With the 26th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) wrapping up this week, it is important to take time to understand the role event professionals can play in slowing the climate crisis. While many elements of the planning process should be considered, food and beverage decisions are critical.
Food cost is typically the highest expenditure for an event. Associated Luxury Hotels International CEO Michael Dominguez chats about how food costs will impact future meeting budgets.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought food safety to the limelight while pushing sustainability to the wayside. But, can they coexist? Eric Wallinger, Director of Sustainability of MeetGreen says YES! Learn how providing safe and inclusive food and beverage events in the middle of a pandemic can also be sustainable. Eric offers his advice and resources to help event organizers maintain and increase their sustainability efforts.
Food Safety is a Necessity for Meeting Professionals In the last few months there seems to be a plethora of headlines announcing food safety issues related to crackers, meat, cheese, cucumbers, lettuce and more. Who would have thought that headlines like these would be of concern for a meeting professional or even a corporate event and that we’d need to create a food safety checklist? “Pepperidge Farm Issues Goldfish Recall” “The Shady Business of Food Fraud” “Ritz cracker Products Recalled Because of Salmonella in Whey” “Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce” Safety and security of…
As my clients, colleagues and followers know, my main focus as a meeting and event planner is ensuring the food is safe, healthy, delicious and inclusive. But for employees of a company, the food and beverage they are fed at conferences, special events and retreats is just a fraction of what they will consume while on the job. And it is the role of human resources professionals to ensure that all employees can eat safely. That’s why I’m devoting a series of blog posts to educating HR departments about what they can—and must—do when feeding employees. I say “must” because…
Preventing Harm is Basis of Worldwide Food Service Safety Month Every year since 1994, December marks Worldwide Food Service Safety Month. The annual observation was established to remind everyone, from the professional food service industry, to cooks at home around the world, that food safety is of supreme importance. Buying, storing, preparing, and serving food are the typical topics covered, but what does food safety really mean when it comes to serving custom eaters at our events? Hint: It’s more than remembering to wash our hands and change aprons. The Basics Let’s begin with the basics we expect to hear about:…
I was recently honored and humbled to be named a 2016 Top Changemaker by Meetings Net Magazine. Wow! In the June 2016 issue, I’m named a changemaker for promoting awareness of food allergies and other dietary restrictions among meeting and event professionals. There are 20 other professionals named Top Changemakers for 2016 and I applaud their accomplishments, drive and passion for the meetings and event industry. While I know a few of the other honorees, the others I look forward to meeting. I’m proud of all the accomplishments of my peers and the advancements made across the meetings & events industry. May was…
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…
Can Eating Communally Positively Impact Events? When we think about food at conferences, most of the talk is about logistics: How do I serve 500 people while the keynote speaker is talking? How many drink tickets can we afford to give away for free before charging? What meat will most of our attendees eat? Don’t get me wrong, this type of problem-solving is vital. If you can’t feed your attendees, you’ll have riots in the ballroom. But here’s the thing: We see meals as part of the structure, not the content of the meeting, in other words, what happens when…
