Let the euphoria countdown begin. With less than 2 months the annual foodie festival will return for it’s 13th season and we’re already hungry thinking about it! So you can imagine when we heard we had chance to bring you an exclusive interview with their new appointed Executive Director we jumped at the opportunity. Without further ado, let’s go ahead and introduce you to euphoria’s Morgan Allen!
360: How did you first get started with euphoria?
Morgan: My husband and I moved (for his job) to Arden, NC in November of 2015. I actually traveled back-and-forth from St. Thomas, USVI (where we moved from), for the first 6 months that we lived in South Asheville until we were married that April. After that, I decided to start looking for a job locally. My background is in food, beverage and event management. In St. Thomas, I was the Food & Beverage Manager at the golf course, where I managed the day-to-day operations of the restaurant and event facilities. I knew that I wanted to stay within that industry, but I was ready to try something different that would challenge me in a new way.
Starting with euphoria continued…
One weekend we visited Greenville and instantly knew it would be our new home. I saw the listing for an opening with euphoria as the Event Director and thought, “wow, this seems like the perfect job for me!” I knew that it would be a long shot- not knowing a single person in town or anything about Greenville, much less the festival! I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, so when I receieved the job offer, I was ecstatic. I also knew that I had my work cut out for me, and nothing has changed 2 years later!
360: Congrats on your promotion! Can you tell us about your new role?
Morgan: Thank you! Just like Greenville, the festival is growing quickly, and in a positive way. My new role is to focus on the direction we’re headed, while maintaining the integrity and intimacy of the festival. That means I’ll be seeking new partnerships and nurturing current partnerships, while also continuing to create a strong economic impact and shining a spotlight on the ever-evolving food & beverage industry in this town that I now call home. I will also be traveling more as we continue to seek out more regional and national media coverage, sponsors and talent. My 2 years on the operational side of euphoria truly helped me gain the knowledge to help lead the festival to the next level.
360: What’s your favorite part of the euphoria festivities?
Morgan: Hands down, the people! The people that attend the festival, the people that donate their time to make the events happen and the partnerships that we have with those people. It really takes a village to make the event happen. From the sponsors to the vendors to the chefs and mixologists, to the board of directors and staff - every single person is crucial to the success of the event. Not to mention, our attendees. Some of our most loyal have been attending going on 13 years now - and we still get some who are first-timers. It never ceases to amaze me how much effort goes into making this event a success year after year, and we wouldn’t have a festival without each of them.
360: Are there any new happenings with euphoria this year that you can share with us?
Morgan: I’m particularly excited about our expanded partnership with Michelin this year. We’re bringing in more Michelin chefs than ever- 6 total, compared to 3 in years past. We’re also hosting an additional dinner with Michelin, as well as an educational element, at Husk this year, which is already sold out! We’re also working with local partner restaurants to offer fringe events throughout the euphoria weekend. These events are open to the public (no euphoria ticket needed) and are just a fun way to incorporate some of our guest talent with local participants and, hopefully, engage with a new audience. We’ll be announcing these closer to euphoria weekend.
What’s new continued…
We always have a few other things up our sleeves, which I can’t tell you about yet! Some of these we are still working on. Others (luckily for us) happen organically – like having Keanu Reeves join us last year! Our focus for this year was to perfect our current events, as much as possible in event world. We’re really looking forward to several changes in 2019 and beyond.
360: Now for a few fun ones. If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
Morgan: Oh, that’s a hard one for me! I’m one of those people that wants a little of everything and prefer sharing several dishes (which my husband hates!) I’m also incredibly indecisive when it comes to ordering, which is another reason I like to have multiple options to sample. But, if I had to just pick one meal I’d go with fresh peel-and-eat shrimp (with lots of old bay), jalapeño-cheddar grits, collard greens (with bacon, of course) and hush puppies… simple and classically southern, exactly what I grew up on!
360: When you you’re not planning Euphoria, what do you love to do?
Morgan: I love spending my time with my family. I’m a new mom, with an (almost) 1-year old baby girl and a year old boxer puppy. They definitely keep me busy and it’s a whole new learning experience for me. Other than that, I love being outdoors, cooking and drinking rosé!
360: Tell us about your most unique foodie experience?
Morgan: While it’s not the most unique, my most memorable foodie experience happened at ZoZo’s in St. John, USVI. There was just something magical about the place - 360 degrees of water and island views, some of the most delicious food that I’ve ever had, an outstanding by the glass wine list and impeccable service. To me, coming from the F&B industry, it’s not just about the food, but the entire experience. This place nailed it every time. Knowing that I’ll likely never get to experience ZoZo’s again, due to it being destroyed by the hurricanes last year and no plans of rebuilding, it will always rank as one of my top dining experiences.
360: Great! Thank you for your time, Morgan. And again congrats on your new role. We’ll see you in September!
For even more information on euphoria or to buy your tickets click here. You can also keep up to date with the festival’s happening by following along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We’ll see you September 20-23rd, euphoria!
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