The American Club — At the American Club, a Destination Kohler resort in Kohler, Wisconsin, meeting breaks foster competition, camaraderie, and culinary bragging rights in what’s known as “Team Cuisine.” Hosted in banquet rooms (and sometimes the banquet kitchen), this afternoon break option commences with meeting-goers dividing into teams, choosing a recipe, then selecting from the ingredients and the cooking equipment provided.

“The challenge is hosted by several of the resort chefs, including Banquet Chef Dan Dries, who describe the recipes and ingredients, demonstrate safe cooking practices, answer questions, and serve as judges. A Kohler Experiential Learning facilitator is also there to encourage teamwork and lend a hand,” Executive Chef Ulrich Koberstein says.

Recipes available for the competition include appetizers like the Mustard and Herb Asparagus in Phyllo and Spring Roll Seafood Sticks with Citrus Dipping Sauce, as well as soups like the Five Onion with Wild Rice and the Fire & Ice (hot grilled shrimp with chilled gazpacho and avocado relish). Also up for grabs are anything-but-simple salad recipes including the Herb-Crusted Tenderloin of Beef, Two Tomato, and Grilled Onion Salad with Roasted Garlic Sauce and the Seared Veal Tenderloin Salad of Spinach and Basil, Sliced Pears, and fresh Wisconsin Parmesan. Heartier fare includes Fillet of Norwegian Salmon with Tomato-Cucumber Salad and Potato Crisps; Seared Veal Medallions, Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Plum Tomatoes, and Pepato Polenta; and Pan-Roasted Sea Bass, Caramelized Onions with Fennel, and Wilted Spinach. Finally, challenging desserts like Seasonal Fresh Berries in a Tulip Cup with Champagne Sabayon and the Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnuts and Whiskey with Marinated Raspberry Salad round out the meal.

After the teams are finished with preparation, they present their dishes, and the chefs judge each dish on color, taste, and presentation.

“Everyone eats, and sometimes the company awards prizes for the first-, second-, and third-place winners,” says Koberstein. “But even if they don’t win, people get fiercely proud about their accomplishment— they want everyone to taste their dish. It’s a wonderful team-building activity.”

Red Lion Inn — In 1773, a general store was built in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on the road that connected Boston to Albany. Because the road was heavily traveled, the store quickly evolved into a stagecoach stop, a tavern, and, finally, an inn. Today, it’s known as the Red Lion Inn, and, although the ownership and name have changed over its 200-year life, its antique-filled rooms still provide rest for the weary.

“Since we’re located in the ‘bucolic Berkshires’ and known for our welcoming small-town ways, we host a lot of meetings,” says Carol Bosco Baumann, director of marketing and communications. “Our meeting breaks are geared toward comfort and invigoration, and we take advantage of the culinary and healthful bounty of the area in all our menus.”

James Beard-honored executive chef Brian J. Alberg has created healthy and relaxing breaks like the Om Package, which features locally grown and produced ingredients from small farms in the Berkshires and surrounding region. For the morning break, meeting attendees are treated to a sustainable menu sourced from local farms: organic granola with dried cranberries; Jersey milk; drinkable mango, peach, blackberry, and strawberry yogurt; and fresh seasonal fruit. In the afternoon, the meeting stops for a 30- to 45-minute yoga session to stretch out and reinvigorate.

“A cozy, self-indulgent break is the Comfort Package, which plays to the little kid in all of us,” adds Bosco Baumann. In the morning, meetinggoers refuel on warm oatmeal with local maple syrup. In the afternoon, they reward themselves with fresh-from-the-oven peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies served with ice-cold whole and chocolate milk.

The Food & Wine Break offers a fun morning respite from the boardroom with a 30-minute crêpe demonstration hosted by Chef Alberg. The wine portion naturally takes place toward the end of the day when Alberg discusses and then distributes samplings of wine varietals including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir.

“In the summer months, the wine tasting takes place in our flowerfilled courtyard or beside the pool, which makes it especially popular— and so relaxing,” Bosco Baumann says.