The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing Meetings Through Food
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The Science of Food for Thought:
Enhancing Meetings Through Food
Meeting
Experience the largest Discoveries,
eco-friendly Spring 2011
conference center in the nation.
Everything you need to know to plan a productive meeting, conference,
retreat, or Authored by: at NCC.
training program
Sarah Vining, The National Conference Center
Contributing Research:
20+ Years of Excellence in Meetings • Knowledgable Conference Planners
Executive Chef Craig Mason, The National Conference Center
Green-certified Facility • Convenient Location near DC
Andrea Sullivan, BrainStrength Systems
Dedicated Learning Environment • Customized Solutions
18980 Upper Belmont Place
Leesburg, VA 20176-1245
Phone: 877.363.3108
Fax: 703.729.5382
conferencecenter.com18980 Upper Belmont Place Leesburg, Virginia
877.363.3108
The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing Meetings Through Food
M eeting planners every-
where are always looking for
National Conference Center in
terms of creating meeting alertness
adds, “Cooking time and how you
care for the product also translate
the answer to this question: how and engagement. Our Executive to more preserved nutrients and an
can I help my attendees gain and Chef Craig Mason began by ex- enhanced meeting experience.”
retain the most from their meeting amining food items in our lunch The Executive Chef recom-
experience? One might answer that cycle and on break stations. By mends reducing cooking time;
question by looking into condi- exchanging the foods we serve, for instance, the most nutrition
tional factors that may influence Chef Mason offers a solution of can be maintained in vegetables
an attendee leading up to a meet brain-friendly foods which he by heating water to the hottest
ing as well as during. Aside from sleep coined as The National Conference point before boiling the product.
and stress levels, meals play a large Center’s Food for Thought program.
role. The center of all brain focus What does Chef Mason have
at meetings comes down to: what Mason first reduced the quantity of to say about morning and
are my attendees consuming and red meat, replacing it with lighter afternoon snacks?
what is the timing of those meals? options such as fish and chicken. He
eliminated heavy use of red meat There is a significant difference
Neuroscience research such as in meals for several reasons. First, between past items on our break
how food affects the brain can be he says, “It tends to slow our guests stations and what snacks we’re
very helpful. Research by Andrea down, making them drowsy for the currently invested in serving. At
Sullivan, M.A., of BrainStrength second half of the day.” He also rec- the conference center, break sta-
Systems has proven functional ognized fish and chicken as healthier tions are replenished with snacks
foods and timing both serve as a options that require less energy to throughout the day and allow
factor for productive meetings. Her digest, which prevents attendees’ meeting planners the freedom
research demonstrates that in basic energy levels from being drained. to choose when they would like
brain chemistry, “Neurotransmitters to break from sessions. Previous
are required for memory, cognition, In addition, Chef Mason invests a break stations served chips, cookies,
learning, attention and action. considerable amount of time ensur- gummy bears and pastries through-
Specific foods are a key compo- ing the conference center is sourcing out the day. Chef Mason describes
nent of these powerful chemicals the best products. During each sea- this as the ultimate sugar rush,
in the brain, along with timing.” son of the year, he searches for local “Guests experience an overload
vendors and farmers within 150 mile of sugar and suffer from a mental
What are the best meal and radius who can provide in-season crash in their afternoon meetings.”
snack options to increase fruits, vegetables and ingredients. Present break stations by Mason
meeting performance? According to Mason, “Foods with the favor an array of fresh fruits,
most nutritional value are always nuts, yogurt and energy bars
On an experimental level, we local, within a 150-miles of you, and (and the occasional gummy bears).
have taken a closer look at the haven’t spent much time traveling When Mason established the
meals and snacks we serve at The from the farm to your fork.” Mason new break station menu, he was
page 2 of 5 I for more information, please visit conferencecenter.com18980 Upper Belmont Place Leesburg, Virginia
877.363.3108
The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing Meetings Through Food
“The main thing that impacts whether the brain
is stimulated or relaxed is based on the balance amino acid tryptophan, which is
a precusor of smitter that tends
between carbohydrates and proteins.” to relax the brain and create a
sense of well-being and peace.
ahead of the hospitality food making sustaining alertness difficult. Other items that improve cognitive
and beverage curve, knowing guests functioning, while also producing
would soon be asking for these items. What does Andrea Sullivan serotonin include yogurt, bananas,
The same correlation between recommend for lunch? whole grains, beans, rice, peanuts
food and mind alertness also and dark chocolate in moderation.
lies within Andrea Sullivan’s Chef Mason and Mrs. Sullivan both This level of detail in Sullivan’s
research. As an organizational agree local products play an integral research supports Chef Mason’s trend
psychologist who studies the brain, part in Food for Thought. Sullivan toward functional meeting foods.
