324: When Venues Can Learn from a Gluten-free Bakery in a Shared Space
Release Date: 09/30/2025
334: Food Safety at a Crossroads: What Event Planners Need to Know
Eating at a Meeting
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 headlines. 👉 The CDC has quietly scaled back its FoodNet program, slashing surveillance from 8 foodborne pathogens down to just 2—salmonella and E. coli. What...
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333: Why Foodservice Is the Missing Link for Inclusive Food & Beverage Brands
Eating at a Meeting
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 Meeting Podcast LIVE, I’m talking with Mike Levinson, RD, founder of FS Octopus and a leader in helping better-for-you CPG brands grow in hospitality,...
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332: Food Donation Connection
Eating at a Meeting
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 local charities to turn surplus food into meals for those in need. Since 1992,...
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331: Planning Safe Travel for Guests w/ Food Allergies: What’s in the New Guide
Eating at a Meeting
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 more. This week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE, I’m talking with Gwen Smith, founding editor of...
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330: Why Food Policy Matters for Event Planners and our Food Service Partners
Eating at a Meeting
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 our food service partners — and why understanding these broader influences is essential for anyone responsible for planning meals and menus at events....
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329: The Leftover Problem: Why Perfectly Good Food Ends Up in the Bin
Eating at a Meeting
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 people rethink what goes in the trash, using humor, science, and common sense. She’s also helped restaurants and government agencies reimagine menus and...
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328: US Food Regulations Pertaining to Food Allergies - An Update
Eating at a Meeting
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 labeling requirements for alcoholic beverages by the TTB. I break down what these changes mean for restaurants, catering professionals, and anyone who wants to...
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327: How Culinary Training Builds Confidence, Community, & Careers for Refugees
Eating at a Meeting
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 through the lens of dignity, sustainability, and inclusion. Emma’s Torch is about far more than cooking skills—it’s about building confidence, fostering...
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326: Event Profs Share F&B Ordering Tips for Better Guest Experiences & Budgets
Eating at a Meeting
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 make, and how they think about the attendee experience when planning menus. We’ll talk about: ▶︎ How budget, inclusivity, sustainability, and...
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325: Gluten-free or Not? Why Transparency in Event Catering Matters
Eating at a Meeting
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 response? “Just put ‘Uncle Ben’s’ on the sign. Some gluten-free people are fine with it.” And when I asked what I could eat, he said, “We...
info_outlineThis 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, and commitment.
Diagnosed with a gluten allergy in 2019, Ashley didn’t just change how she ate—she reimagined how to bake, launching her business to fill the flavor gap in gluten-free baked goods. Now baking alongside other (non-GF) businesses at Little Blue Bakehouse, she takes meticulous care to protect her products and her customers from cross-contact, and the results speak for themselves.
In our conversation, we’ll explore:
• How Ashley safely operates in a non-dedicated kitchen
• The protocols that protect her gluten-free guests
• What venues and planners can learn from her model
• Why SOPs—not just suppliers—are key to safe dining
Whether you're serving 10 people or 10,000, this is a must-watch for anyone who’s been told “we just can’t do that.” Ashley is doing it—and doing it well. Let’s talk about how.