Upcoming Events
A Taste of Black ExcellenceThu, Feb 12The Kemet Estate
Chris Gaither
Chris Gaither is a Master Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. He is one of only four Black Master Sommeliers worldwide. His early wine training included an internship at The French Laundry before he advanced through roles as a sommelier and wine director. In 2018, he and his wife, Master Sommelier Rebecca Fineman, co-founded the restaurant and wine bar Ungrafted in San Francisco. Master Sommelier Gaither has also served as Brand Ambassador and Director of Wine Education for Brown Estate Vineyards in Napa Valley, where he focused on education and direct-to-consumer engagement. He is an adjunct instructor at the San Francisco Wine School and is known for using hospitality and education to help broaden representation in the wine industry. Watch this clip from Stroke of Genius to get to know him better.
Daryl Shular became an American Culinary Foundation (ACF) Certified Master Chef (CMC) in 2014; the ACF’s highest culinary designation. He was the first African American and minority to successfully pass the 130-hour; eight-day test known as the Master Chef exam. He has received over twelve gold medals and eight awards in local and national competitions, won a gold medal with the ACF United States Culinary Olympic Team. CMC Shular was also one of the youngest chefs ever inducted into The History Makers (2005). He is the founder and CEO of Daryl Shular Hospitality Group and The Shular Institute. He will provide the food pairing during the wine tasting. Get to know CMC Shular HERE.
Celebrity Chef Ashley Clay is a world-class hospitality company based in Atlanta, Georgia with a core focus on excellence in cuisine, event management and production, and hospitality. Being one of the first in Atlanta to be known as a personal 'celebrity chef' and then becoming nationally known for doing one of a kind events is what sets Ashley Clay apart from others. It's all about presentation, texture and taste when it comes to one of her delightful dishes. Everyone from Ludacris, Bow Wow, Jeezy, Ciara, Ne-Yo, Kayne West, L.A. Reid, Keisha Cole, Floyd Mayweather and Tyler Perry have all experienced the cooking artistry of the Atlanta native. Working with influential individuals throughout the years has helped to catapult her notoriety in to the celebrity and political arena including bookings for private meetings in the Mayor's office for senators and congress.
Inspired by Tuscan architecture and landscapes, The Kemet Estate consists of 15-acres of rolling hills, open lawns, a lake, lush green spaces, and muscadine grape vineyards (under construction). The Estate is owned by Dr. Bryant T. Marks and Dr. Kimberly Marks, CEO and COO respectively, of MindMarks, a leadership and bias-mitigation training firm. Dr. Bryant Marks is a former appointee of President Obama and currently serves as a psychology professor at Morehouse College. Later this year, Kemet will be available for one-day and multi-day meetings and retreats for local, national, and international organizations and corporations. The property will also host exclusive events and transformative, curated experiences.