Team resilience is built on good taste.
We believe in sharing joy.
In the past month, our team has worked with three different teams to do essentially that, share joy. Joy of discovery, joy of connection, joy of communication, joy of shared achievement, that’s what we’re actually doing. It’s not the vocabulary of the business world to put it that way, but that joy, earned that way, unlocks a team to resilience in good times, bad times, and times so turbulent they defy categorization.
It’s intuitive to a certain extent; when we are happy we get more done. Digging deeper though, relationships formed in good times by definition share good memories. That's the foundation for future collaboration and trust, empowering creativity and innovation. It’s a pretty direct route. Maintaining the energy from joy takes work and opportunities. A Matter of Taste provides those opportunities for teams.
Our approach anchors experiences and memories with structure, and actually works to enhance how much participants DO remember.
By first mindfully getting present, we clear the clutter that clouds memory while we cleanse our palate for the first tasting.
We map memories with a guided tasting and education mixing culinary exploration with intentional connections.
Then we fill it with self-guided discovery of culinary making, tasting, and connecting with each other.
Our wrap is intentional too, fostering forward action and giving a reason to remember with a closing note and bite, (and usually a takeaway surprise).
That’s four dedicated steps to build a strong foundation.
With that ”repeatable routine” the experience might sound scripted. Yes, there are notes to hit, but no experience is ever the same. No menu is exactly the same, no agenda is exactly the same, because no team is exactly the same. No team has exactly the same goals, same food preferences, same history, same occasion to gather, same sensibilities…you get the idea.
For us, that difference, that unique intersection of minds, hearts, mission and moment, is where the joy comes from. Teachers coming together for a chocolate education and tasting experience to help them engage fully for the new school year. A highly creative team closing a two-day team conference with a gustatory ‘create your own adventure’ deep dive into umami. Both reintroducing new, remote, hybrid and in-person team members.
From designing chef demonstrations to crafting unexpected flavor combinations, Joanna and Jennifer have the joy of designing agendas, activities and menus. We have the fun of hosting (even when we travel) with what we know will taste amazing, intriguing, and facilitate the intended flavor of the event. We also love the opportunity to highlight small and local artisans of fine foods to ensure a community anchor for what we do.
Our partnership defines what we are able to provide. Joanna is our food scientist, chocolatier, and chef. She also consults food brands on product development, commercialization and quality assurance. Jennifer is our curriculum designer, tea maven, and spice nose. She also consults with clients who need support for change leadership, team resilience, and continuous learning programs. We both teach in our respective verticals, so we can draw from distinct learning objectives to create something totally unique.
This month we got to experience the joy of connecting people, crafting bespoke experiences to help them achieve their goals, and witnessing the direct value of what we do. Our client teams shared their own taste preferences and references, learning more about each other. They led and followed in new taste ideas, considering and trusting each other, respectively. And they had fun! They shared ‘taste sensations,’ they were surprised and inspired, and, more importantly, they shared memories. How joyful!
