Chef’s Table at The National Conference Center
Conference Center and large enough for groups of up to 50.)
The National, being smack in the midst of Virginia wine and hunt country, decided to make the most of it and hired Watson- Delauder, a spokesperson for Virginia Wine Tourism in 2007 and 2008, Certified Sommelier, a Certified Specialist of Wine, and a judge for the Virginia Wine Growers Association for over 20 years.
“Mary is just amazing,” says Geoff Lawson, Vice President and General Manager for The National Conference Center. “She created 10 different wine and beer seminars that can be used as teaching modules or as a team building exercises, all of which can be added to complete meeting packages. Our participants love her as well as the wines!”
It’s hard not to get passionate about a wine lover whose enthusiasm for her subject is so palpably persuasive. “I tell my guests that wine is about fun,” she says. “It’s not about ‘you have to like this or that’ or me telling you how to drink which vintage and why - it’s about finding what you like and what you love.”
In her pairing seminars, Watson-Delauder sometimes suggests combinations that might be considered irreverent. “Champagne and popcorn is one of my favorites,” she says with a mischievous grin.
In the summer, Watson-Delauder tends her herb garden at The National where the herb and wine seminars are held. Year round she is bar manager for the Black Olive Bar and
Grill and works directly with the Executive Chef Todd Goldian in pairing wines for the monthly Chef’s Tables.
The ten seminars include: a wine aroma seminar; food and wine pairing basics class; a blind tasting; a semi-blind tasting; wine blending seminar; a beer and food tasting; wine and cheese pairing; wine and choco- late pairing; an herb and wine pairing; and a wine components seminar. All of these classes are designed to maximize participa- tion as well as pleasure.
Mary Beth Michos of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Executive Development Institute says that her group, which has been coming to The National Conference Center for team building for years, has “hosted a wine tasting as part of our team building and review of ‘working the room’ for the members of the cohort group. Mary has planned and conducted the events. She’s not only very knowledgeable of wines, but is able to relate the informa- tion in an entertaining way. Participants fin- ish the evening having expanded their knowledge of wines and having enjoyed the comradery Mary makes possible through her program. They also learn etiquette associated with drinking wine.”
Michos also says that The National Conference Center, which is enjoying an ongoing multi-million-dollar interior and exterior makeover, has another advantage in comfort and connection. Groups are able to book small, but comfortable “study rooms” in pods so they can stay together within the massive 917 guest room facility.
“My group is ‘captive’ on grounds for the week,” says Michos. “No one complains because the center is comfortable and has enough amenities that they really don’t need anything that isn’t provided. The rooms are very well maintained and very comfortable. I sleep better there than at home. The classroom also is very comfort- able and the beverages and break food provided keep students well fueled between meals. Speaking of meals - the food serv- ice is great. The National has menus with a wide variety of food at each meal. And they accommodate special dietary needs.”
“The National Conference Center has a
wonderful bar - the Black Olive - where as much information exchange occurs as in the classroom,” she continues. “There are many other areas on site (like outdoor fire pits) where guests can relax and meet with each other… As the program director, it is easy for me to contract for one fee that includes classrooms, basic audio-visual, rooms for participants and all of their food. It makes logistics and accounting easy.”
The National’s proximity to historic proper- ties like the 1804 Oatlands Historic House and Garden and the 1,000-acre Morven Park, once the 1920s-era home to the Governor of Virginia (and also home to a Hunting and Hounds Museum), make a wine-themed team building seminar an equally outward-bound exercise in explo- ration of all the senses.
For participants who love wine, however, the real exploration happens on the taste buds.
“Wine is one of the best things in life,” Watson-Delauder says as she swirls a big bowl glass of cabernet and glows with pleasure at its taste and its “legs - those long drips along the glass that are keys to judging a wine’s consistency.”
Gretchen Kelly writes for
forbes.com and for her own website,
extremeluxurygetaways.com Follow her on Twitter @gretchenkelly
Mid-AtlanticEvEnts Magazine 57
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
