Taste of Blue Ridge Salutes Virginia Seafood

Chef Erik Fox-Nettnin, Executive Chef of Magnolias at the Mill kicks off the 3rd dinner in the Root to Table Culinary Series with his, “Summer Solstice and Virginia Seafood” on June 23rd.

 This event is special for three reasons:

• Longest Day of the year with the kick off of the summer season

• Recognizing Erik’s winery friends by hosting the event at a Virginian winery

• Salute to the state of Virginia as a national seafood capital

Taste of Blue Ridge and Magnolias at the Mill invite you to experience the culinary mastery of Chef Erik Foxx-Nettnin and Taste of Blue Ridge Top Chefs. This will be a unique event dedicated to two Virginia products – wine and seafood. Chef Erik has selected one of Loudoun County’s great vineyards, Walsh Family Wine, to be the location for his June Root to Table culinary event. Stepping away from his restaurant and moving his Summer event to a vineyard location, Chef Erik plans to showcase his culinary skills as a thank you to his winery friends here in Loudoun County.

The event has two host sponsors – Baldor DC and Congressional Seafood. 

“We’re very proud of the way we’ve helped the locally sourced food movement become a reality for our chefs and restaurant customers.  While consumers have been calling for locally sourced ingredients for some time now, it’s been difficult and time-consuming for food establishments to do the research and identify dependable, quality resources. Baldor’s Local Pledge program does all that heavy-lifting for them, supplying them locally sourced options when they’re available and really making local sourcing a viable option for them.” Bill Hodge, General Manager Baldor DC.

In a conversation with Congressional Seafood on the hottest seafood food trends, Tim Sughrue, Vice President has only three words “Raw Shucked Oysters. The chefs are the people who create the demand that drives the seafood industry.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the presence that the state of Virginia has nationally as a seafood provider.  Ranking in the top 3 producers of oysters and top one in hard shell clams, Chef Erik will also be featuring some of the leading fish catches from the Chesapeake Bay and James River.

“I am thrilled that Chef Erik and our Top Chefs will be working with Virginia’s seafood industry.  Being raised here in the Shenandoah Valley, my agricultural references deal with farms here in the Blue Ridge and I forget about Virginia’s coastal regions.” Nancy Craun – Owner and Founder of Taste of Blue Ridge.

We want to share this series with the world and brand the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding areas as a culinary destination. If you would like to attend, cover, or conduct interviews about the event, please reach out to [email protected]. When talking about these events on social media, please make sure to use #RoottoTable.

Joining Chef Erik will be four Taste of Blue Ridge top chefs:

Executive Chef- Michael Ritenour, Massanutten Resort
Executive Chef- Steve Ferrell, Hillbrook Inn
Executive Chef- Jeff Ault, Bavarian Inn Resort & Brewing Company
Executive Chef- Marcus Repp, Lansdowne Resort and Spa

Chef Erik also welcomes his hand-picked guest chef to join in the experience, Britt Shyrene (Owner)- Britt Shyrene Culinary. Chef Brit is a former Executive Chef at O’Faolain’s Irish Restaurant and Pub. She worked for a Michelin starred chef at Bowery Coastal in West Palm Beach, Florida as well as a destination restaurant in Fairmount, Indiana with Chef Kevin Grider using all locally sourced ingredients. She is currently freelancing for special events working toward opening her own restaurant in the next few years.

“I believe in this Root to Table mission so much. Such amazing work to get involved in! Proud to be in a community where I am surrounded by such wonderful ingredients, and near people who care, love food, and showcase its true beauty. What an opportunity to learn and get involved in the community, while sharing knowledge and experience around a table. This is food itself as a community. Food brings us all together, it’s an opportunity to experience something beautiful. Looking forward to seeing how far we can take it, and so excited to be a part of this! Very grateful to Chef Erik for including me as his guest chef on this project!”- Britt Shyrene

A Foodie Hub – Taste of Blue Ridge

“Food in the Blue Ridge carries a sense of tradition that’s present in every dish. Here we like to call it “Root to Table”. Our foodie community lives and breathes their commitment to our roots in order to bring the best quality food to our friends and visitors,” said Nancy Craun, Owner and Founder of Taste of Blue Ridge.

Taste of Blue Ridge is the only website centered around chefs living the lifestyle the Blue Ridge offers to the chefs’ families. From just five chefs the first year to now over ten being awarded the Taste of Blue Ridge Brand of Excellence, Taste is the brand that recognizes culinary excellence here in northern boundaries of Virginia and West Virginia.