Morgan Allen helps euphoria thrive, expand and give back to the Greenville community

Morgan Allen has been Executive Director of euphoria for a little more than four years. For half that time, she and her staff at Greenville’s annual food, wine, and music festival have had to constantly adapt and pivot and generally figure out how to operate under pandemic conditions.

All that adapting has kept the festival going and growing, and has helped it thrive and expand its impact, giving back more to the community than ever before.

Allen and euphoria have been instrumental in Connect for Good GVL, which not only helped sustain Greenville’s restaurants during the height of the pandemic, but has provided more than 130,000 meals to people in the community.

The festival, founded in 2006, runs from Sept. 15-18 this year. It features exclusive tastings, cooking demonstrations and wine seminars, multi-course dinners, appearances from regionally and nationally acclaimed chefs and sommeliers, and live musical performances.

Allen joined euphoria in 2016 as event director of food and beverage and was named Executive Director in 2018. Under her leadership, euphoria received the 2022 Governor’s Cup Award, South Carolina’s highest honor in the tourism industry. The award recognized the festival for its impact on Greenville’s hospitality and tourism industries, economic development, and quality of life.

Allen was also named South Carolina’s honoree for USA Today’s Women of the Year, a recognition that honors strong and resilient women across the country who are champions of change.

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A native of Brunswick, Ga., Allen graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in marketing. She began her career as a marketing and bar manager on Saint Simons Island in Georgia and has held various leadership positions, ranging from community outreach to marketing and restaurant management.

Before moving to the Upstate, Allen served as food and beverage manager at the Mahogany Run golf resort on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She and her family currently live in Anderson.

Talk Greenville: To you, what’s the most important thing about euphoria? 

Morgan Allen: Definitely the impact we have on the community. From Day One, our mission has been to shine a spotlight on Greenville’s hospitality industry, make a strong economic impact, and support other Upstate nonprofits through our grant program. Even through the pandemic, we’ve never once wavered on our promise to give back, and this year we were able to give more grant money than we ever have before. That’s something we’re really proud of.

TG: How has euphoria changed in the six years you’ve been a part of it? 

MA: No two years have been the same, even before the pandemic. Things constantly change in this industry, from our own staff, to new restaurants opening and others closing, and even just the landscape of downtown Greenville. We’re always trying to come up with new ideas and differentiate ourselves from other festivals, while still staying true to our brand and never losing sight of our mission. We’ve grown a lot in the past six years, adding more events throughout the year and during the festival weekend, bringing in more Michelin-starred chefs, and highlighting more local ingredients grown and sourced right here in South Carolina. But that growth has been very intentional so we could maintain the intimate feel people have always loved about euphoria.

TG: What is the main takeaway from the pandemic and its effect on euphoria and events like it? 

MA: The main takeaway for us is just how close-knit and connected our hospitality industry is, how strong our relationships are, and how much we all need each other. We had chefs, restaurant owners, and musicians reaching out in 2020 begging us to move forward with the festival in some capacity. It was humbling to know how much they all looked forward to euphoria, and how it was a lifeline of sorts during a really tough time. That made us more determined than ever to find a safe way to keep the festival going. And now that we’re finally able to host our full slate of events again, we can see that it was well worth it.

TG: You’ve been a part of restaurant and hospitality in other places, including In the U.S. Virgin Islands. How is Greenville’s restaurant community different? 

MA: There’s so much camaraderie here, and people make a concerted effort to eat and shop local whenever they can. It’s amazing to see the industry come together to support each other and focus on local ingredients, farmers and producers. I also think Greenville has a lot to be proud of when it comes to diversity of cuisine and how so many flavors from around the world are represented here. I truly believe these things set Greenville’s restaurant community apart and I’m honored to be a part of it.

TG: Talk a little bit about the public service aspects of euphoria. Do you wish that was a little more visible to more folks?  