Sullivan began speaking at confer- recommends local because it’s green,
ences about using the brain to build the plants are fresher and have
executive leadership skills. During less nutrition loss. She suggests
presentations, she noticed the spinach as a great local product
Top Brain
breakfast and lunch menus did for short and long-term memory,
not feature brain-stimulating “Also high in iron and foliate,
Meeting Snacks:
items. She began researching spinach helps neural transmitters
how food has an effect on the beneficial for thinking and learn- • H20
brain; Sullivan was able to drill ing.” However, she cautions buyers • Granola
down how food choices enhance to research local products such as • Nuts
mood, learning and performance. honey to ensure it’s made naturally • Blueberries
without high fructose corn syrup. • Yogurt
Her research has lead to several • Mangos
findings for improved performance Sullivan further explains lunch, “The • Bananas
in the meetings industry. “Break- main thing that impacts whether • Spinach
fast should consist of a complex the brain is stimulated or relaxed
• Broccoli
carbohydrate and a protein,” is based on the balance between
Sullivan states, “A whole-grain bagel carbohydrates and proteins.” Lean
• Whole Grain Breads
helps to sustain energy along with proteins such as fish and chicken • Hard-Boiled Eggs
a hard-boiled egg which contains contain tyrosine, a building block • Peanut Butter
Choline, a chemical building block of neurotransmitters that create • Dark Chocolate
to learning.” She suggests avoiding energy, alertness, and motivational • Energy Bars
simple carbohydrates such as white behavior. Meals that are higher in
bread, white rice and pastries which complex carbohydrates, such as
increase sugar levels and then crash, whole grains or pasta produce the
page 3 of 5 I for more information, please visit conferencecenter.com18980 Upper Belmont Place Leesburg, Virginia
877.363.3108
The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing Meetings Through Food
At The National Confer- for plant enzymes that fight more meeting alertness based
ence Center, one tool used in off mental fatigue. Sullivan’s on debriefing sessions.
determining results of serving Food advice to avoid a sugar high
for Thought is through debriefing is to pair sugar with a protein Through this study, there are great
sessions with meeting planners. such as a dark chocolate possibilities of enhanced meet-
Debriefing sessions, regarded as peanut butter cup. Dark ings and performance with menu
one of the most effective ways for chocolate is a power food that choices that encompass the correct
a venue to gain feedback from improves cognitive function- balance and science demonstrated
a planner or instructor, teaches ing for one to two hours. Not by Andrea Sullivan’s brain research,
us a lot about a group’s overall all sugar has to be banished if Executive Chef Craig Mason and The
meeting experience. These sessions coupling it with the right items. National Conference Center. When
are able to provide us with an Andrea Sullivan was asked what
astounding amount of feedback. 2. Stay Light, Stay Awake she finds most interesting, she
We discovered that beyond - Meeting success is mainly answered, “We often struggle
returning clients such as “Group X, impacted by meals served at with our body and mind, yet this
who noticed a significant difference breakfast and lunch. In our science gives us insight and an
in alertness among the group,” a debriefing sessions, meeting understanding to apply in our daily
debrief with new clients affirmed planners who report more alert lives. We learn to use our brain to
results of, “Group Y who noticed a attendees compare their expe- be in charge of ourselves and
significant decrease of afternoon rience directly to meals with red become the person we want to be.”
fatigue compared to their experi- meats that resulted in afternoon As we fulfill our mission to deliver
ence at other properties.” The same fatigue. Sullivan’s research re- quality service to our clients, we strive
kind of information is consistent veals lean meats produce more to apply the authentic and powerful
with Andrea Sullivan’s compre- memorable meetings, while science of Food for Thought to help
hensive research on the effects of fatty meats slow guests down. organizations achieve their goals.
the brain with food and timing.
3. Local - Local farmers and ven- Meeting Discoveries:
As leaders in Food for Thought, dors play a large role. Serving Spring 2011
Executive Chef Craig Mason and less starches and more fruits and
Andrea Sullivan give us a few things vegetables has proven to coun- Meeting Discoveries is a white
to take away from this study: teract the 2:00 afternoon blues. paper series produced quarterly by
Sullivan’s study proves local The National Conference Center.
1. Avoid a Sugar High - Chef foods have more nutrients that Topics range from helping meeting
Craig Mason was able to show counteract fatigue, increase planners produce more productive
us white flour and simple sugars memory, cognition, and oxygen meetings to trends in the industry.
such as cookies are a no-no in in the brain. At The National The next edition of Meeting
the afternoon. Andrea Sullivan Conference Center, fresher Discoveries will publish in June 2011.
recommends fruits and nuts ingredients also reflect results of
page 4 of 5 I for more information, please visit conferencecenter.com18980 Upper Belmont Place Leesburg, Virginia
877.363.3108
The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing Meetings Through Food
The National Conference Center (NCC) is a full-service conference center and one of the largest eco-friendly conference centers
in the nation. Located in Northern Virginia, 12 miles from Dulles International Airport and 35 miles from Washington, D.C.,
NCC has 917 guest rooms and over 250,000 square feet of meeting space. With 30 years experience in the hospitality and meetings
industry, The National Conference Center has become a hub for productive meetings. For information call 877-363-3108 or visit
www.conferencecenter.com.
Andrea Sullivan, M.A. is President of BrainStrength Systems, a learning and performance organization providing programs on
brain-friendly meetings and learning design, performance improvement, leadership development and personal mastery. Sullivan
is committed to educating people about their brain - their most valuable resource at work and in life. She can be reached at 610-
891-7510 or asullivan@brainstrength.net.
Executive Chef Craig Mason brings his passion for cooking and knowledge of hospitality’s food and beverage trends to
The National Conference Center’s 10,000 square foot kitchen each morning. As the Executive Chef, Mason is responsible for
creating and implementing new menus and concepts for almost 6,000 guests a month. Mason’s primary culinary focus is to
promote eco-sustainability through environmentally friendly products, “food for thought” entrees, and farm-to-table initiatives.
Chef Mason graduated with honors from The Culinary Institute of America and received his degree in Culinary Arts. Mason’s
talent has led him to obtain several certifications including Culinary Institute of America - Pro Chef Certification Level II and
American Culinary Federation Certified Chef de Cuisine. To contact Chef Mason, please email cmason@conferencecenter.com.
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