How State Dinners Work

In addition to the personal staffs of the governor and first lady, the executive mansion has many others who pride themselves in keeping the residence running. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol provides security and has officers in the mansion on Executive Detail. Because of their extended training and work detail, these officers are often referred to as Super Troopers, and they provide security for the executive grounds, the Governor and First Lady, and mansion guests. "It takes a long time to get here, even after you apply," said one officer. "It's a job you take because you love it."

Another important group of people in the mansion are the tour guides, or docents. The docents put in more than 1,200 volunteer hours each year. The mansion is host to nearly 1,000 tours with guests from all over North Carolina, the U.S., and the world.

Another integral part of the mansion staff are the trustees. Trustees are men and women incarcerated in area minimum-security correctional facilities. They are responsible for many different functions throughout the mansion, and many come to the mansion without prior skills. Vicki Cilley, Residence Manager under Governor and Mrs. Hunt, dedicates time to train the trustees for the mansion. In addition to the regular mansion staff, trustees are responsible for mansion cleaning, gardening, landscaping, and even cooking. While at the mansion, trustees gain skills that they can use when they re-enter the workforce. "I have one trustee in the kitchen right now," said Cilley. "I'm teaching him about baking and he's so eager, so anxious to learn. That makes it worthwhile."

The process for planning a state dinner can get complicated. From setting a date to sending invitations and coordinating seating arrangements, the mansion staff is very efficient. "Communication is key here at the mansion," said Cilley. "We must work as one well-oiled machine." A common date and time must be pulled from the governor's calendar, the mansion calendar, and the first lady's calendar. These calendars are filled in six weeks in advance and reviewed in detail each week.

Invitations

Once a common date is set, Janice Shearin -- who served as Executive Assistant to Mrs. Hunt -- facilitates the invitation process. The mansion prides itself on providing fine Southern hospitality to all who visit, and North Carolina's first ladies have the pleasure of directing entertainment and events associated with the Governor's office. Guests are asked to RSVP through a dedicated, automated phone line at the executive mansion.

At a state dinner, the governor and first lady typically sit at separate tables so they can better entertain their special guests. Every effort is made to include at least one member of the Governor's staff at each table. Guests are seated eight to a table, alternating gender for variety. Once a guest list is finalized, the list is presented to the governor. Shearin said that it is not unusual for a guest to cancel at the last minute, or to change their mind and call that they will be coming. For this reason, place cards are created at the last minute.

In addition to training the mansion's trustees, Cilley was responsible for table arrangements, menus (in conjunction with mansion chef, Steve Moravick), floral arrangements and table setup. She said that some food prep work can be done the day before an event, so long as there will be no deterioration in the quality of the food. Sauces can be prepared and refrigerated; tart shells can be made, baked, and stored; and vegetables can be cleaned in advance, saving valuable pre-event time.

While the Ballroom and Dining Room accommodate formal events, more casual gatherings, such as lunch or an afternoon tea, can be seated in the Library or Morning Room. Throughout the year, these rooms are decorated with antiques from across the state, including period pieces that have been traced back to Governor Daniel Fowle, the first governor to live in the Executive Mansion. Cilley was responsible for coordinating the careful move of antique pieces found in the Ballroom. When larger events are held, seating can spill into the Gentlemen's Parlor or the Governor's Library.

The mansion menu varies depending on the type of meal (lunch vs. dinner) and who the guests are (military honorees, N.C. Business Council, Special Olympics Board of Directors, etc.).

Most dinners include three courses, depending on the group attending, and special consideration is always given to guests who have different dietary needs. Appetizers and light beverages may be served if there is a wait before the dinner seating, and would be followed by the first course (soup, salad, or an appetizer), the second course (the entree), and the final course (dessert). A full, formal dinner for 24 people requires approximately 10 pounds of beef filet and five heads of Romaine lettuce. For dinners in the Ballroom (up to 72 people), the kitchen prepares approximately 30 pounds of beef and 15 heads of Romaine lettuce. Wine may also be offered with each course.

One of the best kept secrets at the mansion is the fresh lemonade. Each week, a case of 115 lemons is squeezed to make the 30 gallons of lemonade for the mansion staff and visitors. In addition, the kitchen staff also prepares 30 gallons of sweet iced tea for the staff and visitors each week. If lemonade or sweet tea will be used for a mansion event, the amount made is doubled.

As an event begins, security directs mansion traffic, someone from the mansion staff greets guests, and trustees are available to check coats. "Regardless of what's going on behind the scenes, we want things to seem as effortless as possible," said Cilley. The staff strives to achieve a natural flow for the evening. Tables are served one at a time by four servers each carrying two plates while staff and trustees circulate to get an impression of how the guests are enjoying dinner, to refill iced tea and water, and to cue the kitchen staff when the guests appear ready for the next course or for cleanup.

When the last guest is gone at the end of the night -- regardless of the time -- the clean-up begins! The dishes are put in the kitchen dumbwaiter and sent down to the commercial dishwasher located in the mansion basement. Table linens and napkins are sent upstairs to the laundry facility, and tables are taken down and stored. Any furniture that was moved before the event is put back into place. Tomorrow, the people will come to visit the mansion, and the day will start all over again.