Gone are the days when ‘special request’ meant ‘the fruit plate and steamed veggies,’ says Austin Convention Center’s executive chef. Here’s what he’s seeing as dietary restrictions skyrocket.

A utilitarian approach to serving food to families in Malaysia has become a wow factor at group receptions at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, thanks to executive chef Leon Teow.

The Centerplate team at San Diego Convention Center whips up themed chocolate bars for fans attending Comic-Con International.

The JW Marriott Los Angeles LA LIVE team recreated a 1950s diner for breakfast at PCMA’s recent EduCon. The result? Attendees could scoot into a booth to sit and chat instead of juggling a muffin and latte while standing. And the retro theme was an immediate conversation starter.

What’s the best way to give attendees a taste of local cuisine while they’re attending sessions in a hotel or convention center? Here’s how one planner made the F&B breaks all about only-in-Portland treats, retailers, and surprise guests.

ReFED, a nonprofit focused on eliminating food waste in the U.S., has created a list of 27 cost-effective, scalable solutions, some of which address the biggest problems faced by meeting planners.

For those attendees not yet ready to make the leap to plant-based everything, blended burgers offer a transition — and a more sustainable option for group functions.

Sustainable Gastronomy Day served to remind us of wasted food’s economic and environmental toll — and reinforced how the events industry has a role to play in solving the problem, one meal function at a time.

A cooking class — and its no-doggy-bag policy — speaks to the larger issue of how we need to make eliminating food waste a priority at events.

With its new EAT Stations, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre merges local food with tech and AV to wow attendees.

When organizers enable participants to help prepare the meal, the experience feels more educational, fun, and memorable.

Oversized steamer trunks retrofitted as pop-up bars offer planners a chance to unpack craft drinks — and turn back time — at their events.