Running a 110-year-old luxury hotel —Tennessee’s Only Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Hotel — is no small task, let alone during a global pandemic. Tracy chats with Dee Patel, managing director of the Hermitage Hotel to get her insights as a trailblazer in the industry and how she’s successfully navigated the tumultuousness of 2020, including maintaining the hotel’s commitment to taking care of the local community. Connect with Dee: www.thehermitagehotel.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/dee...
Jan 19, 2021•46 min•Ep. 42
Desserts at events usually leave some guests with a desire to have their cake, but having to walk away without eating it too. Apparently, the pastry chefs at those events have not met or taken one of Chef Fran Costigan’s Vegan Pastry classes. She feels that everyone’s sweet tooth, including those who are lactose intolerant, vegan, reducing cholesterol, or simply prefer healthy, natural ingredients without sacrificing taste, should be satisfied. In this episode internationally renowned authority ...
Jan 14, 2021•47 min•Ep. 41
Did you know cocktails and spirits may contain ingredients that may be unsafe to consume for some people? Tracy speaks with cocktails and spirits writer, speaker, competition judge and consultant Camper English, whose website, cocktailsafe.org is focused on both the safety and legality of ingredients used. Tracy and Camper talk about allergen labeling and safety in cocktails. Useful Links https://www.cocktailsafe.org/ www.alcademics.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alcademics https://www.insta...
Jan 12, 2021•31 min•Ep. 40
Buffets. Carving Stations. Passed Hors d’oeuvres. Plated meals. Boxed lunches. What do and will in-person catered events look like in the time of a global pandemic. From personal protection equipment to social distancing, event organizers and food service operators are challenged with creating mouthwatering dining experiences that are inviting yet address guest concerns. In this episode, Tracy chats with Kristine Holtz, CEO of Cornerstone Foodservice Group about current and future catering desig...
Jan 07, 2021•39 min•Ep. 39
By definition, the word welcome means to be a cause of joy; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company." In the episode Tracy talks with author, speaker and coach Doreen Cumberford whose travels and living experiences across the world have influenced her dining table. We touch on preparing food and eating that food with intention, and how food is a mechanism to welcome others into our homes, our tables and our events. She said, "...if you feel welcome at a meeting. And you feel w...
Jan 05, 2021•43 min•Ep. 38
James Filtz is Director of Meetings and Special Events at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans and Vice President of National Association of Catering & Events (NACE), becoming President Elect January 1, 2021. In this episode, Tracy and James chat about catering during COVID and what we will see in the future. His philosophy on how the pandemic has had a positive effect on catering service is refreshing. So it the value that The Ritz Carlton places on their ladies and gentlemen who work at the proper...
Dec 31, 2020•56 min•Ep. 37
Donna Mack is a speaker, trainer, consultant, and (in her words) “always the last one chosen for Pictionary.” She brings a lifetime of disability customer experience that has resulted in more than 35 years of training, presenting, and consulting on disability access and inclusion. She served on ADA Access Committees for both AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, and has planned and hosted local, regional, and national events specific to the disability community. www.DisabilityDiplomat.com https...
Dec 29, 2020•48 min•Ep. 36
Born from the crisis need to save the life of one food service worker, The Giving Kitchen is an organization that is built on community, compassion, generosity, empathy and gratitude that supports food service workers in crisis. TGK's shift starts when the food service worker's can't. In this episode with Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, a co-founder of Giving Kitchen, we learn more about the nonprofit and how it helps food service workers when they are affected by an illness and injury, the death of a fa...
Dec 24, 2020•36 min•Ep. 35
Food has become a central utensil in diplomatic toolkits across the world. Culinary diplomacy is today in the academic world what we call soft power — a tool of persuasion. Countries are branding their cuisines or their unique foods as a way to track business and tourism. Johanna Mendelson Forman is a leading voice in the field of gastrodiplomacy and a leader in the Social Gastronomy Movement. She brings to the table years of experience as a policy maker on global conflicts and as an expert on m...
Dec 22, 2020•43 min•Ep. 34
Ahuva Gottdiener enjoys the nurturing of things, creating things and watching things grow. That includes vegetables, humans, chicken and sour dough starter. What started out as an Instagram account to share pictures of what she grows in her garden and the bread she made for her family has turned Homegrown Kosher into a certied kosher bakery, garden consultancy and more. Her goal is to bridge the food knowledge gap between ground and plate for her Orthodox Jewish community. She shares her fascina...
