C-Suite Contradictions on the Menu: Food, Wine, and Unexpected Connections at the Atlanta Wine and Food Festival
- Torri Ylan
- Sep 17
- 6 min read
Hi, my name is Torri, and I'm a foodie! I also believe that wine falls in the major food group of fruits and vegetables (let's argue). So, needless to say, wine and food festivals make my heart sing. It just so happens that Atlanta, where I currently reside, has one of the best wine and food festivals in the country. And while I am still doing my scientific research (I am eyeing the San Diego Food and Wine Festival this year), my most recent Atlanta Food & Wine Festival experience cemented it's ranking so far for 2025.
Admittedly, I did not make it to the full festival, which this year spanned from Thursday through Sunday. This years event, presented by Invesco QQQ, happened to also fall during a very busy and bustling Atlanta weekend for me. But since I didn't want to miss it entirely, I opted to join what ended up being a very lively and vibrant group for the most delicious dinner experience on the last day. And I'm so delighted I did!
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival was a four-day culinary celebration spotlighting food, wine, beer, and craft spirits of the South and beyond. It's a combination of walk around Tasting Tents and gourmet gatherings. Thankfully, I was able to score a ticket to the most fantastic of these gatherings for the last night.
The Dinner at Marcus Bar & Grille, founded by James Beard award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson and led by Executive Chef Gary Caldwell promised to be a "festive and delicious multi-course dinner celebrating the city's unique culinary scene with special dishes inspired by Atlanta's vibrant food culture."
Special, vibrant and unique...verified!
Excitement from the Very Start
The night was scheduled for 3 hours, 6-9pm. Walking up to the restaurant, I'm immediately greeted with a handshake and welcome by Chef Samuelsson who was out front, stoking my excitement right out the gate.
Living in Atlanta, which has become the "Hollywood of the South", I can hardly go to the grocery store (literally) without seeing a local, national or even a global celebrity. So getting starstruck isn't something that happens much for me. But, if you recall my earlier confession of being a certified foodie, then it should to come no surprise that I STAN for celebrity chefs. From the early days of my childhood watching Justin Wilson (Mr. Onyun, Gaalic, Peprika himself), Julia Child and Martin Yan (IYKYK) on the tube to fast forward years later and my absolute obsession with Emeril Lagasse, I not only consider all of these greats my muse, I have absolutely no shame in admitting when meeting them I am definitely starstruck.
Ok, So Get to the Food Already!
So, what did we eat!?? Well, you are going to have to wait for just a moment before I get to that. I would be remiss if I didn't first mention the vibe of the interior of Marcus Bar & Grille, which I am happy I had a moment to soak in during the welcome reception.
Adding to the already interesting Atlanta inspired aesthetic of the restaurant were carefully crafted table settings. A processional of plates were lined up along the chef's station and wine glasses were waiting patiently and decoratively for their guests.
DJ Dolly, who made the evening even livelier with a trip down Atlanta music heaven, was already spinning hits. A grille was going on the patio preparing a "welcome snack" and servers were passing out The PCH Rita. I was in my happy place.
Now, the Delicious Eats
The dinner that awaited the 80-90 guests was a three course meal plus dessert. However, it ended up being much much more. Adding to what was laid out on the menu, servers came around with additional light bites and other goodies throughout the evening.
Along with more margaritas flowing were various selections of wine. Although you could certainly visit the bar and partake in other craft cocktails, I found no need as the very vibrant and attentive servers made sure our table was well taken care of!
One of the things that I always am a bit concerned about with pre-fixe menus is the protein selection. As a pescatarian, I can sometimes be left eating rabbit food and bread. But that definitely was not the case this evening. Along with the generous tapas, the servers were gracious enough to let me add another lobster pasta to my bill of fare in lieu of the tomahawk main course, which left me well satiated.
By far, the Southside Pasta stole the show for me. At the start of the meal, Chef Samuelsson shared we would be experiencing a yet untapped taste, the 6th flavor of kokumi, which was used to make the pasta sauce. Kokumi is where fermentation and creaminess meet, very similar to umami. Chef was excited to share this technique he picked up from his global travels with us all.
Table Buddies, Bankhead and Business
While so far it may seem that I was in my own world all alone in the restaurant, I indeed was not. We were all free to choose our tables, so the mix of dinner guests I ended up with was a crap shoot, and I hit my mark for sure!
Going in, I expected to only focus this blog post on the business of the AF&W and the revenue it generates (the private equity backed enterprise brings in anywhere from $1M - $5M annually), however, it seems as if the room and my table was filled with a conglomerate of Atlanta commerce.
Atlanta History from Bankhead to Ghana. Ms. Gwendolyn of Liquid Distributors LLC was a rich addition to our dinner table. Sharing her new Palm Spirit imported from Ghana, Aphro, that she brought for the Chef's along with her stories of early Atlanta days where she ran video production for artists like Jeezy were the highlights of the evening. Also, Ms. Gwendolyn had some of the best dance moves in the room....hands down.
Ms. Gwendolyn of Liquid Distributors LLC Black Girls and Oysters. At first, Ms. Kamille was the quieter one of the group. But then I noticed the discreetly tucked cell phone she was eyeing, finishing up the WNBA game with her favorite team before she dove right in to the table conversation. It was great to hear her and her partner Jasmine's story of Black Girls and Oysters, a community focused on black women and people who enjoy oysters, like me!
Kamille & Jasmine of Black Girls and Oysters, ATL Common Threads and Communing. The first two I met at the table were Debbie O. and Nilaja. Also attending the night's event alone, the three of us hit it off right away. Debbie O. and I shared the common threads of being solo-travelers and Houstonians. While I only lived there for a few years, Debbie O. booked her solo trip to ATL from Houston just for the festival (swoon!). Nilaja, I learned, has been a technology consultant for over 20 years (sound familiar?). Before the night was over we were exchanging business advice and LinkedIn profiles! Talk about communing with your people....
A Sunday Night Well Spent
Let's face it, these days you have to have a real compelling reason to get me out on the town on a Sunday evening. After my regular morning solo walk or tennis match and getting staged for the week ahead, I am ready to dig in my heels and call it. For some reason , I knew this night out would be worth the time. I think going in though, I somewhat expected to come out of it with just a full foodie belly and good conversation. And while that baseline expectation was certainly met, I left with much much more.
Here in lies the contradiction. While many of the normal traditions of meeting potential business partners involve golf courses, formal fundraising dinners, and networking events where DJs and dancing servers would be nowhere in sight, I found really valuable connections by just seeking out a great meal and a few photos with one of my favorite celebrity chefs.
They say a picture's worth a thousand words, but I say a video tells a story that a picture could never tell. With that said, hit the video link below to see how the night really went.
After all, where's the fun in being in the C-Suite if you can't commune with others in a way that not only feeds your belly but also your soul.
About the Author
Torri Ylan Smith is a dynamic leader in business, technology, and lifestyle. Throughout her career, she has led exceptional design teams in Engineering and Technology, driving innovation across multiple industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and an MBA from top-tier universities.
At this stage in her journey, Torri is dedicated to mentoring and sharing her expertise with emerging business and technology professionals. In her free time, she enjoys traveling the world, taking reflective solo walks, exotic beaches, being creative, nurturing her many plants, experimenting with new recipes, and cherishing moments with her chosen family.
Comments