297: Norovirus 101: What Event Planners Need to Know About Food Safety
Release Date: 03/25/2025
353: Turning Surplus Prepared Food From Events Into Safe, Shared Meals
Eating at a Meeting
Last year, Les Dames NC selected Food Connection as one of three beneficiaries of our annual holiday cookie sale—and this conversation is exactly why. This is the third interview in my series spotlighting organizations that are feeding our communities with food that already exists… including food coming straight from events, catering kitchens, and conference centers. I’m sitting down with Marisha MacMorran, Executive Director of Food Connection, an Asheville-based nonprofit that rescues surplus prepared food and redistributes it to neighbors across Western North Carolina. This isn’t...
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352: How Event Food Can Feed Communities: The Javits Center Model
Eating at a Meeting
When I first toured the Javits Center rooftop farm back in October 2022, I walked past rows of lettuce, herbs, and apple trees on top of a convention center, tasted apples the chef had just brought down from the orchard, and went home with honey from the hives above the show floor. That visit completely changed how I think about what event food can do. Now I’ll be talking with Yashi Dadhich, Director of Energy & Sustainability at the Javits Center, about how a convention center best known for massive trade shows is also growing tens of thousands of pounds of produce on its roof—using...
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351: Anaphylaxis And Events: Why Allergy Safety Can’t Be An Afterthought
Eating at a Meeting
When Kerry Washington recently shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live that she often eats in bathrooms at high-profile events because her food allergies aren’t taken seriously, the allergy community felt it. And when FARE posted that clip, Jo Frost — who lives with life-threatening anaphylaxis herself — commented, “hear you and see you @kerrywashington DITTO.” That one word — DITTO — carried decades of lived experience. In this episode of Eating at a Meeting LIVE, Jo and I talk about what it really means to navigate everyday life — restaurants, airplanes, school cafeterias, and event...
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350: How Mobile Food Rescue Teams Are Saving Communities From Hunger
Eating at a Meeting
As 2025 closed, Tracy dedicated three episodes to something that matters deeply: the organizations feeding people who need it most. And we’re starting with one that’s rewriting what community feeding can look like in Florida. When the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL shared that one of the larger food donation charities they work with was The Freedom Tour, I knew the story would be powerful. What I didn’t expect was just how vital their work is to Polk County families. Back in 2016, when The Freedom Tour began, more than 100,000 county residents — including nearly one in...
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349: Allergy Safety at Events: Why “I Don’t Think So” Isn’t an Acceptable Answer
Eating at a Meeting
When your food allergy becomes the reason you have to walk out of your own professional presentation, something is deeply broken. That’s exactly what happened to Christina LiPuma, MPH, RDN, CDCES, when she had a severe allergic reaction at a national nutrition conference. The culprit? A mislabeled “curry bowl” and a series of “I don’t think so” answers that should never have been good enough. You ask if a dish contains peanuts. “I don’t think so,” says one staffer. “Pretty sure it doesn’t,” says another. Minutes later, your throat tingles, your heart races—and you...
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348: The Transparency Movement: Why Menus are Becoming the Frontier Guest Safety
Eating at a Meeting
Imagine a world where every guest at your event—or every diner at a restaurant—can open a menu and instantly see what’s safe for them to eat. No guessing. No anxiety. No risk. That’s the world Dylan McDonnell, founder and CEO of Foodini , is helping to build. Diagnosed with celiac disease at age 10, Dylan knows firsthand what it feels like to sit at a table and wonder if what’s being served will make you sick. That experience inspired him to launch Foodini, a dietary-intelligence platform using AI and dietitian-led data to make ingredient transparency effortless—for both guests and...
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347: Nifty Method Marketing + Events
Eating at a Meeting
What happens when hospitality stops being about service—and starts being about care? That’s the question I’m exploring this week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE with Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey, CMP, CEO of Nifty Method Marketing + Events and longtime event strategist, chef, and hashtag#eventprof who’s worn just about every hat in the business. From executive kitchens to corporate boardrooms, Lindsay knows the difference between a meal that’s memorable and one that’s merely managed. To her, safe, sustainable, and inclusive food and beverage experiences aren’t separate...
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346: Behavioral Science Meets the Buffet: How to Nudge Event Menus Toward Sustainable Choices
Eating at a Meeting
What if one simple shift could make your event meals more inclusive, sustainable, and even more crave-worthy? This week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, I’m talking with Chef Kent Buell , Culinary Director, and Taylor Flores , Corporate Engagement Manager at Greener by Default — a nonprofit that helps organizations make plant-based meals the default while still preserving diners’ freedom to choose meat or dairy. From behavioral science to buffet design, Kent and Taylor are redefining what “sustainable dining” looks (and tastes) like. Their approach shows that changing how food is...
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345: Eat, Meet, Celebrate: What #EventProfs Can Learn from Scotland’s Food Culture
Eating at a Meeting
In this episode, Tracy chats with Flora Munro, Head of Events, Scotland at 2B UK, live from the IMEX America show floor to explore how Scotland’s hospitality, food, and culture create unforgettable event experiences. From castle-sourced venison and hand-dived scallops cooked straight from the sea to whisky tastings (and a spirited debate about haggis and HP “brown” sauce), Flora shares how Scottish culinary traditions are being reimagined for modern meetings and incentives. They also discuss how Scotland leads with inclusion—where accommodating dietary needs is second nature—and...
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344: How New Zealand Is Redefining Event Menus Through Culture and Sustainability
Eating at a Meeting
Recorded live from the 100% Pure New Zealand booth at IMEX America, this episode of Eating at a Meeting explores how Aotearoa is redefining event dining through connection, culture, and conscious hospitality. Host Tracy Stuckrath sits down with Lauren Blakey from the New Zealand International Convention Centre and Natalie Fulton, CMP from Tourism New Zealand to uncover how Māori traditions of kai and kōrero (food and conversation) are inspiring authentic event experiences rooted in wellness, sustainability, and inclusion. From carbon net-zero venues and reusable cup programs to zero-proof...
info_outlineFood safety isn’t just about what’s on the plate—it’s about protecting everyone who gathers to share a meal. This week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, join me as I chat with food safety expert Francine Shaw, CP-FS, FMP, about one of the most contagious viruses threatening events today: norovirus.
Francine’s expertise spans the globe, with projects from Peru to Dubai. She’s worked with household names like Target, Marriott, and McDonald’s. From keynote stages to consulting with public health departments, Francine, founder and CEO of Savvy Food Safety, Inc., co-creator and co-host of Don't Eat POOP! A Food Safety Podcast, and author of “Who Watches the Kitchen,” has made it her mission to champion food safety in every corner of the industry.
With norovirus outbreaks on the rise, especially during the busy event season, it’s a crucial topic for meeting planners. Did you know that norovirus spreads easily through contaminated food, surfaces, and direct contact? Unlike COVID-19, hand sanitizer alone won’t cut it, so proper food safety protocols and cleaning measures are essential.
In this episode, we’ll discuss:
How norovirus spreads and why it’s so persistent.
➤ Practical strategies for venues and planners to reduce risk—from the kitchen to the buffet line.
➤ The key questions you need to ask your catering and venue partners to ensure safe practices.
➤ Steps you can take to safeguard attendees and staff, including cleaning high-touch surfaces and promoting thorough handwashing.
Whether planning a corporate conference or a community gathering, this conversation will equip you with the tools to prioritize health, safety, and trust in your food and beverage experiences. Make food safety the backbone of every event, not an afterthought.
📲 Don’t miss this essential episode! Share your questions and insights in the comments. Let’s tackle this together!