Group Dining guide
We are delighted that you are considering Lemaire to host your private event! Our staff will provide guests with warm hospitality, exceptional food and beverage, and most importantly, an unforgettable experience! Within the restaurant, we offer five different private dining venues. We will provide you with a dedicated event planner to assist in personalizing every detail of your event, including the menu, specialty drinks, wines, flowers, music, and audio visual equipment.
Lemaire is a New American restaurant and bar, located in The Jefferson Hotel, at 101 West Franklin Street in Richmond, Virginia. Lemaire’s menu is inspired by the agricultural and coastal bounties of Virginia. The original Lemaire was opened in 1986 and celebrated twenty-three years of fine dining in Richmond. Lemaire was closed in January 2009 to start a new chapter for this culinary landmark. The new Lemaire reopened in July of 2009 and delivers the quality and service for which the hotel and Lemaire are known, in a new accessible and affordable format without the pretense.
Lemaire has over 8,000 square feet of space suitable for all occasions. The restaurant is comprised of five individual rooms, each named for a figure that is related to the history of the hotel. Please consult Lemaire’s event planner to book a private dining space.
• Groups up to 10 can be accommodated at one table in the dining rooms.
• Groups greater than 10 require a private dining room.
• Pre-Dinner receptions may be held in the room or in The Palm Court area in the hotel’s lobby, based on final party size and availability.
• The largest dining room can accommodate up to 60 guests.
• The smallest dining room can accommodate up to 12 guests and houses Lemaire’s most exclusive wines.
• Any audio-visual equipment added to the dining rooms will affect maximum occupancy.
The largest dining room, The Valentine, overlooks Franklin Street and the hotel’s main entrance. With its original wood crown molding and hand-blown glass custom chandeliers, this room is sure to dazzle your guests. It is named after the famous sculptor and Richmond native, Edward V. Valentine, who was commissioned in 1895 to sculpt a life-size, marble statue of Thomas Jefferson. This statue still stands in the hotel’s Palm Court lobby.
The Valentine can accommodate up to 60 guests at separate round tables.
The adjoining room to the Valentine is our Gibson Room. This room can be accessed from our lounge or the Valentine. The original “pocket doors,” often found in historic Richmond homes, were preserved and provide privacy for our groups. This space can be used in conjunction with the Valentine as a pre-dinner reception space for an additional minimum.
The Gibson can accommodate up to 18 guests at one long table or 24 at separate round tables.
The Library Room is our most popular private dining experience. Rich African mahogany woodwork, classic works of literature lining the shelves, and the original fireplace mantel create an intimate setting. The Soap Bubbles, painted by artist Elizabeth Gardner, is the focal point of the room and one of the few remaining original pieces of art from the hotel’s opening in 1895.
The Library can accommodate up to 20 at one long table or 30 at separate round tables.
The Ginter Room, also known as our ‘Wine Experience Room’, is our smallest private dining room. This room houses Lemaire’s prestigious wines in a humidity and temperature controlled custom cabinet. The room was named after Lewis Ginter, the hotel’s founder. The Ginter is perfect for small family gatherings or business functions.
The Ginter can accommodate up to 12 guests at one long table.
The Conservatory, located behind the bar, over looks Franklin Street and provides guests with an open area for a stand-up reception during the evening hours. Guests will have access to the Lemaire bar without needing to have one set up in the space. It is also available for private lunches, providing a nice, bright, open space for your guests. Perfect for bridal luncheons!
The Conservatory can hold up to 75 guests (standing room only), or 26 guests at one long table for luncheons.
Breakfast / Luncheons
Lemaire is currently available for private breakfast and luncheons. Please check with the Event Planner for availability. Please note that the menus available for breakfast / luncheons vary, the Event Planner will be able to provide information based on the estimated guest count.
Pricing
Each private dining space in Lemaire has a food and beverage minimum requirement. The minimum must be met before tax and gratuity. Any bar set up fees, audio visual equipment, and miscellaneous fees do not go towards the minimum for each room. Please consult with your event planner for availability of specific dates, rooms, and the respective food and beverage minimums.
Lemaire does not offer separate checks for private dining. One check will be presented to the group the evening of the event.
Lunch & Dinner Menus
All group dining menus are based on the current a la carte menu, with some variation.
Groups 12 and less may order off the a la carte menu. Of course, if the group wishes to offer either a limited or set menu, they may.
Groups of 13-18 may select a limited menu from the current group dining menu. Up to four choices are allowed for each course with most groups preferring a three course menu.
Groups of 19 and up will be placed on a set menu. This is a build your own menu. The basic is a three course meal with everyone receiving the same items. There is an additional cost per additional course selection.
Breakfast Menus
All group dining menus are based on the current a la carte menu, with some variation.
Groups 12 and less may order off the a la carte menu. Of course, if the group wishes to offer either a limited or set menu, they may.
Groups of 13-18 may select a limited menu from the current group dining menu. Up to four choices are allowed.
Groups of 19 may select a limited menu from the current group dining menu. Up to three choices are allowed.
