100+ Virginia Beach Restaurants Power Innovative Art Exhibit | The Recipe with Martha Davenport & Nathan Beck

Accelerate with David Alexander

Our current series explores top associations and membership communities, so I was excited to learn that the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association (VBRA), a 100+ member restaurant network, had launched an art exhibit to showcase the farm to table story behind every dining experience.

At the heart of this initiative is Martha Davenport, Executive Director of VBRA, whose leadership and vision have helped position Virginia Beach as a culinary destination. With a background in Fortune 500 marketing, she brings a strategic approach to uplifting the restaurant industry, championing local businesses, and creating innovative ways to highlight their impact.

Joining her in this creative collaboration project is Nathan W. Beck, an internationally renowned commercial photographer whose images have appeared on ABC News’ 20/20, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times Style Magazine, the Washington Times, the Associated Press, and more. Mr. Beck has built a career capturing high-profile moments, with a client list that includes three U.S. Presidents, multiple Governors and Vice Presidents, and celebrities like Jackie Chan and Tiger Woods. His extensive work spans from restaurants, sports, travel, leisure, non-profit, and corporate industries, making him the perfect collaborator to bring The Recipe exhibit to life!

After recently enjoying Virginia Beach Restaurant Week, Karina and I were reminded just how much restaurants bring people together. As a way to say thank you, I created this podcast episode and am also offering a free month of social media support for one local restaurant, plus a complimentary photoshoot for the first 10 restaurants that sign up (links below). I even wrote a love letter to Virginia Beach restaurants, recognizing their incredible impact on the community!

Inside This Episode:

• How VBRA created an art exhibit to celebrate its restaurant members.
• How this unexpected collaboration called The Recipe came to life.
• The power of storytelling and visual art in promoting Virginia Beach as a culinary destination.
• Lessons in collaboration and innovation for other associations.

Meet Our Guests & Contributors:
Martha Davenport – Executive Director of Virginia Beach Restaurant Association and former Fortune 500 marketer. Connect at ➝ dineinvb.com
Nathan Beck – Award-winning photographer. Explore Nathan’s work ➝ beckimage.com
Elizabeth Duncan Hawker – Business strategist and networking expert, whose introduction set The Recipe in motion. Learn more ➝ elizabethduncanhawker.com

Resources:
🔗 Social Media & Shoot Giveaway + Love Letter ➝ davidjalexander.com/vb

🔗 Virginia Beach Restaurant Association ➝ dineinvb.com

🔗 The Recipe Exhibit ➝ dineinvb.com/the-recipe

🔗 Our Restaurant Recommendations Thus Far in VB➝ here.