Dec 17, 2020•42 min•Ep. 33
When Aidan Reilly and James Kaneff saw on the news that billions of pounds of produce were going to waste during the pandemic while millions of Americans were going hungry they decided to do something about it. Within days these two college students home from college because their campuses were closed in response to COVID-19, created the nonprofit organization FarmLink Project, connecting farmers to food banks and committed to alleviating the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date (Dece...
Dec 15, 2020•31 min•Ep. 32
While people do not eating Jewish cooking within multicultural fabric of the UAE, Elli Kriel is quite busy right now helping food service providers in Dubai and across the UAE understand the importance and value of food through kosher cuisine. As a sociologist and self-professed foodie, born and proudly raised in South Africa by Greek parents, Elli’s Kosher Kitchen caters “culinary diplomacy” by blending her multicultural family recipes with local flavors to create unique, mouthwatering “Koshera...
Dec 10, 2020•39 min•Ep. 31
As parents of a food allergic child, Dave Bloom as his wife wanted to ensure their daughter was safe in her classroom so they created a list of snacks that were safe for her and shared it with other parents and the school. That original list 14 years ago became the genesis for their website snacksafely.com and Snack Safely Guide which provides information on products - snacks, entrees, cereals - produced by more than 130+ manufacturers to help disclose precisely how their product is manufactured...
Dec 08, 2020•45 min•Ep. 30
A conversation with Brian Freedman, Wine, Spirits, Travel, & Food Writer and Restaurant Consultant. He hosts beverage-focused dinners, workshops, and seminars, consults on wine lists for dinners, top restaurants, and private clients, and hosts "Day Drinking with Brian." Brian shares his knowledge on how wine and spirits can help create inclusive experiences for clients and guests by meeting them at their place of greatest comfort. Useful Links www.briandfreedman.com www.facebook.com/onthefro...
Dec 03, 2020•50 min•Ep. 29
Abby Borden is an event producer who SPECIALIZES in food! On this episode we talk about how companies are being creative with their food and beverage events during COVID as well as how large companies in California successfully manage dietary needs. Useful Links www.tablesetgo.com https://www.facebook.com/tablesetgollc www.instagram.com/tableset_go www.linkedin.com/in/abbyborden...
Dec 01, 2020•45 min•Ep. 28
During the Meetings Today webinar, "F&B 101: Managing Attendee Food Preferences and Dietary Requirements From A to Z," Tracy presented, attendees asked questions that were not addressed. In this episode, she takes time to answer some of those questions.
Nov 26, 2020•29 min
We're all aware of basic dining etiquette when eating at meetings. What about when eating during a virtual meeting? With virtual meetings being much more global the time of your meeting is probably happening during someone's breakfast, lunch, or dinner time. So is there a new set of etiquette standards for a virtual meeting? Should you eat at all? In this episode, Pamela Eyring president and owner of The Protocol School of Washington® shares her expertise and advice on the proper etiquette of ea...
Nov 24, 2020•45 min•Ep. 26
"We are becoming robots...we're just touching screens all day long...We are not engaging our others senses... Part of being a human is being a sensory being. We are sensory. We need to touch, smell, listen and taste..." Kim Arazi, founder & creative Director of innosensi will talk about how ‘sensory innovation’ experiences around a dining table can help us reconnect to ourselves, each other and the environment by breaking down barriers, challenging assumptions, and innovating ‘inside-out. Us...
Nov 19, 2020•37 min•Ep. 25
November 1-7 was Corporate Compliance & Ethics Week. To help celebrate and educate, the very important topic, I talked with ethics and compliance expert Keith Darcy about how compliance, ethics, food, and beverage are connected. What behaviors and risks can food and beverage pose in the workplace? How can HR and compliance professionals mitigate potential risks? Keith Darcy is a retired bank executive and corporate director; educator for 45 years, including associate dean at Georgetown, and ...
Nov 17, 2020•44 min•Ep. 24
Reducing food waste isn't just about keeping food out of landfill - it's an essential part of creating a sustainable, resilient and inclusive food system, one that maximizes water and land resources, minimizes climate impacts, and makes the best use of the food we grow. Learn how using local sourcing, whole-product utilization, and lots of effort helped Jackie Suggitt and ReFed do it. www.refed.com https://twitter.com/refed https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-suggitt/
Nov 12, 2020•35 min•Ep. 23
COVID-19 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! In the conversation, 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 resourses to help event organizers maintain and increase their sustainability efforts. Useful Links https://meetgreen.com https://twitter.com/EricWalli...
