What if the most interesting ingredient at your next event was already growing just outside the venue?

I've been thinking about this lately — and then Lotta Giesenfeld Boman introduced me to Lisen Sundgren, and honestly, she made it impossible to think about anything else.

Lisen is my guest this week on Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE — and she is the perfect person to kick off Women's HERstory Month as our very first honoree.

She is a Swedish herbalist, forager, and author based in Stockholm, but joining me from Nepal. She has spent more than 30 years teaching chefs, curious eaters, and anyone who will listen about wild edible plants — the ones that have shaped human diets forever and that most of us walk past every single day without a second glance.

She has foraged for some of Stockholm's most celebrated restaurants and worked with Sigtunahöjden Hotel & Conference to weave local wild plants right into their menus. Not as a gimmick. As a genuine expression of place.

And that is exactly what so many of us are chasing when we plan events, right? A menu that actually means something. Food that tells guests where they are.

Lisen also leads foraging walks and forest baths as part of conferences and retreats. Fun!

There is real responsibility here, too. Safe identification, sustainable harvesting, knowing what you are serving and why — Lisen takes all of that seriously, and we are going to talk about it.

I promise this one will change how you look at the landscape around your next venue. 🌿

What if your event menu was the most powerful branding tool your destination has?

In this episode, Tracy is joined by Erik Wolf, Founder and Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association and the pioneer behind the global "Taste of Place" movement.

We talk about why food and beverage should no longer be treated as a banquet line item—but as the way destinations, hotels, and convention centers express identity, protect culture, and drive measurable economic impact.

Erik shares insights from the 2026 Taste of Place Report and explains how culinary heritage, terroir, ethical eating, and storytelling are reshaping tourism—and what that means for meetings and events.

If you're a:
• Destination marketing organization trying to differentiate your city
• Hotel or convention center leader looking to move beyond generic banquet menus
• Event planner wanting your program to actually reflect where it's hosted

This conversation will challenge how you think about menu design, sourcing, storytelling, and guest engagement. Because when attendees travel for a conference, they don't just want to learn. They want to understand where they are. And sometimes, the fastest way to create a sense of place… is through what's on the plate.

What does it mean to truly belong at the table — as a guest and as the one designing the experience?

This Black History Month, I'm hosting an Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE conversation with two extraordinary Black women leaders in the events industry: Zoe Moore (Grow with Zomo) and Diane R. Brown, MBA (Derby Brown Productions). We'll explore how to design events that honor Black history, culture, and community—not just in February, but every time we gather.

We'll cover:
• What Black History Month means in 2026 for event pros.
• The real state of equity and belonging in events and hospitality.
• How food, beverage, and supplier choices can either reinforce or repair harm.
• Practical ways to source and support Black‑owned caterers, restaurants, and suppliers.

Food is culture. Gathering is community. Honoring both isn't a checkbox — it's a practice you can design for.