September 2024
Herald Tribune reported that Paul Mattison ’87 planned to open Mattison’s, an upscale restaurant with a focus on sustainable sourcing, at Sarasota Bradenton Airport.
Lee Rankin ’96 was inducted into the Western North Carolina Hall of Fame for her leadership and expertise in agricultural tourism.
Roy Yamaguchi ’76 was interviewed by Travel Writers Radio. In the interview, he discussed how Hawaiian cuisine could develop into its own style utilizing local ingredients.
In a look inside the luxury Chatwal Lodge in the Catskills, Forbes listed Karl Ulmer’s ’82 seasonal farm-to-table menus as a reason to visit.
July 2024
Passport Magazine interviewed Hilton’s senior vice president and global head of food and beverage services, CIA Board of Trustees member Adam Crocini ’98 about his career.
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Passport Magazine interviewed Hilton’s senior vice president and global head of food and beverage services, CIA Board of Trustees member Adam Crocini ’98 about his career.
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Master Sommelier Jarad Slipp ’95 was featured in this article announcing the opening of his second Knead Wine location in Purcellville, VA.
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The Press Democrat ran an article on the Roots Fund, which included mention that CIA Trustee Carlton McCoy ’06 as a board member. The non-profit, which seeks to empower and support BIPOC individuals in the wine industry. The article also mentioned Magdalena Morales ’18, who was able to work a harvest in 2022 through the Roots Fund and whom the Roots Fund planned to send to France to work a half-harvest later in the year.
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April 2024
In a press release, it was announced that Rachel Merriam ’13 opened Fulton & Forbes Wine and Spirits Store in Ancram, NY. Merriam was previously wine director and sommelier for Casa Mono & Bar Jamon and for a winery in the Hudson Valley.
November 2023
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach is featuring an omakase residency with a 15-course tasting menu crafted by Executive Sushi Chef Hiromi Iwakiri, paired with specialty beers by Moody Tongue’s Founder and Brewmaster Jared Rouben ’06.
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October 2023
Chronogram magazine’s recent feature showcases Union Street Brewing, a prominent brewery in the Hudson Valley region, under the skillful leadership of Joel Somerstein ’88. The article emphasizes the brewery’s remarkable distinction as one of the top six emerging breweries in the area, acknowledging Somerstein’s culinary expertise as a driving force behind the brewery’s success.
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March 2023
Alexis Harrington ’15 was highlighted for her work at Amica Luna as lead winemaker. Her chardonnay is a must-try.
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February 2023
Michael “Wheels” Parise ’86, recently opened a hugely popular mobile cannoli and coffee bar in Venice, FL.
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August 2022
Elyse Wilson ’08, sommelier and general manager of Houston’s wine bar Camerata, has built a robust Japanese beverage program. Since joining the team last summer, Wilson has tried to expand the wine list with a selection of sake. Wilson became intrigued by sake after she worked at sushi hot spot Uchi.
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July 2022
Hudson Chatham Winery, in Ghent, NY, was listed as one of the places to visit while exploring the town. Owned and operated by Steven Rosario ’13 and Justen Nickell ’10, the winery offers a curated wine tasting experience with perfectly paired sips and charcuterie while taking in breathtaking views of the Valley.
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March/April 2022
Tom Sietsmsa of The Washington Post named Jarad Slipp’s ’96 Tremolo Bar in Middleburg, VA, as one of his seven favorite places to eat right now. The master sommelier’s modern wine bar offers up to 75 different wines, classic cocktails, and internationally inspired small plates. Sietsema states their glass Château Latour Bordeaux, is worth the journey from anywhere.
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February 2022
Hudson Valley Magazine highlighted Reserva Wine Bar in Beacon, NY, owned by partners Tanner Townsend ’08 and Pedro Sousa ’19. The couple also owns HV Food Photography, and Townsend, owner of several Hudson Valley cafés, as well. Reserva features wines from underrepresented winemakers and winemaking regions, like Brazil, that are not typically found in the Hudson Valley. The wine bar hosts live music on the weekends, and the menu features local ingredients into traditional Brazilian cuisine.
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Darwin Acosta ’20 was the February Beard House Fellow. Through the fellowship, each incoming member will have a one-month residency at the Beard House gaining personalized training curated for them. Darwin is passionate about creating a community of diversity and inclusivity in the wine space and making their mark in the industry. The incoming March Fellow is current CIA student Steve Gutierrez.
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January 2022
Douglas Kim ’06, MS, director of wine in Las Vegas for MGM Resorts International, was profiled in the Las Vegas Sun. He discussed his role as a supervisor of over 50 sommeliers and 350,000 bottles of wine at MGM’s Las Vegas properties as well as the rigor required to become one of fewer than 200 elite Master Sommeliers in North and South America.
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November 2021
John Dal Canton ’07 has been named as the beverage director for La Stella Cucina Verace, a new Italian restaurant in Dallas, TX. Canton spent time in Italy studying viticulture and viniculture. Previously he worked as food and beverage manager for the Cowboys Club in Frisco, TX.
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October 2021
Drive Wines was included as one of five under-the-radar wineries that people should know about in Sonoma County, CA. Co-owner and founder John Musto ’15 began Drive Wines in his garage and has since expanded.
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August 2021
Megan Lamb ’19 has joined the team at Glorie Farm Winery in Marlboro, NY. She will be working alongside winemaker Kristop Brown as the property’s assistant winemaker.
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May 2021
Paula de Pano ’10 is featured in Wine Enthusiast’s article about Filipino-American sommeliers who are changing the narrative of wine in Filipino culture. She discusses how she sees her differences as an advantage in the beverage industry.
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In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, SevenFifty Daily released their list of the top 12 AAPI drink innovators in the beverage industry, including Paula De Pano ’10 for her work in creating a New York City-worthy beverage program at The Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC.
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Crystalla Huang ’13, brewmaster at RedDot Brew House in Singapore, has become Singapore’s first and only certified female brewmaster. This Channel News Asia article focuses on her career in beer, and how she is challenging industry stereotypes.
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March 2021
Timothy Riley ’05 has gone viral on TikTok, gaining almost 90,000 followers, for reviewing energy drinks using a fine wine tasting format. Riley has his Advanced Sommelier certificate and was inspired to create his TikTok account when his wife, who is very into fitness, was trying out different energy drinks and he got curious about the flavors of each.
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Soul Fixx Elixirs, a kombucha brewing company located in Healdsburg, CA and run by CEO Erik Fritz ’07 and CCO Ruben Moreno ’04, is featured in The Healdsburg Tribune for its less vinegar-forward, better tasting version of the popular, fermented beverage.
January 2021
Nicholas Ducos ’12 opened an urban winery, Mural City Cellars, in Philadelphia, PA with business partner Francesca Galarus. Mural City Cellars offers Community-Supported Winery (CSW) memberships, where people can receive two bottles per month, access to virtual events, and discounts on wine. Fifteen percent of CSW membership proceeds will be donated to neighborhood initiatives and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Project.
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Jacob Griffin-Diaz ’08, along with his partner Alejandro Griffin-Diaz, opened a luxury coffee bar, Jacob Alejandro, in Troy, NY. Jacob has experience bartending, a baking and pastry degree from CIA, and helped get many small coffee shops off the ground working for Irving Farm Coffee Roasters. Alejandro is a 2011 Latte Art Champion.
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Yvonne Chung ’07 is the newest member of GuildSomm’s Board of Directors. She will serve a three-year term in this role at the nonprofit international membership organization for wine professionals, and hopes to help expand the organization’s audience internationally and create a more diverse community.
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