This week’s Womply Merchant Spotlight is on Lost Society. This boutique steakhouse is located on 14th and U NW and caters to both the dinner and nightlife scenes in DC. Lost Society is a month shy of its one year anniversary but that hasn’t stopped them from taking DC by storm and creating a wonderful place for locals to frequent.

From its delectable menu featuring dishes such as blackened Maryland catfish, lobster fried quinoa, and filets served with compound butter to its large assortment of cocktails, whiskey and wine, this venue will leave you full and satisfied. Lost Society’s steak-centric menu also incorporates fresh produce, grass-fed local meats, and regional seafood so you can’t go wrong when selecting any item on the menu.

Furthermore, if you think the menu is delightful at Lost Society, you should see the rest of the space. The rich ambiance from the furniture and colors of Lost Society’s interior will make you feel like you have stepped into a completely different atmosphere. The venue also features bar and lounge spaces along with a rooftop deck where you can get incredible views of DC and the U Street Corridor.

Womply got the utmost pleasure in getting an interview with Madeleine, the Director of Events & Marketing at Lost Society. Madeleine has been with Lost Society since day one, and we’re excited that she is sharing some insight and behind-the-scenes details about Lost Society with our Womply fans. We hope you enjoy the interview as much as we do!

Womply’s Interview with Madeleine from Lost Society

What is your name and title?
My name is Madeleine Starkey and I’m the Director of Events & Marketing at Lost Society.

How long have you been working at this venue?
I’ve been with Lost Society since it opened on 1 July 2011.

What is your favorite thing about working here?
My favorite thing about working at Lost Society is how my position allows me to bring people together to enjoy themselves.  Be it through coordinating and producing private events or through strategic partnerships with other businesses, I am always looking for a way to engage in symbiotic relationships.

What is your favorite dish and cocktail at this venue?
Ironically, I’m a pescetarian (vegetarian who eats fish) involved with a steakhouse, so my favorite dishes here have nothing to do with our signature steaks.  My favorite dish on the menu is our tuna tartare, which is hands down one of the best I’ve ever had.  As far as cocktails go, I’m basically our mixologist’s guinea pig.  I get to sample so many of his concoctions, most of which don’t end up on the menu, that I can barely keep them straight.  But, I’ll say this, I LOVE the Peach Julep cocktail that’s on our spring/summer menu.

What characteristics of the dish and cocktail make them your favorite?
My favorite characteristics of the tuna tartare dish: the seasoning on the fish is just tangy enough to imbue the fish with dimensional flavor, and the accompanying lotus chips offer a delicate crunch to round out the texture of the raw fish.
My favorite characteristics of the Peach Julep: I love anything with mint (which this contains) and I also really like to way the sweetness of fresh peaches balances out the deeper, more complex flavor of 4Roses bourbon.”

How did you get your current position?
One of the owners of Lost Society, David Karim, owns a nightclub at which I worked while I was an undergrad at GWU.  During the time I worked at the club, David approached me and proposed I be his event coordinator at a new venture he had in the works.  That project is what is now Lost Society.  Shortly after starting work here, I became the de facto marketing director.

Care to share a tip on how to run a successful venue and/or event with us?
It sounds very basic, but setting goals and planning is everything.  Without goals, there’s no way to strategize your planning, nor is there any way to define success.  When everyone can agree on each other’s expectations, things run much more smoothly.

How important is the synergy of social media and the events you put together?
Honestly, social media runs the gamut of importance in the events I put together.  There are some pretty big events we produce here that do not benefit in the least from social media (think private, invite-only parties), and then there are the tech oriented meetups/happy hours that rely entirely on social media to spread the word that the event is even happening.  In fact, the most well-attended meetups & fundraisers we’ve hosted here have been the ones whose organizers & attendees are most prolific and ubiquitous on social media channels.

What are your plans for upcoming and future events here?
I really want to continue to grow the network of people that looks to Lost Society as not only a venue that can accommodate private events, but also as a go-to spot for good food, good drinks, and good music.  We’ve already had several groups come back to host second, third, fourth events with us and we’ve been open less than a year.  I want to continue to cultivate those sustainable relationships.

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Lost Society is located at 2001 14th St. NW in Washington, DC

A big thanks to Madeleine from Lost Society for taking the time to chat with us!