Eating at a Meeting

What we put on the table does more than feed guests — it fuels their energy, focus, and capacity to belong.

That's the perspective Yush Sztalkoper, CMP, founder of NeuroSpark+, brings to this special episode of Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE from IMEX America in Las Vegas. 

With two decades in corporate events and her lived experience with ADHD and parenting a twice-exceptional child, Yush knows that inclusion isn't just about ac...

Have you ever thought of the kitchen as a place of calm, clarity, and connection?

I'm thrilled to sit down with my friend and chef, Naina Bhedwar, next week on the Eating at a Meeting Podcast to talk about her new program, "Feed Your Peace." Naina has always been my go-to when it comes to Indian cuisine (I met her years ago at The Cook's Warehouse in Atlanta where I worked her classes). But now, she's blending her background in psy...

Every plate we serve carries a climate cost—and every decision we make about food has the power to change that story.

This week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, I'm joined by Anya Doherty, environmental scientist and founder of Foodsteps, to talk about the role food plays in tackling climate change. Anya's research at the University of Cambridge helped lead the largest experimental trial on carbon labelling for food—and reveale...

When you've lived with food allergies, you see the world differently. Labels become puzzles. Menus become risk assessments. And too often, meals become moments of exclusion.

That's the reality Amy Graves captures in her new book, "The Hidden Consumer: Uncovering the Power of Health-Conscious Buyers." It's more than her story—it's a call to businesses, brands, and yes, event planners, to stop overlooking the people whose choices are...

What does Good, Clean, and Fair Food for All really look like when we bring it into our communities, our events, and our daily choices?

I can't wait to explore this with Kris Reid, Executive Director of Slow Food USA.

Kris's story comes full circle: inspired by the Slow Food movement in the early 2000s, she built her chef career and co-founded the PIEDMONT CULINARY GUILD to strengthen ties between farmers, makers, and eaters in Cha...

To kick off Food Safety Awareness Month, I'll be joined by Chef Keith Norman—ServSafe Instructor, Allergen Awareness Trainer, and Food Safety Manager/Assistant Executive Chef at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa—on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE. Keith lives and breathes safe dining, from the back-of-house kitchen line to the banquet floor where thousands of guests are served every day.

And right now, food safety is in the headline...

Event menus don't start in the kitchen—they start with what's available in the marketplace. For smaller, emerging brands making allergen-friendly, plant-based, or health-focused products, breaking into retail shelves can be an uphill battle. But there's another path—one that not only scales faster, but also brings those products directly into the spaces where we eat, gather, and connect: foodservice.

This week on Eating at a Meetin...

𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐.𝙎. 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 120 𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙—while millions of people go hungry. What if more of that food could be redirected to feed people, not landfills?

In this epsiode, Tracy talks with Jim Larson, Vice President of Development at Food Donation Connection (FDC), the global organization linking restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and other food service providers with l...

Flying with food allergies can be stressful—and sometimes dangerous—if you don't know what an airline will (or won't) do to keep passengers safe.

That's why Allergic Living and No Nut Traveler, Inc teamed up to create the comprehensive 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 & 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲—a first-of-its-kind resource packed with details on policies from pre-boarding to PA announcements, buffer zones, pet allergies, medical kits, and mor...

I'm thrilled to welcome Marion Nestle for a special Tuesday episode of Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE!

Marion is one of the most respected voices on food policy, nutrition, and food industry influence — and I've been following her work since 2009. Her insights continue to shape how so many of us think about what's on the plate and why it matters.

In this conversation, we'll explore why food policy matters for event planners and o...

What does a moldy orange have to do with food and beverage at your next event?

A lot, actually.

This week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, I'm talking with Rachael Jackson—journalist, food-waste educator, and founder of the award-winning website EatOrToss.com—about how we can stop tossing perfectly edible food, and what that means for planning events that are not just delicious, but responsible.

Rachael has helped millions of p...

As evolving food allergy regulations sweep across the US, I dedicated this solo episode to giving you the latest updates on the legal landscape affecting safe dining experiences. This week, it's just me, Tracy Stuckrath, but together we're diving into the details behind newly proposed and enacted legislation from Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and Texas, along with major changes in the 2022 FDA Food Code and proposed allergen ...

Imagine using your food and beverage choices to not just nourish guests—but to help someone rebuild their life.

Next week on the Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, I'm sitting down with Kerry Brodie, founder and executive director of Emma's Torch, a nonprofit culinary training program that empowers refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking by providing paid culinary training, work experience, and job placement—all throug...

As event planners, we know that food and beverage is rarely just a line item—it's an experience, a connector, and sometimes a challenge.

In this week's Eating at a Meeting LIVE, I'm gathered a group of event planners — Janet C. Hoppenstein, CMP, Shannon Ryan, CMP, and Julie Wong, CMP — for an open conversation about how they navigate ordering F&B for their events: what guides their decisions, what concessions or compromises they ma...

When the Rice Isn't the Issue: A Real Talk on Food Safety, Chef Pushback & Guest Trust
This week, it's just me—no guest, just the truth.

At a recent event, I was told by a chef that rice—specifically Uncle Ben's—was the reason a gluten-free option couldn't be provided. But we'd already discussed that on our prep call. I had asked for gluten-free rice. We agreed. And then… the night of the event? Nothing was gluten-free.

His respons...

This week, I'm talking with Ashley Orr, the powerhouse baker behind Sweet Nothings Bakery and Cafe—a 100% gluten-free bakery operating out of a shared kitchen space.

Yes, you read that right. Shared kitchen. Not a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Sound familiar? For any planner who's been told by a convention center or hotel that "we can't do gluten-free," Ashley's story is proof that it can be done—with the right knowledge, systems...

What's on the Menu? Voices of Change in Food Journalism

Food writing is more than recipes—it shapes culture, policy, and the guest experience at every table. In this Eating at a Meeting LIVE episode, I'm sharing clips from two powerhouse conversations recorded at the inaugural Les Dames d'Escoffier M.F.K. Fisher Women in Food & Storytelling Symposium, where Eating at a Meeting served as Media Sponsor.

First up: Toni Tipton-Martin a...

Imagine this: You're out to dinner with your staff. One of them has celiac disease. The server doesn't know what gluten is. The kitchen isn't sure either.
That moment? It sparked real change in Illinois.

In this episode of Eating at a Meeting LIVE, I'm talking with State Senator Sally Turner, the powerhouse behind Senate Bill 1288—a bill that could soon make Illinois one of the safest places to dine out if you live with celiac dise...

In this episode, Tracy is joined by Chef Murray Hall, Chef Martha Morgan, and disability rights attorney Laurel Francoeur to discuss an issue that should no longer be happening—venues refusing to provide safe meals for guests with celiac disease.

An event planner recently posted that the kitchen at her event venue "doesn't accommodate" celiac guests. Not a preference. Not a lifestyle. A medically necessary dietary need—and still be...