Please consult with your event planner for more details regarding menus and pricing. Selections for food, wine, and spirits must be finalized one week prior to the event.
Due to the farm-to-table philosophy backing Lemaire, menu items are subject to change based on seasonal availability. Please inform us of any special dietary needs as not all ingredients are listed on the menu.
Beverages
Lemaire’s 200 bottle wine list features options from both “Old World” and “New World” styles of winemaking. We support smaller producers, as well as national brands, in our wine program. Wine selections for all private parties are required at least one week prior to the function to ensure the request can be fulfilled. Our Wine Director is available if you would like assistance making choices to pair with your meal.
Lemaire’s Cocktail list and spirits program includes original recipes inspired by the season. We incorporate seasonal herbs and vegetables from our urban garden into our specialty drinks to ensure authentic flavor for our guests. Please let us know if you wish to have a hand-crafted cocktail for your special event.
Pre-Dinner / Cocktail Receptions
We are pleased to offer the beautiful Palm Court Lobby for pre-dinner / cocktail receptions. This space can be utilized for reception-only parties or as the beginning point to your evening. Located outside of Lemaire and in the hotel’s lobby, guests are able to enjoy the unique atmosphere that only The Jefferson can offer.
If a pre-dinner reception is held in this space, everything ordered/consumed (food and beverage) will go towards the minimum for the dining room that the group moves into. If a reception only event is held in this space, there will be a food and beverage minimum. Please contact your event planner for pricing.
In order to provide prompt service, a bar will be set up in this space. There is a one-time $100.00 bar set up fee which does not go towards any food and beverage minimum.
• All of Lemaire’s private dining spaces, with the exception of the Ginter, have the possibility of holding either reception only events or pre-dinner receptions. Please contact your event planner for details.
Lemaire will offer you an hors d’oeuvres menu in case you wish to offer your guests anything during the event. This menu, like the group menu, is farm-to-table and includes favorites such as Fried Mac N’ Cheese bites and Mini Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes that can be passed to your guests. There is no butlered fee for any hors d’oeuvres passed to your group.
Custom Menu Items
Due to the farm-to-table nature backing Lemaire, custom menu items and requests can sometimes be accommodated. We are able to accommodate
a variety of special dietary needs and wants, please consult your event planner to see if this is possible for your event.
Weddings
Lemaire is available to host seated wedding dinners or stand-up receptions in any of its private rooms. The Event Planner will be available to assist with all the details, like custom printed menus, place/escort cards, general coordination of the timeline and your ‘grand entrance’ to making sure everything is picture perfect. The Event Planner will work with you from your planning meeting and tour through your fond farewell on your wedding day.
Unfortunately, ceremonies are not possible in Lemaire proper. Please ask the Event Planner for available options elsewhere in the hotel that can serve as a ceremony space.
Additional Services
Your event planner can assist with all other details of your event using other services within The Jefferson Hotel.
Blooms will create custom floral arrangements for your event. When you use our in house florist, they will take care of hand delivery and placement of the arrangements. Blooms has extensive knowledge of the size of the tables and what will fit in the spaces. You may contact them directly or work through your event planner.
The Jefferson Hotel’s in-house audio visual provider, PSAV, can help make any presentation a success! From flat screen LCD TV’s with laptop or DVD player hookups perfect for slide shows, to screen and projector combinations for presentations; contact your event planner for information with regards to the best fit for your group and budget.
A newly installed sound system allows you to provide your own play-list in your private room, with the exception of the Conservatory and the Palm Court. Your personal iPod or MP3 player can be connected to our sound system and directed to play in your room only.
Self-Parking is complimentary for all guests joining us in Lemaire. Valet is $18 per car for all Lemaire guests. Of course, if you’d like, valet parking can be added to your event’s master bill.
Lemaire is a working restaurant and not a catering venue; because of this we cannot accommodate the following in the restaurant: wedding ceremonies, live music/DJs, and dancing. Photography is welcomed, but must be kept to the space that the group has booked. Any additional locations must be pre-approved ahead of time.
Lemaire will provide everything necessary to make sure your event is a success, from white linens to flatware and china. Any additional items such as rental linens, chair covers, chargers, etc, must be provided to the restaurant by the group no less than 48 hours prior to an event.
Guest Count
To best serve your party, an accurate guest count is due 48 hours prior to your event.
Final Payment and Cancellation
A credit card, pre-authorized for the food and beverage minimum, must be on file to reserve a private room. We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. If paying by check, payment is required one week prior to the event.
You may cancel your event without penalties up to one week prior to the event. Cancellations within one week-48 hours of an event will be charged 25% of the food and beverage minimum, tax, and gratuity. Cancellations within 24-48 hours of an event will be charged 50% of the food and beverage minimum, tax, and
gratuity. Cancellations within 24 hours will be charged the full food and beverage minimum, tax, and gratuity.
Service Charge and Tax
Groups of 6 or more will be automatically charged a 20% service fee. Virginia (6%) and City of Richmond (7.5%) food and beverage sales tax is 13.5%.