Root to Table

Taste of Blue Ridge is a locally sourced marketing community begun by Encore Elite Partners (EEP) in 2016 to brand the Blue Ridge Shenandoah Valley as a culinary destination. Governed by an action board consisting of a lodging, chef, farmer, food distributor, and beverage partner, the community is centered around hosting "Root to Table" dining events. Taste has spent a year and a half expanding the Blue Ridge Root to Table culinary series from two events in 2017 to 6 events in 2018. With a goal of uniting all aspects of the food wheel including the growers and producers, the restaurants and retail food stores, and our beverage partners; wineries, breweries, and distilleries into a marketing community. Our community partners were born from like-minded work and philosophies. There is a dedication and commitment to deliver the highest quality, while utilizing local food resources. This community is committed to motivating, enriching and inspiring each other to grow. Each partner who commits to the community’s rules and guidelines displays a Brand of Excellence. The program began with four counties – Loudoun, Frederick, Warren, Clarke in Virginia and Jefferson in West Virginia. With the successful completion of the first phase of the program, the territory is being expanded based on the interest of the other counties in the Shenandoah Valley Blue Ridge Mountains. “Culinary Tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism market. According to The World Food Travel Association, ‘Food and beverage are essential to the guest’s experience. Approximately 86% of the guests claim having positive food experience on a trip would make them more likely to return to a particularly destination,”” said Nancy Craun, CEO of Encore Elite Partners the marketing firm handing the branding of Taste of Blue Ridge. Taste has received two marketing grants from VA Tourism.