Meet the Panel
Meet the panellists set to take the stage on the 6th September at ‘The Colour of Wine‘. The in-person event has the aim of creating space for People of Colour to learn, taste wine and network. The event is to held at M Victoria Street at 6pm.
Shane Jones DipWSET – Host
Shane took the plunge in 2011 by turning his passion into my profession by joining the wine retail sector. He holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits (2014) and is an enthusiastic sparkling wine specialist.
As a WSET Certified Educator, Shane can be found teaching Levels 1 to 3 in Wines at various institutions across London and Europe. In addition to wine, Shane is a Certified Sake Sommelier and a Sake Educator with the Sake Sommelier Association. Always eager to learn as much as possible he holds the WSET L3 Sake qualification with Distinction and is also a graduate of the Japan Sake and Shochu Academy.
Leona De Pasquale DipWSET – Pannelist
Leona started her career in the wine industry in 2003, firstly in Taiwan and then in the UK.
She is a wine writer, translator, certified WSET wine educator, and is the Head of Training for WineEd, a London-based wine training company. She is a Master of Wine student and writes for Wine & Spirits Digest, the highly influential wine and spirits magazine in Taiwan and has translated some of the most authoritative wine books including The World Atlas of Wine, American Wine, Natural Wine and Amber Revolution. Leona judges at various wine competitions including the IWSC, International Rosé Championship and World Bulk Wine Competition.
Andrey Annoh-Antwi – Panellist
Sommelier/Front of house at an independent London restaurant, Audrey has worked within the wine industry for 4 years and is nearing completion of the WSET Diploma in wine. Ambassador for Be Inclusive Hospitality a sometimes writer, wine event host and wine judge, Audrey is passionate about exploring pairing wines with the foods of her heritage.
Vidya Narasimhan – Panellist
Vidya left behind a career in consulting and banking to pursue her passion for food and wine in 2019. She advises restaurants on their wine lists, sharing her innovative ideas on food and wine matching, hosts wine tastings for private groups, writes beginner guides for grapes and regions for Wines of Eastern Europe and advises Private Equity Firms on investment in Food and Wine.
The wine tasting is suitable for curious beginners and enthusiasts, and there are prizes to be won on the night. Tickets are priced at £15 and available to purchase on Eventbrite. Be Inclusive Hospitality members are eligible for a 20% discount on the ticket price, by requesting the code [email protected]
You can purchase your ticket here and officially become a member of the Be Inclusive Hospitality Community by completing a short form.
Be Inclusive Hospitality is a not-for-profit, and the UK’s only professional network for People of Colour working within the Hospitality, Food and Drink sectors.
Watch the 2020 3-part series – The Colour of Wine here.