The Dish: Bison Carpaccio with Palisade Peach Gastrique.

• The Neuroscience: Neurogenesis & The Orienting Reflex.

• The Seminar Moment: We begin on the High Plains, a place of vast horizons and indigenous roots. Just as the bison represents the "foundational strength" of the land, our brain's ability to change starts with Novelty.

The Connection: The cold, savory bison paired with the sharp tang of the peach gastrique triggers your "orienting reflex."

This sensory "spark" releases Acetylcholine, the chemical that tells your brain: "Pay attention, something new is happening." This is the first step in priming your brain to create new neural pathways.

The Dish: Roasted Palisade Beet & Quinoa Salad.

• The Neuroscience: Adaptive Resilience & Up-Regulation.

• The Seminar Moment: Moving into the San Luis Valley, we highlight high-altitude agriculture—crops that thrive under pressure.

The Connection: Just as these beets and quinoa must adapt to the harsh, high-altitude sun, your brain requires a "challenge" to grow. During this course, we discuss Up-Regulation.

We talk about how focused effort and even a little bit of stress (like the crunch of the quinoa or the "earthiness" of the beet) are necessary to "forge" stronger synaptic connections. We are fueling the brain's metabolic engine for change.

The Dish: Pan-Seared Rainbow Trout with Wild Mushroom Risotto.

• The Neuroscience: Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) & Integration.

• The Seminar Moment: We head into the high peaks and cold-water rivers.

The Connection: The Rainbow Trout provides the Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA) that actually make up the physical "insulation" of your neurons (Myelin).

The mushrooms represent the "Mycelial Network"—the underground web of the forest that mirrors the interconnected web of your brain. During this main course, we move into Down-Regulation. We discuss how the brain doesn't actually learn while it's "working"; it integrates new information while it is resting.

This creamy, grounding dish signals to your nervous system: "It is safe to integrate what we’ve learned today."

The Dish: Dark Chocolate Stout Cake with Honey-Lavender Mousse.

• The Neuroscience: Oxytocin & Habit Consolidation.

• The Seminar Moment: We conclude with a celebration of Colorado’s craft culture and wellness innovation.

The Connection: The bitterness of the stout and the soothing floral notes of lavender create a "sensory anchor."

Lavender is a known down-regulator, lowering heart rates and preparing the brain for sleep—the ultimate state of neuroplasticity.

As we share this dessert, we focus on Social Oxytocin. By discussing our "micro-leaps" (small habits) together, we use the power of community to "lock in" the new neural pathways we’ve explored tonight.