Timbaland and Swizz Beat’s popular Verzuz series has been a hit for those looking to get a glimpse of their favorite musicians, while also indirectly paying homage to them during the pandemic. But, a group of Black chefs and mixologists out of Charlotte, NC have been paying homage to Black musical icons in their own way, before Verzuz came to be.
Servin The Culture, a multicourse, curated dinner series was started in 2019. Some of the city’s best Black chefs and culinary professionals came together to honor the legendary Wu-Tang Clan for the group’s 25th anniversary. Now, the group is back to pay homage to Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Mary J. Blige on September 19 at The Tavern.
“The original dinner was set to take place in March 2020 during Women’s History Month,” Shelton Starks, co-creator of Servin The Culture told Travel Noire. “We went back and forth on who to celebrate— Mary J. Blige or Missy Elliot. We ultimately chose Missy coming off of her induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Then the pandemic placed us in a holding pattern for 18 months. Once we got the green light to go again, we thought what better way to come back strong and honor the culture than to honor two iconic queens of the culture in Missy vs Mary.”
Since the raved about Wu-Tang dinner, the group also paid homage to Brother Love’s aka Diddy’s Bad Boy Records, and the West Coast’s Death Row.
With each dinner, guests are treated to multiple elevated dishes that in some way reflect the catalog or popular moments of the honorees. The dinner also features several craft cocktails.
The upcoming Missy vs. Mary dinner will be no different.
“People can expect the same level of energy as the previous events. Fantastic high-end dishes prepared by phenomenal classically trained chefs. Delicious and beautiful cocktails curated by the skilled mixologists, and an unmatched soundtrack provided by our musical director, BmanNoDJ. In all, the guests will experience 10 courses and 6 cocktails, all inspired by Missy and MJB. Prior to the pandemic, we sat our guest in more of a family style seating, however we have made some adjustments in the new venue to follow state regulations and guidelines.”
Tickets to the September 19 event are now available. If you love Missy and MJB as much as we do, this is an event that is not to be missed.