Nov 10, 2020•39 min•Ep. 22
Amelia Ekus is nourishing inspiration in the corporate cafés she manages by creating a honest, sustainable and inclusive food and beverage experiences while also doing everything in her power to give her team members the skills they need to grow in their careers, not just to succeed in their current positions. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliaekus/ https://twitter.com/ttention2detail
Nov 05, 2020•39 min•Ep. 21
Providing inclusive food and beverage experiences is more than ensuring you have options for food allergic and vegan attendees. It also means making sure everyone has equal access to the event. Elisa Hays and I met at a convention luncheon where she did not have equal access. Learn how to ensure she does next time. We also talk how this impacts experiences during the COVID pandemic. Useful Links https://elisahays.com/ https://www.facebook.com/elisahays https://twitter.com/hi_elisahays http://lin...
Nov 03, 2020•45 min•Ep. 20
Thomas Silvera and his wife took a tragic incident to create the Elijah-Alavi Foundation to reduce the risk of life-threatening allergic reactions in children while they are in day-care and/or school. From food bullying to using epinephrine, labeling laws to legislation, training and more, Thomas talks with Tracy about the work the foundation does across the country to reducing risks. https://www.elijahalavifoundation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/elijahalavifoundation/ https://www.instagram.com...
Oct 29, 2020•30 min•Ep. 19
April Cunningham, owner of April's Table Catering company talks about how she manages food safety regulations during COVID as well as accommodating dietary needs of her catering clients. How do you staff an event? How do you share your food safety practices? How do COVID and dietary needs mix? April's Table is a full service catering company offering quality food, locally sourced ingredients, and custom-designed menus to suit every event. https://www.aprilstable.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ap...
Oct 27, 2020•33 min•Ep. 18
Stepheni Norton’s journey from chief yeoman in the U.S. Coast Guard to Southern California community farmer of pre-WWII fruit, vegetables and herbs began with a dream … and an insect bite. As farmers, Stepheni and her husband Mike, are working to preserve community, local foods, cultures and traditions, and to ensure that everyone has access to good, clean, and fair food. They also offer what they call a FARMacy CSA, which offers members fruits and vegetables that meet anti-inflammatory, Candida...
Oct 22, 2020•46 min•Ep. 17
In 2012 Tinia Pina was volunteering for a SAT prep program in Harlem when she noticed that the food options available to the students — processed and fried — were not feeding them nutritiously to stay alert and the best chance to be productive. She an opportunity use a waste stream as a way to catalyze a more sustainable growing near the urban areas to create Re-nuble, headquartered in New York City, and enable farms to transform Food Waste into Plant-Based Fertilizer for Soilless Cultivation "W...
Oct 20, 2020•42 min•Ep. 16
Kyle Dine is an internationally trusted food allergy advocate, educator and performer. Having severe allergies himself and having "married into" celiac disease, he is very familiar with the struggles of communicating his dietary needs to people who are responsible for making and/or ordering food for him at restaurants and events. After experiencing the worst food allergy reaction of his life in 2005, he decided to begin helping other food allergic individuals avoid anaphylactic reaction like his...
Oct 15, 2020•36 min•Ep. 15
Dianne Davis owns an event planning business in Tulsa, OK that plans and executes events all across North America and the islands for corporations and associations. One of their specialties is doing events in nontraditional spaces. With a life-long allergy to tree nuts and medically-required avoidance to peanuts since the age of 4, she does not know what a peanut butter sandwich tastes like. "None of us that have this kind of allergy want to have this kind of allergy....I don't want to be made a...
Oct 13, 2020•40 min•Ep. 14
Chef Joel Schaffer and his wife Mary are Your Allergy Chefs. They are dedicated to providing tips, guidance, and resources for those with and/or provide food for individuals with food allergies, intolerances and/or other dietary needs. Using their own personal dietary needs and their culinary training they have create a thriving business educating hotels, chefs, cooks, food manufacturers on how to create delicous and safe food options for guests. In this episode, Joel talks about how restaurants...
Oct 08, 2020•35 min•Ep. 13
