Recognizing 10 of the top food and beverage ideas encountered this year, as selected by The Meeting Professional staff.
True Blue Milk
Early in the original Star Wars film, Luke Skywalker enjoys what many fans would refer to as “blue milk” while arguing with his uncle at the breakfast table. For more than 40 years, fans of the Star Wars saga have been fascinated with the idea of this beverage. We had to know what it tasted like, yet the truth would always elude us on Earth. In 2019, all was revealed with the debut of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. Blue Milk is readily available at the Milk Stand, and a small glass of the chilled, slightly fruity drink answers the seemingly unanswerable question. But there’s much more F&B to enjoy at Galaxy’s Edge, from seeing a droid turning a spit of meats at Ronto Roasters (the signature dish is a wrap reminiscent of roasted pork and grilled sausage) to a wide variety of exotic beverages (many can be ordered in Star Wars-themed souvenir mugs) at Oga’s Cantina, a venue similar to the cantina from Star Wars but with its own unique vibe.
Sampling the Best
Lip Smacking Foodie Tours made its Las Vegas debut in 2015. The company offers a variety of culinary experiences for up to 250 people, typically lasting three hours and including visits to four well-known restaurants and the opportunity to try gourmet food and drinks. In 2019, the company expanded to four new cities—San Jose, Calif.; Santa Monica, Calif.; Seattle; and St. Louis—and more cities are planned for 2020. The company also creates VIP experiences during meetings and events, such as attendees of IAEE’s Expo! Expo! this month. “Our IAEE tour was open to attendees, buyers and key industry professionals who were able to network over food and drink while sitting next to different people at each stop and discovering a new way to entertain top customers in the future,” says Don Contursi, CIS, president of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours.
Vegan Variety
The Hyatt Regency Dallas recently debuted more than 15 new vegan menu items at its restaurant Centennial restaurant. The items were created by Tiffany Pineda, a culinary corporate management trainee and yoga instructor who, at 24 years old, she has worked in diverse kitchens around the U.S. Pineda was tasked with introducing “vegan options for the modern traveler,” and capitalized on her passion for plant-centric eating to create an array of flavors without sacrificing their dietary choices to create, for example, the Meatless Patty Melt (seared seitan, vegan provolone cheese, caramelized onions, mushroom and black garlic aioli) and a veggie taco (vegan chorizo made of tempeh, red cabbage slaw, salsa verde and crispy chickpeas).
Craft Cocktails
Innovative craft cocktails were big once again in 2019, as evidenced by the debut of the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The space, which can accommodate groups of up to 150, debuted in April with television star and restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump (known for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules). Exclusive cocktails and bites are available in a garden oasis setting that includes an indoor patio featuring an al fresco-style garden with 16-foot olive trees and plush seating throughout. Cocktails include The Checkmate (Stoli hot vodka, Chacho jalapeno vodka, fresh pineapple, grapefruit liqueur, vanilla citrus, angostura bitters and pink peppercorns) and Please Her, Caesar! (Vanderpump vodka, Rosé Champagne, blackberry, elderflower, lemon and aquafaba).
Fear of Running Out
Lime Venue Portfolio, a U.K.-based venue collection, introduced the hashtag #FORO, or Fear of Running Out, this year, noting that kitchens frequently prepare an extra 10 percent of meals for an event to ensure last-minute guests are fed and that “specialist” meal requests (vegan, vegetarian, etc.) are met. This contributes to a massive amount of event-related food that goes to waste. They also note that meat is “an especially sensitive subject” due to the environmental cost of rearing it. They offer these event food ideas in order to help stem the tide: get chefs out into the event (pushing different food options and regulating waste in real time), bring guests into the conversation from the outset (increasing their knowledge of the waste epidemic) and create new menu formats with more plants (using meat as a side dish or ensuring those who don’t eat meat no longer feel marginalized).
Cajun Creativity
The New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute opened in January 2019 with 21 students studying in the Culinary Arts and the Baking & Pastry Arts certificate programs. Studies involve hands-on experience and a strong connection to the local culinary industry in an intensive, 100-day program. The school features two culinary teaching labs, two baking and pastry labs, a restaurant lab, a beverage lab, a large event center with a production kitchen and traditional classrooms. The institute also offers enthusiast courses for home cooks and food and wine lovers with topics including knife skills, seasoning fundamentals, Afro-Caribbean cuisine, traditional New Orleans Creole cuisine and gumbo and the fundamentals of cheese.
Food Allergies and Stress
Tracy Stuckrath (MPI Carolinas Chapter), president of Thrive! Meetings & Events, wrote a blog post in June 2019 titled “Food Allergies Psychologically Impact Social Experiences.” She wrote, “Individuals want to fit in and don’t want to stand out with a food allergy that creates a challenge in a public setting. It brings about feelings of anxiety and stress, impacting their experiences and quality of life, and creates a psychological strain.” She notes that it’s important that event hosts and kitchen staff understand that those suffering from food allergies aren’t simply requesting a fancy meal, and she advises designing registration forms with check boxes as opposed to open-ended questions (listing at least the top eight allergens). She believes that having knowledgeable staff and appropriately labeling food with the allergens that they contain are critical. Stuckrath was also a research partner for IACC as they developed their Guide to Managing Conference Delegate Dietary Requirements.
The 100-Course Meal
Thrillest, a website that focuses on F&B, travel and entertainment, hosted a remarkably ambitious dining invite in December 2019. The three-night “100 Course Meal” brought 100 guests to downtown Los Angeles to experience some of the city’s best cuisine. Each ticketholder had a seat at the table for 10 courses and unlimited beverage service (beer, wine, cocktails, etc.). Surrounding the table was a “multi-sensory immersive journey” featuring a drone bartender and molecular gastronomy demonstrations (example: popcorn ice cream made with liquid nitrogen) revealing the future of F&B.
Leveling Up Locally Sourced
The JOALI Maldives works closely with fishermen—who do not use nets in order to protect the seas—to supply locally sourced fish. In June 2019, the resort aligned its efforts with the local government, and now catches are tracked with onsite marine biologist Samantha Reynolds in order to monitor the local fish population. Resort guests are also able to book line-fishing experiences with local fishermen so that they can learn about Maldivian catching techniques and the importance of sustainable fishing practices.
Cannabis Infusion
The National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot Culinary Survey of 650 professional chefs found cannabis/CBD-infused drinks as the No. 1 trend (77 percent) for 2019. Arlene Schilke, CMP, DES (MPI Greater Edmonton Chapter), managing partner of Timewise Event Management, echoed that sentiment in our 2019 State of the Industry report. The Jupiter Hotel in Oregon offers an “Everything But the Weed” package that includes a vape pen, a lighter, rolling papers and local dispensary coupons—but clearly states “NO CANNABIS INCLUDED.” Growing popularity doesn’t change the fact that conflicting U.S. state and federal laws force a balancing act.
