Master the Art of Influential Dining

Master the Art of Influential Dining

 

The holiday season is coming, and with it, a packed calendar of business meals, client dinners, networking events, and year-end celebrations. These aren't just social occasions—they're where relationships deepen, deals move forward, and opportunities unfold. Yet many of us navigate these moments with more anxiety than confidence.

Sound familiar?

• The executive interview over lunch where you want to focus on the conversation, not worry about the place setting
• Hosting an important client dinner and wanting everything to feel effortless
• Holiday networking events where you'd love to connect authentically without second-guessing yourself
• That crucial business meal where you want to show up as polished and prepared

Most of us figure it out as we go. But what if you could walk into any business dining situation feeling genuinely confident?

Here's what we know: The small details matter - not because they define you, but because mastering them frees you to focus on what really counts: the conversation, the relationship, the opportunity. When you're not worried about which fork to use, you can be fully present for the moments that move your career forward.

Why Join Us?

Perfect Timing: With holiday gatherings and year-end business entertaining around the corner, there's no better time to refine these skills and head into the season feeling prepared.

Intimate & Supportive: Just 32 seats. Four courses. Real restaurant setting. Expert guidance in a friendly, relaxed, collegial atmosphere.

What You'll Learn 

Transform Your Business Meal Approach
• Establish the critical distinction between social dining and strategic business engagements
• Examine real-world case studies where overlooked dining details significantly impacted business outcomes
• Learn how treating meals as "meetings with food" transforms your approach and results

Master Executive Dining Etiquette
• Handle any utensil configuration without hesitation using both Continental and American techniques
• Navigate formal and informal place settings with absolute confidence
• Control your pace, volume, and physical presence like a seasoned executive

Strategic Pre-Meal Planning
• Choose venues that psychologically prime clients for success
• Research restaurants and create contingency plans for common disruptions
• Maintain focus on business objectives throughout the engagement

Conversation Management Mastery

• Transition seamlessly from small talk to deal-closing conversations
• Take appropriate-sized bites that allow for smooth conversation flow
• Balance relationship building with business advancement naturally

Professional Alcohol & Wine Protocols 
• Navigate industry-specific norms regarding alcohol consumption 
• Learn proper wine glass handling and pouring etiquette with graceful ways to decline alcohol
• Gracefully decline alcohol while maintaining professional composure

Host and Guest Excellence

• Distinguish between responsibilities in different roles and practice gracious hosting
• Master bill handling, tipping protocols, and discreet payment methods
• Navigate expectations across various dining contexts with confidence

The Experience

This isn't a lecture. You'll learn the essentials, then put them into practice during a beautiful four-course lunch at Hothouse Restaurant. Navigate real place settings, manage natural conversation flow, and enjoy a relaxed meal while networking with fellow business leaders - —all while applying what you've just learned.

Who Is This For

This luncheon is perfect for:

• Sales and business development professionals who entertain clients regularly
• Emerging leaders preparing for roles with more client-facing responsibility
• Executives and managers who host important dinners
• Entrepreneurs representing their businesses at industry events
• Anyone interviewing for senior roles where dining may be part of the process
• Professionals returning to in-person business after years of virtual meetings

Whether you're looking to polish existing skills or build confidence for new situations, you'll leave feeling more prepared and self-assured.

Meet Your Instructor

Trina Boos
Founder & CEO, Boost Academy of Excellence

Trina Boos is the Founder and CEO of Boost Academy of Excellence, where she helps organizations develop their teams' professional presence, business etiquette, and communication capabilities - skills particularly vital in today's hybrid work environment.

Trina is also the host of the podcast Boosted (From Unpolished to Promoted), offering actionable workplace strategies through real scenarios and human stories - teaching the unwritten rules of professional success that nobody covers in school.

Previously, as CEO of Boost Agents recruitment agency, Trina placed thousands of professionals in marketing, advertising, creative, and digital roles across North America. She also founded Ad Lounge, which grew from a Sheridan College networking group into a community of over 5,000 advertising industry professionals.

A graduate of the Emily Post Institute's "Business Etiquette Train the Trainer" program, Trina's work and insights have been featured in the Toronto Star, Financial Post, and Women of Influence.

At the core of her work is a passion for connecting people and fostering professional growth through genuine relationships and navigating complex business environments with grace.

Important Details:

Dietary Restrictions:

Please contact us to specify any dietary restrictions or food allergies within 7 calendar days of the event date. After this deadline, we'll provide our standard menu selection and cannot accommodate special dietary needs.

Photography Notice:
Event photos may be taken for marketing and social media. By registering, you consent to being photographed. To opt out, contact us before the event date.

(*Note, the photographs in this event page are stock photographs, and not part of the menu being offered)

Important Details  

This comprehensive workshop includes a four-course lunch served in a professional restaurant setting, allowing you to practice skills in real-time with expert guidance.

Menu: 

Pre-Meal Service
Coffee and Tea Service during instruction

Starter Selection

Bruschetta with Fresh Tomato and Basil

or Pan-Seared Crab Cake (one per person)

Soup Course Soup of the Day
Salad Course Seasonal Market Salad with House Vinaigrette 
or Classic Caesar Salad

Main Course Selection

Grilled Chicken Brochette with Seasonal Vegetables 
or Mediterranean Caponata Bowl with Seared Tuna 
or Wild Mushroom Gnocchi in Herb Butter Sauce

Formal Toast Prosecco will be served for our toasting lesson

Dessert Selection

Traditional Tiramisu or Sicilian Cannoli

*Note, the photograph in this event page is a stock photograph, and not part of the menu being offered. 

Please indicate your selections for starter, salad, main course, and dessert when placing your order.

Dietary Restrictions:

Please contact us to specify any dietary restrictions or food allergies within 7 calendar days of the event date. After this deadline, we'll provide our standard menu selection and cannot accommodate special dietary needs.

Photography Notice:

Event photos may be taken for marketing and social media purposes. By registering, you consent to being photographed. To opt out, contact us before the event date.