When attendees prepare for a group gathering down South, they’ll likely have visions of barbecue, fried green tomatoes and pecan pie dancing in their heads. In Alabama, those dreams will come true, as they’ll find all of these dishes, and much more, for a most mouth-watering meeting.
“In Alabama, food is much more than a sustainer of life,” says Dilcy Windham Hilley, spokeswoman for the Greater Birmingham CVB. “In Alabama, food is a requisite for friendship, comfort, socializing and celebration.”
Following are some great taste bud-centric ideas, from cooking classes and new restaurants to craft breweries and foodie tours, for planners to consider for their next event.
Mountains Region
Downtown Huntsville, complete with a nice variety of restaurants, bars and food trucks, is a great place to check out the city’s thriving culinary scene, according to Charles Winters, spokesman for the Huntsville/Madison County CVB.
In addition to downtown eateries, he adds, groups can enjoy a meal function at local attractions, including the Huntsville Museum of Art and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, where they’re welcome to dine under the Saturn V moon rocket.
Huntsville also has a number of craft brews on tap for beer enthusiasts in the group. Among them are Straight to Ale, Blue Pants, Old Black Bear, Yellowhammer Brewing and Brew Stooges. Below the Radar, a popular downtown restaurant and bar, is scheduled to begin brewing on-site early next year.
If the group is in town during August, planners might check for deals via Huntsville Restaurant Week, when local restaurants offer special fixed price selections.
In Florence, the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center has a culinary academy that assists area entrepreneurs with their food-related businesses by offering marketing resources, business mentors and the use of commercial kitchen facilities.
Tours and cooking classes can be arranged at the center, which produces everything from gumbo, barbecue sauce and salsa to cheese straws, breads and full-course gourmet meals. And corporate team-building options are available, including Cast Iron Chef and Company Cook-Off events.
Attendees might also like a visit to Florence’s Court Street Market, a year-round indoor farmers market where they’ll find locally grown produce, flowers, domestic artisan cheese, wine and more.PageBreak
Metro Region
The Greater Birmingham CVB designed a Southern Foods Tour to give groups a great sampling of the flavors of the city, recently named by Southern Living magazine as one of the “Top 10 Tastiest Towns in the South.”
The tour includes stops at the local farmers market and Bud’s Best Cookies, as well as seasonal samplings from area wineries and more.
Or they can focus on area wineries, which specialize in muscadine and peach wines, by visiting the Birmingham area’s portion of the Alabama Wine Trail, including Ozan Vineyard, Vizzini Farms Winery and Morgan Creek Vineyards.
Attendees might also dine at the group-friendly Niki’s West or another restaurant specializing in “meat and three,” a meal featuring meat, three fresh vegetables, a chunk of cornbread and a glass of sweet tea, otherwise known as the “house wine of the South.”
Birmingham is definitely a place for groups to dine out, as it’s home to many award-winning eateries, including James Beard-recognized Highland Bar and Grill, whose chef and owner is Frank Stitt, and Hot and Hot Fish Club, whose chef and owner is Chris Hastings. Stitt and Hastings are two of the South’s most popular wizards in the kitchen.
“Dining out is one of the memorable activities for meeting delegates, and Birmingham does not disappoint,” says Michael Gunn, vice president of sales at the Greater Birmingham CVB. “Our servicing department has stellar suggestions for enjoying the flavor of the city.”
In the heart of Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, is the historic L&N Train Station, an ideal location for meetings and other special events offering in-house catering with indoor and outdoor spaces.
Downtown’s Epiphany Cafe, one of Tuscaloosa’s only farm-to-table eateries where the menu at press time included gazpacho, beet gnocchi and peach shortcake, is located in a historic building and is available to accommodate intimate receptions.
Located inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, one of college football’s most hallowed grounds, is Bryant-Denny North End Zone. This meeting and reception area ensures groups will enjoy great field views and delicious catering.
“Bryant-Denny is the heart and soul of Tuscaloosa and represents our tradition of champions,” says Gillian Richard, spokeswoman for the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission, adding that group tours of the stadium are also available.
And Black Warrior Brewery, which at press time was on track to open its downtown taproom in November, is one of Tuscaloosa’s newest culinary additions.PageBreak
River Heritage Region
A standout option in the Auburn-Opelika area, home to Auburn University, is a Tour d’Italia cooking class with the culinary team at the Hotel at Auburn University’s Ariccia Italian Trattoria and Bar.
The team-building cooking class for smaller groups features a four-course dinner beginning with a glass of prosecco and hors d’oeuvres. Following the reception course, attendees participate in a hands-on cooking demonstration and make pasta. For the remainder of the evening, attendees interact with each other and the chefs while sampling three additional courses paired with wine.
A takeaway basket containing fresh pasta, basil pesto, a small block of cheese and a signature Ariccia apron and toque are given to each participant at the end of the class.
In Montgomery is Central Restaurant, where small groups of 10 to 18 people can break bread at Leo’s Table for eight courses.
The tableside presentation by award-winning Chef Leonardo Maurelli occurs in the center of the restaurant and features beer and wine to pair with the surprise menu, which includes locally sourced ingredients and fresh Gulf Coast seafood.
Another great idea in Montgomery, according to Meg Lewis, director of tourism and special projects at the Montgomery Area COC/CVB, is Southern Makers, to be held on May 3, 2014, at Union Station Train Shed. The event brings together talented artists, chefs, brewers, craftsmen and designers for one great gathering to celebrate Alabama’s heritage of textiles, music, craftsmanship and food.
Attendees can sample food and drink and mingle with the chefs from Alabama’s best restaurants, as well as participate in workshops and hands-on arts and crafts demonstrations, and shop for uniquely Alabama goods.PageBreak
Gulf Coast Region
“Oysters are a staple in Mobile so no trip here would be complete without trying oysters in a variety of dishes,” says Stacy Hamilton, spokeswoman for the Mobile Bay CVB.
Wintzell’s, one of the oldest restaurants along the Gulf Coast, is famous for its “fried, stewed or nude” oysters and serves them in a number of ways. Wintzell’s also hosts oyster-eating contests that can make for a fun ice-breaking group activity.
Oysters are such a big part of life in Mobile, coming fresh from Mobile Bay, Hamilton adds, that downtown even sports an Oyster Trail featuring a dozen oyster statues painted by local artists.
Among the other Mobile area restaurants that serve oysters, where groups will find outdoor dining and views of Mobile Bay or River Delta, are Ed’s Seafood Shed, Original Oyster House and Compleat Angler.
Adventurous groups meeting in Mobile can charter a deep-sea fishing boat out of nearby Dauphin Island so they can catch their own dinner of red snapper, grouper or trigger fish while spending several hours in the Gulf of Mexico. Afterward, a local chef can prepare a delicious feast starring the group’s catch of the day.
In the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area, most of the restaurants offer group seating options, including LuLu’s at Homeport Marina, Cobalt Restaurant and Shipp’s Harbour Grill.
And at the Compleat Studio at The Wharf in Orange Beach, according to Beth Gendler, vice president of sales at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, meeting attendees can take cooking or art classes, including preparing brunch offerings and crafting paper mache angels.
Frequent contributor Carolyn Blackburn has never met a pecan pie she didn’t love.
