that clean meats are changing the industry. Lab-grown meats, also known as cultured meats, are also starting to gain recognition.…

Read more

Hello December post-it
Religious Dietary Practices

December Religious Calendar

0Comments

In the United States, Christmas is one of the most well-known religious holidays, but there are many others celebrated in December and the winter months. December 2-10 – Hanukkah Observance and Dietary Restriction Hanukkah celebrates the return of the Jewish people to Jerusalem, their holy city, and a rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish people won a difficult battle during the Maccabean revolt but came to find their temple destroyed and vandalized. They searched for oil to light the 7 candles of the menorah but could only find enough to burn for one day. Miraculously, the oil…

Read more

vegan proteins
Lifestyle Choices

10 Sources of Vegan Protein

0Comments

If you live a vegan lifestyle, getting enough protein is something you may worry about. Although many Americans get the majority of their protein from meat, there are plenty of other alternatives for sources of healthy protein. Since World Vegan Day is celebrated in November, I thought this would be the perfect time to share 10 sources of vegan-friendly proteins. Seitan. This wheat-based meat alternative packs a whopping 36 grams of protein into every ½ cup serving. Texturally, it is also the closest thing to meats like pork and beef and can stand up to grilling and frying. However, this…

Read more

Religious Dietary Practices

November Religious Calendar

0Comments

One of the largest festivals in November is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. There are quite a few major holidays for Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims during this month. Read more about these sacred traditions in order to better accommodate employees and colleagues who observe them. November 7 – Diwali Observance and Dietary Restriction Diwali is a five-day Hindu celebration also known as “the festival of lights”. While it is one of the biggest Hindu holidays, Sikhs, Jains, and Newar Buddhists also celebrate during this time. While there are slightly different traditions according to the region where Diwali is celebrated,…

Read more

Bizbash award
Thrive! in the News

Tracy Stuckrath Honored by Bizbash

0Comments

Tracy Stuckrath is celebrated as an event industry game-changer. BizBash, North America’s number one resource for event industry trends, ideas, and inspiration, has announced its 2018 list of Top 500 people in events. This inaugural list of event professionals from the United States and Canada includes people who lead the largest trade and consumer shows, orchestrate global brand campaigns, and plan high-visibility cultural events that have everyone talking on social media. “I’m so honored to be recognized by BizBash on its list of Top 500 people in events,” says Stuckrath. “I’ve worked in the events industry for over 20 years…

Read more

Employees eating lunch Disability Employment Awareness
Laws & Regulations

Disability Employment Awareness Month

0Comments

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month – a time where we recognize the contributions of people with disabilities in our workforce. It’s also the opportune time to educate ourselves on how to be more accommodating for our colleagues and coworkers who may have a disability. It’s been 10 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was amended in 2008, but educating employers and employees alike about the changes has proven to be a long and difficult process. Whether a CEO, an HR professional, an event professional or a manager, you should know that individuals with food allergies, celiac disease…

Read more

hello October
Religious Dietary Practices

October Religious Calendar

0Comments

  Religious Holidays in October October is a time of harvest and the beginning of what many would call “the holiday season”. In addition to secular holidays like Halloween, October has a couple important religious celebrations for the Hindu and Sikh religions. Read more about these sacred traditions in order to better accommodate employees and colleagues who observe them. September 29 – October 8 – Navaratri Observance and Dietary Restriction Literally translated, Navaratri means “nine nights” – a 10-day celebration of the different praiseworthy characteristics of the mother goddess, the feminine divinity often known as Durga. There are over 29…

Read more

Meatless Monday Chef
Sustainability

Meatless Monday

0Comments

Exciting News! I’ve just become a Meatless Monday Ambassador! Meatless Monday is a global movement that asks people to give up meat for one day a week. By becoming an ambassador, I will work to encourage fellow meeting and event planners to think about meatless food options. Here’s why the movement is important to me: Pro-Environment Reducing our carbon footprint and practicing sustainable food practices is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. Did you know that global livestock production creates more greenhouse gases than all the cars, trucks, planes, and trains in the world? By reducing…

Read more