Food & Wine Festacular

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

With our growing Food & Beverage program, we saw a demand from our membership to host a wine event that was more interactive than a typical wine dinner. As a result, we introduced Food & Wine Festacular, a social wine event where members have the opportunity to explore and sample a variety of wines paired with unique cuisines. The first Food & Wine Festacular was hosted in April 2022 at our Roland Park clubhouse featuring seven kinds of wine, whiskey, and bourbon. The food stations included a raclette station, cheesesteaks, bao buns, grilled steak tartare, risotto, and crepes.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

Our members loved this event so much that they requested an encore. Due to the high member praise, we hosted a second Food & Wine Festacular in November 2022 at our newly renovated Five Farms clubhouse. This time, our Food & Beverage Team chose wines based on different well-known wine regions. As a result, our Culinary Team changed the food pairings to include: oysters, crab beignets, duck confit, pork belly birria style tacos, steak diane, classic steak tartare, and nitrogen ice cream. Additionally, our members were able to purchase wines that they enjoyed during or after the event. Our members greatly appreciate the added elements of social interaction paired with the excitement of tasting new wines and foods. The event has been so successful that we will host it annually, highlighting new regions and cuisines.