Involve All the Senses

• Posted on Carolyn
• in Meeting Design
• on January 2, 2014
• Comments Off on Involve All the Senses

When a colleague first asked if I wanted to attend an information session about olive oil, I was hesitant as I expected a dry lecture.   After I got the official invite for an interactive cooking session, my ‘maybe’ turned quickly into a ‘yes’!

The class was held at Rustico Cooking (a cooking loft in New York City), and my senses were immediately awoken by the smells from the kitchen that led us upstairs.   After checking in, all attendees donned an apron and were divided into three groups.  Each group prepared parts of our lunch – the common theme was EVOO as our “cooking fat” of choice.  We prepared (and later feasted on!) prosciutto wrapped asparagus , frittata wedges, spicy chorizo cups, Tuscan bean tuna crostini, black pepper oven fried and savory olive oil biscotti (cue the drooling!).  Everyone had a chance to contribute, no matter your level of cooking skill, as each group was guided by instructors.

After we finished our prep and while lunch was in the oven, we moved to a large communal table for the educational phase of the afternoon.  All ears & eyes were focused on Steve Jenkins of Fairway Market who peppered us with many facts about olive oil.  I saw many other fingers typing and pens moving as we jotted down some tidbits (here are some of my favorites):

• Olive oil should not be fruity – should taste bitter
• Olive oil is about bringing out the flavors in your food
• Olive oil is a condiment not a food
• Look for monocultivars, not blends – the best olives are early harvest when green

By combining the communal cooking with the information and eating, we were able to use all of our senses to fully appreciate the topic.  We touched and mixed and stirred, we saw some different techniques being used to prepare the ingredients, we smelled what was being cooked, we tasted the fruits of our labors (and olives are a fruit!), and we listened to the facts about olive oil presented by someone who was not only knowledgeable but also passionate about the subject.

Would I have been as engaged if I sat in a meeting room theater-style and listened to the same information?  If I was served the meal that I didn’t help make would it have tasted as good? If the meal was served at several round tables instead of one large communal table would the ambiance have been the same?  This event happened almost three months ago and I can vividly remember it and have been able to relive it by sharing some of the recipes with my family.  What changes you can make in your meetings so you involve all the senses and keep your attendees thinking and talking about the event/product/speaker one, two, three months later?

The afternoon was hosted by the Flavor Your Life campaign dedicated to promoting awareness about Extra Virgin Olive Oil.