Tracy shares what she saw and heard about food and beverage during the PCMA Convening Leaders 2022 convention in Las Vegas.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Allergic Living. Off to a convention and packing special food needs? There's much to know. Allergic Living Spring 2016 As I exited a luncheon in a hotel ballroom last fall, I saw a fellow attendee being tended to by a swarm of EMTs and convention staff. She was being treated for an anaphylactic reaction to the food she was served. She had informed the meeting planner and hotel of her serious food allergies, yet in this case, that wasn’t enough. Fortunately, after a trip to the hospital, the woman recovered…
The culinary world seems to discover a new dining trend every five minutes, but when it comes down to it, banquets haven’t changed all that much. There might be some inspiration and ideas event planners can learn from ancient Rome. I recently read this very entertaining and informative piece about history’s ten greatest banquets, and I was struck by what they had in common, all the way back to the days of Nero. They were once-in-a-lifetime events full of entertainment and surprise. They were opportunities for people to show off their wealth. But most importantly, whether it was dormice sprinkled with…
I’m writing this on a 16-hour plane ride to Manila, where I will present my “Food For Thought” session at the 2014 Philippines M.I.C.E. Conference (MICECON). I’m very excited to be part of an esteemed group of international industry experts from the U.S., Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Canada, who are going to share our trade “secrets” with members of the local Philippine meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry (M.I.C.E) and provide updates on global market trends and developments. The conference theme this year is “M.I.C.E. in 4D: Driving Passions, Developing Minds, Defying Limits, Designing the Future.” That means that M.I.C.E.CON…
Remember a few years ago when Anne Hathaway and James Franco hosted the Academy Awards? They were brought into try and engage a younger audience. But by most critics’ accounts, it was disastrous, boring and “spectacularly bad”. Have you experienced a similar scenario at a corporate event or fundraiser? The host was boring, rambled on and on, seemed convinced that he missed his calling as a standup comedian (but sure as heck didn’t), or didn’t have the skill set to hold the attention of the audience. These scenarios can be so painful that unhappy guests get loud, start ignoring the…