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ABOUT DÎNER EN NOIR
Dîner en Noir (#DEN) hosts exclusive events tailored to a diverse demographic and interests. Our annual Signature Events, a member-only three-part black attire experience blending immersive fine dining, artistic showcases, business networking opportunities, access to health information resources, and community fundraising, support local mission-aligned nonprofits are held in secret locations in our Host Cities across the globe.
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Complementing the #DEN Flagship Events are our Salon Events and curated business solutions. #DEN Salon Events offer exclusive networking occasions on a monthly or quarterly basis and designed to keep #DEN communities engaged while providing members with opportunities to expand their professional connections while fostering purposeful, valuable, and financially rewarding business relationships.
Beyond events, our community of food enthusiasts, professionals, small-business owners, artists, and community advocates find lasting value in our member-only suite of Curated Business Solutions specifically crafted to address the marketing objectives, propel the growth, and amply the presence of the businesses and brands of our members.
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Guided by a mission to combat systemic inequities in arts programming, small business/economic development, and health/wellness education/delivery within underserved communities in our Host Cities worldwide, DEN events offer an exhilarating and refined avenue for members to elevate their dining experiences, expand their professional networks, and support their local communities.
Dîner en Noir accomplished its mission by:
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highlighting & promoting the talents of local artists allowing for a local, national, & international audience
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utilizing the services/products of local minority-owned small businesses and offering vendor & business partnership opportunities at #DEN Events
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bringing awareness to health and wellness issues & disparities directly affecting underserved communities
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financially supporting front-line arts programming, small business development, and health awareness/delivery non-profit organizations/programs in our Host Cities with our #DEN Community Awards
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Dîner en Noir Worldwide, the first Black-owned international fine-dining, events production, and professional member-benefit organization, is headquartered in Washington, DC, and is responsible for developing the overall mission, directing the global events program, and licensing approvals. While each Host City is headed by a passionate & talented team of local Host-Organizers that bring a local flair to each event, these teams respect and operate in line with the core values, production guidelines, & founding concept set forth by the corporate executive team.
Dîner en Noir Worldwide receive Host-Organizer requests from cities all over the world and are continuously expanding our global reach to Host Cities looking to create positive social impact. We have set up an exclusive turnkey service that supports Host-Organizers in the creation and management of their own event and look forward to working with local organizers to ensure a successful Dîner en Noir event. CLICK HERE if interested in organizing an event in your city.
THE SIGNATURE EVENT
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Imagine this, the afternoon of the Dîner en Noir Signature Event, registered members and their guests who were patiently waiting to learn where the elegant black-attire event is to take place, will receive a text and/or email with the secret location. Our attendees, dressed in sophisticated black attire, and conducting themselves with the utmost decorum, of which Dîner en Noir events are known for, will make their way across the Host City to arrive at the appropriate time and rendezvous location for a fully immersive, three-part dining experience where guests have prepared for the unexpected.
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Dîner en Noir's members & guests consisting of small business owners & local entrepreneurs, artists & art lovers, city/community leaders/advocates/stakeholders, and social/media/cultural Influencers come together to experience a night of elegance, great food, arts, music, dancing, and epic celebration of community support at some of our Host City’s most unique hosting venues.
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Beyond the elegance of the three-part (Aperitif Cocktail Hour, Seated Dinner & Digestif “Après le Dîner” [After-Dinner] Party) event itself, all attendees arrive at our events with the expectation of expanding their professional network while making intentional, meaningful, financially-beneficial business connections, both LOCALLY & GLOBALLY! Dîner en Noir encourages our guests to engage & network with one another, knowing that they were brought together in a supportive environment conducive to community-building.
Founded on a concept of addressing the structural & financial inequities of arts programming, small business development, and health and wellness education in vulnerable & under-served communities, Dîner en Noir invites local businesses to come together and promote the local unique artistic talents ,while focusing on the wellness of our communities. Dîner en Noir has become both an artistic & business networking opportunity & health & wellness resource for its guests garnering the name THE Chicest Networking Event of the Season™.
