ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Looking to work on a food blog or start a food truck but can’t find the time to start planning? On April 4, the Pause.On.Purpose. (P.O.P) Retreat at Zingerman’s Cornman Farms will bring foodies together for a purpose.
Hosted by the Reflection Institute, the day-long retreat will connect food enthusiasts and assist them with their food-related projects.
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The brainchild of Irish sisters Jenny Bouchier-Hayes and Lisa Kjellström, the retreat is intended to be a time for focus and learn. Pulling from their experiences in leadership development, the sisters wanted to create an event where attendees could find meaning and take intentional time to reflect on life, goals and future endeavors or investments.
As purposefully pausing relates to food, Kjellström said the sisters’ Irish mother, and growing up with food as a source of welcome and community, has helped them develop their own passions. Bouchier-Hayes has a veggie garden while Kjellström is interested in food supply and took up a baking initiative.
“I’m finding that’s really-- it falls into self-care, too. It’s just taking the time to find out what energizes you and what kind-of calms your spirit down in the chaos of everyday life,” said Kjellström.
Considering themselves “big foodies,” the sisters wanted to find a theme that combined their passion for food and mindfulness -- they call it “foodfillment.”
“The idea behind this is that one of my favorite quotes is ‘food is the ingredient that binds us together,’” said Bouchier-Hayes. “And when people are brought together around food, they tend to be their happiest selves. And when you’re your happiest self, it’s amazing what good can be accomplished.”
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Running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., attendees at the P.O.P Retreat will cook a meal with Chef Kieron Hales of Cornman Farms, learn from a panel of Ann Arbor food entrepreneurs, take a tour of the farm, workshop with a project coach and network with like-mind foodies.
Panelists Amy Emberling (Zingerman’s Bakehouse), David Klingenberger (The Brinery) and Rachel Liu Martindale (Milk + Honey) will discuss their different experiences within parts of the food industry.
Breakfast at the Graduate Hotel, a three-course meal at Cornman Farms, “goodie” bags and raffle tickets for foodie-themed prizes are included.
A presentation will also be given by a representative of the Intrepid Foundation, a foundation powered by Intrepid Travel.
“As it comes back to food, another message we want to convey is that yes, ‘food the ingredient that binds us together’ but it also transcends and breaks down borders -- So it’s everyone in every culture all over the world. We all eat.,” said Kjellström.
“Food is a communal experience that we all have in common, no matter what country you live in. And it’s also a way for us to learn about other parts of the world through how they experience flavor and how they build their dishes, so we’re going to explore a little bit of that as well.”
The P.O.P retreat costs $299; however, couples or friends who reserve two spots together through Feb.14 will receive half off the cost of one reservation with the purchase of one full-price reservation.
A full itinerary and ticket can be found on the P.O.P Retreat event page.
According to the organizers, attendance at the event will be capped around 35 participants so that the retreat remains small and a place for personal reflection.