In the age of COVID-19, meeting planners and suppliers are charged with establishing extra safeguards to keep participants, sponsors and their companies and safe and healthy. Food and beverage safety is among those extra precautions.
Food Allergies Psychologically Impact Social Experiences We all have an inherent human emotional need to associate with and be welcomed by others within groups. Whether it’s the kickball team, family, the neighborhood book club or the office, the need to belong is at the heart of each of us feeling accepted, getting attention and gaining/providing support. As we go through life, we are motivated to fulfill these social needs along with our basic needs of food, housing and love. It drives our need to feel good about ourselves. “The need to belong is an intrinsic motivation to affiliate with others…
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…
Like most event planners, I read a lot of restaurant menus. I like to keep in touch with trends and ways to diversify the plate while respecting the palate. One thing that continues to surprise me is just how similar they are. At both down-home joints and white-tablecloth establishments, Americans seem to be interested in a narrow choice of meats. We will eat any part of the chicken, but most restaurants focus on the breast. When it comes to beef, we eat about half the cow, but only about 10 percent (e.g., strip loin, tenderloin, sirloin, and rib eye) ends…
Tracy recently spoke with Meetings and Conventions magazine on how to negotiate a hotel contract in a seller’s market. Of the 12 tips “for getting what your group really needs” in the article, the three tips she provided were focused on food and beverage spend: [list icon=”icon: check-square-o” icon_color=”#d81c5c”] Custom-build your menus — work with your chefs directly Work the food angle to offset costs — “gang” menus with other groups Group events together — commingle groups to reduce duplication [/list] More from Tracy: There are few more ways I’d like to potentially help you save money on food and beverage at your next event while…
It’s time to accept special dietary concerns as the prevalent reality they are and begin to find creative and delicious solutions to accommodate these needs. In the process, we will help food-allergic guests feel welcome in our homes, our events and our lives.
Fantastic dietary information! (I) can definitely use when planning events. It’s all about making the attendee comfortable and want to attend again.” —global event manager; attendee at Exhibitor Conference and Expo 2011