MA: I do. However, I do think it is rare for a festival to be a nonprofit itself, as opposed to an event that donates some of its proceeds to charity. In addition to financially supporting other local nonprofits each year, we also volunteer with them, donate gift cards for fundraisers, and use our channels to help promote their missions as well. We also have a strong economic impact on the Upstate and help to promote tourism year-round with our various marketing efforts. It is extremely important for us to continue giving back to the community that has supported our festival for 17 years now.

TG: What’s your favorite part of your job?  

MA: The people. I get to meet and interact with so many people from the talent, attendees, volunteers, and those we help to support. I love to make people happy and when someone is having a good time or is appreciative of what we do, that’s what drives me in my career.

TG: Who’s had the most significant influence on your career in the hospitality industry?  

MA: There are a lot of people that I’ve looked up to over the years, but Carl Sobocinski is definitely one of the most influential to me. He’s such a visionary and never settles -- he continues to push the limits of what’s possible and truly cares about this community. That is incredibly inspiring and it motivates me to keep pushing not only myself but the festival as well.

TG: How would your staff describe you?  

MA: I think they would say that I am passionate about what I do. I’m gregarious and hospitable, with extreme attention to detail. I work hard, and I’m not afraid to play hard either. Work-life balance is important to me, and I want my team to know it’s possible to have both a successful career and a family. They probably hate when I say, “I have an idea,” because I have lots of them, but many of them never pan out.

TG: Talk a little bit about your staff. What’s the hardest part of their jobs?  

MA: We’re a small but mighty, close-knit team of three who all work full-time and year-round to make the festival happen. I think all of us would agree that the hardest part is not being too hard on yourself. It is a stressful job and we all are passionate about what we do. We all work from home now too, so learning how to communicate in a different way has had its challenges as well. Seeing their determination during the pandemic is what kept me motivated to push forward, and I am beyond thankful for both of them.

TG: You have a 5-year-old, right? What does she think you do?  

MA: I do! I believe that she thinks that I throw really big birthday parties. She also said that I talk to people a lot, I talk about money a lot and I’m bossy, so I’m probably a pretty good boss. She’s definitely onto something!

TG: During the pandemic, did you ever wish you were back in the Virgin Islands?  

MA: Every year during the winter is when I wish I was back in the USVI! I still haven’t adjusted to the colder weather, and I’m not sure that I ever will. I certainly miss the weather and the water of the Caribbean, but I absolutely love calling the Upstate home.

TG: What do you want people to think of when someone mentions euphoria? 

MA: I want people to think of euphoria as a unique festival, unlike any other they’ve been to. I certainly believe that to be true! From being a nonprofit organization, to bringing in numerous Michelin-starred chefs each year, to putting an emphasis on local ingredients, and keeping things small and intimate - you just do not see this from other festivals. We also strive to inspire young, aspiring chefs by hosting Healthy Lunchtime Throwdown, a one-of-a-kind friendly cooking competition where Greenville County Schools culinary students have a chance to compete on a culinary stage with Michelin-starred chefs acting as their sous chefs. We are so much more than just a four-day food, wine and music festival.

TG: Is there anything you particularly want to do in Greenville that you haven’t gotten to?  

MA: I’d really love to try as many local restaurants as possible. With a 5-year-old and working from home, I don’t get to nearly as many as I’d like, but it’s always a goal of mine to try new places and support local whenever I can.

TG: What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten?  

MA: I love all food, but the dinner that I had at The Catbird Seat in Nashville is easily the best dining experience I’ve ever had. I’m someone who really appreciates the thought process and effort that goes into a dining experience and they nailed every aspect of it.

TG: As a former bartender and beverage manager, what’s your go-to drink? 

MA: That definitely depends on my mood. Lately, I’ve been enjoying a simple tequila and soda water with extra limes. However, much like food, I enjoy trying new things and seeing the creations a mixologist can come up with.

TG: OK, let’s complete the euphoria theme: What’s been on your music playlist recently?  

MA: Kidz Bop seems to be all I get to enjoy most days, but I love all music and genres. I’ve really been into The Vegabonds (who have played at euphoria a few times) and the Steel Woods lately, but I can get into a good 80’s cover band at any time.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Morgan Allen helped euphoria expand and give back to Greenville