Pastries and coffee and deli sandwiches, chips, and a cookie aren't the most exciting breakfast and lunch options for meeting breaks. Depending on the location, hotels and restaurants are putting a spin on the typical meeting break fare with food and drink offerings that are locally inspired or locally sourced. From Chicago-theme candy and snack displays and staples of Puerto Rico to inventive hot beverages inspired by Park City slopes, here's a look at how certain venues are elevating meeting break menus.
The second Chicago-theme menu is Nuts on Clark, a summer-inspired display that offers popcorn, nuts, and more as an homage to Clark Avenue, which is two blocks from Wrigley Field. The display offers a variety of popcorn toppings and mix-ins including caramel, chocolate, and garlic olive oil, candy and nuts, and flavored seasonings including ranch, cheddar, and sriracha. Beverages include bottles of Americana-brand flavored soda.
Le Méridien Chicago Oakbrook Center has introduced three new locally inspired menus for meeting breaks. The hotel's Sweet Home Chicago menu offers a variety of self-serve candy that originated in the city, including Lemonheads, Milk Duds, Red Hots, Tootsie Rolls, and Dots. Named after the blues song by Robert Johnson, the candy-shop-inspired display—which also offers pretzel bites and lemonade and iced tea—comes with a chalkboard sign that displays information about the Chicago-founded National Confections Association.
The final Chicago-theme menu is the Illinois Farm Table, which offers locally sourced fruits and vegetables for smoothies, pastries, and juices from a display with farm-inspired decor. Chalkboards detail where each ingredient is from, and seasonal scented candles are placed at the tables. Guests can create their own juices and smoothies with the ingredients or enjoy prepared items such as crudites with truffle aioli.
El Conquistador Resort and Las Casitas Village, Waldorf Astoria Resorts in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, offer a Flavors of Puerto Rico menu with local fare prepared by executive chef Ernie Reyes. Menu items include grilled local vegetable bruschetta with spicy aioli.
Another menu item is coconut ceviche made with lime-cured flakes of fresh white fish mixed with chives, olive oil, herbs, and coconut milk. The dish is served in a coconut.
Dessert options include mini tres leches cakes served in cups.
The Farm in Canyons Village at Park City, Utah, offers an aprés-ski-inspired menu from chef Manual Rozehmal, focusing on ingredients sourced from local farms and artisan purveyors. Shareable items include a local charcuterie board with Avalanche salami, fresh pickles, house mustard, beehive cheese, and lavash crackers.
Next door to the Farm is Murdock's Cafe, which offers seven unique takes on hot cocoa: the Sandlot, with graham cracker dust and toasted marshmallows; 94 Crumbs, with chocolate whipped cream and Oreo pieces; Moose Boost, with an espresso shot and whipped cream; the Bear Lake, with raspberry hot cocoa and chocolate whipped cream; the Mogul Mint, with peppermint hot cocoa, peppermint whipped cream, and crushed peppermint; the Carmel Corn, with popcorn whipped cream and salted caramel; and the Peanut Booter, with peanut butter whipped cream and dark chocolate pieces.
The Breakers Palm Beach offers a Localecopia menu for meeting breaks, as well as a variety of events. Created by executive chef of banquets Jeff Simms, the menu features dishes made with locally and sustainably sourced ingredients from local farmers and food purveyors. Items include craft mojitos; passed selections such as tempura squash blossoms and Pine Island crab cakes; salads, fruit, seafood, and other meat entrées served buffet-style; and desserts including chocolate chip cookies with milk shots and key lime pie cake pops. Seasonal items include Florida stone crabs with key lime mustard. Keeping with the Florida theme, multiple menu items mention where ingredients come from, such as beets from Polk County and sweet corn from Belle Glade.