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REGISTRATION OPTIONS:
DINING EXPERIENCE - Guests need to bring a square table (27" x 27" x 27") folding-table, two black chairs (or with black chair covers); a black picnic basket, a 3-course gourmet meal for two, a black tablecloth and cloth-napkins, cutlery, dishware, glassware, black transport cart that will fit under your table and a black garbage bag to take your trash. Bottles of wine and champagne can be purchased from the #DENStore.
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PLATED EXPERIENCE - Guests simply need to bring themselves. Guest will enjoy and a full serviced 3-course dining experience complete with wait service. Note: wine/champagne not included. Bottles of wine and champagne can be purchased from the #DENStore.
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FULL EXPERIENCE - Guests simply need to bring themselves. Guests will enjoy a full serviced 3-course dining experience and a complimentary pairing complete with wait service during the seated dinner. Guests will also enjoy access to the Founder's Lounge, which is the most exclusive experience of the Dîner en Noir event. Founder's Lounge guests enjoy complimentary drinks & heavy passed hors d'oeuvres during the Aperitif Cocktail Hour & Digestif “Après le Dîner” (After-Dinner) Party, a discounted invitation to our international Dîner en Noir event, perks from our Partnering Sponsors and much more! Additional bottles of wine and champagne can be purchased from the #DENStore.
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Please Note: Not all registration options may be available in your city.
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
No stranger to producing high-end/high-profile events as the Managing Director of the strategic communications firm, The HNC Agency, Howard has been producing & hosting small to large-scale fundraising, charity, sports, dining, elevated nightlife, unique experiential events & galas for organizations including Autism Society of America, Stand Up 2 Cancer, Gucci, Bulgari, America’s Polo Cup, John Hopkins' Kimmel Cancer Research Center, Bravo’s Real Housewives, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Iconic Rock Band Journey, American Cancer Society & many more for 20 years.
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Also, no stranger to the fine dining industry, Howard was the proprietor of a very successful Washington, DC supper club, completed intensive management training programs with Wolfgang Puck Catering & Starr Restaurant Group, managed the famed celebrity hot-spot French restaurant, Le Diplomate, in Washington, DC., and have managed & produced exclusive dining events at The Newseum, The Smithsonian Museums to include American Art, Air & Space, and American Indian. Through his work with The HNC Agency, he has also represented/worked with hospitality giants including The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons Hotel, Fig & Olive Restaurants, Hard Rock Café, West End Bistro, The Source by Wolfgang Puck, and more.
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Howard brings his 20-year international hospitality expertise, attention to detail, a flair for the dramatic, his love of "people-connecting", passion for arts & small business/economic development, and promotion of the entrepreneurial spirit to inspire and motivate the Dîner en Noir Worldwide team, local Host-Organizers, and guests at each Dîner en Noir event. He aims is to ensure that each Dîner en Noir event exemplifies the mission of the organization while celebrating Black excellence.
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Howard is a serial entrepreneur and the President & CEO of HNC Enterprises, Inc., a group of entertainment, media, and hospitality companies with assets throughout the U.S. & Europe. When not traveling for Dîner en Noir events, he resides between Washington, DC, and Paris, France. He is a staunch advocate, patron, and lover of the arts, and small business/entrepreneurship.
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Howard Nelson Cromwell
PLEASE NOTE: Dîner en Noir (#DEN) is in NO WAY associated with Dîner en Blanc Paris, Dîner en Blanc International or any local Dîner en Blanc affiliates and while there may be similarities, #DEN is a community-based fundraising event that supports local non-profit organization aligned with our mission. The Le Dîner en Noir/Dîner en Noir name, logos, & trademarks are all intellectual properties owned by Dîner en Noir Worldwide, a subsidiary of HNC Enterprises, Incorporated, under the United States Patent & Trademark Office Registration Number 5793822. All Rights Reserved