INFORMATION

BACKGROUND

The Dionysus Wine & Food Society Inc is a club for women who want to extend their gastronomic experiences and boundaries. The common focus is to enable women from disparate walks of life to seriously pursue their love of wine and food through education and have fun at the same time. Members span the generations from about the mid thirties to the nineties. This is not a group who only “do lunch”. Founded in February 1973 the club attracts women who have a passion for knowing more about wine and food – where to obtain the freshest produce, where to eat the latest cuisine and what are the current trends in imbibing quality wines – in fact keeping abreast of what is happening in gourmet circles.

Our aim is not for the faint-hearted as committed members learn to critique both food and wine, host a luncheon and need to be prepared to take their turn in assisting the club to function through membership on the Management Committee. The spin-off is that you make the most amazing life-long friends who hold similar passions for culinary and vinicultural pursuits.

GOVERNANCE

Club governance is through a Management Committee elected annually at the Annual General Meeting held each May prior to the commencement of the May luncheon. All members are encouraged to nominate for Committee membership once every 4 to 5 years. The Dionysus Wine & Food Society is a member of the Federation of Wine & Food Societies of Australia (FWFSA) and is in fact the only such affiliated club in Brisbane. The two other Queensland affiliated clubs in Queensland are at the Gold Coast and Cairns.

LUNCHEONS

Members are expected to attend the ten monthly luncheons per annum held on the third Monday from February to November inclusively – or on an alternative day if that Monday is a public holiday. The February luncheon is also Anniversary Luncheon hosted by the Immediate Past President. Past members are especially invited to attend this special event. Members are rostered to host one of the monthly luncheons (approximately once every 4 to 5 years with new members placed on the roaster after six months of membership) at a venue of their choosing or with assistance from the Wine and Food Coordinators. The host negotiates the menu with the chef and sommelier and other venue personnel keeping within the luncheon budget. The host provides a prize to be raffled at her luncheon. Profits from these monthly luncheon raffles are used to subsidise special events and flowers or cards for members when appropriate.Members are also rostered or requested to critique either a wine or a food course at the luncheons and this occurs more frequently per member. Again new members are not placed on this roster until they have been members for six months.

If a member is unable to attend and has not forwarded her apology before the published deadline then the member is responsible for paying for the luncheon ordered on her behalf. Members may invite guests. The names of guests must be provided to the Committee member responsible for recording RSVP’s for both catering purposes and preparing guests’ name badges. Members sit with their guests and introduce them to all present when requested by the President at the beginning of the luncheon.

Most luncheons follow the following procedure:

Members and guests arrive between 11.30am and 12noon, pay their luncheon costs to the Treasurer and enjoy fellowship while partaking of canapés and wine – usually of the bubbly variety.

The President chairs a brief meeting introducing guests, reading apologies, providing information and inviting the host to describe her aims for the luncheon.

Typical luncheons consist of an entrée with matching wine, a main course with matching wine, a dessert or cheese-crackers-fruit usually not with a dessert wine. Tea and coffee is sometimes included and occasionally petit fours. The host provides a menu at each table setting.

Food and wine are critiqued after each course and before the next course commences with aperitifs being critiqued before the entree.

The host will have invited the chef to discuss the luncheon at the conclusion of the meal. If the chef is available to do so members are invited to ask clarifying questions of the chef at the conclusion of his presentation.

Luncheons conclude about 2.30pm.

EVENTS

The Committee organises a couple of extra functions per year to which partners and friends may be invited. Such events are usually Sunday lunches and may be at venues outside Brisbane requiring coach transport. For the past few years a successful Christmas celebration dinner one Friday or Saturday evening in early December has been held.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership is by nomination from a current member. Prospective members must attend two luncheons as guests of members before being nominated. Upon approval at a Management Committee meeting an invitation to join is extended to the prospective member. Membership acceptance is confirmed by payment to the Treasurer of the one-off joining fee of and the annual fees advised in the letter of invitation. If joining half way through the Dionysus Financial year the annual fees are pro rata being fifty percent of the annual dues.

A member name badge is ordered for the next luncheon and several information documents pertaining to the Society are forwarded to the new member. Membership also includes annual membership of and Public Liability Insurance through the Federation of Wine and Food Societies of Australia. Continuing membership is confirmed by the payment of Annual Fees as decided by the Management Committee due by the Annual General Meeting each May.

Membership involves responsibilities and duties for both members and Committee members as outlined in the Guidelines for Members document. The club’s Constitution currently allows for 45 Ordinary members and 5 Life members.

COMMUNICATION

Communication between members is predominantly through a monthly Newsletter and other information documents either emailed or posted to members according to their preference.