Inspiration and support was generously shared this week at a vibrant event in London aimed to promote greater diversity among those considering a career in the world of wine.
Be Inclusive Hospitality, described as “the UK’s only professional network for People of Colour working within the hospitality, food and drink sectors”, hosted its first in person gathering at the glamorous M Victoria Street’s private members’ bar. This follows the organisation’s inaugural event held online in 2020. The panel, wine making, canapes and networking format attracted a range of professionals working in hospitality but also people considering a change in career.
“In my 20 years within the sector, I would describe most wine events that I have personally attended as lacking diversity, often stuffy, and quite pretentious,” said Lorraine Copes, the visionary founder of the group, “The Colour of Wine will provide an alternative environment to this, whilst also spotlighting wine experts who are from Black, South Asian and South-East Asian backgrounds.”
A lively panel discussion was expertly moderated by the respected wine and sake educator Shane Jones DipWSET, a passionate aficionado and cheerleader of Pinot Noir, who discussed different paths into the wine industry, career motivations and pragmatic advice. Seeing sommeliers at work inspired the front of house professional / sommelier (and beer expert) Audrey Annoh-Antwi. She recalled, “They were fascinating and engaging” and to further understand the “great synergy” between food and wine she started working in restaurants and then went on to take wine studies.
Discovering the wine world
Wine writer and educator Leona De Pasquale DipWSET, who was born in Taiwan, recalled: “When I was growing up, wine was not part of daily life.” Some years in to her career in public relations, however, she began working on wine assignments for a French agency – and was instantly captivated by the taste of Gewürztraminer grape of the Alsace region of France. “That was the grape variety that dazzled me,” says Leona, “That really triggered my interest in wine.” She also began to take wine courses. Wine consultant Vidya Narasimhan, who was born in India, initially had limited exposure to the subject that would eventually become her passion. During a student trip to Germany, however, she spent a month travelling by train around the region of Mosel and inevitably discovered the world-famous vineyards. Further international travel increased her exposure and interest in wine. She also began formal training which became the foundation for her career change: “I felt validated and confident after studying wine. I took the plunge and still enjoy the journey.”
All the panel were in agreement with Vidya who said the wine industry in the UK should be more “accessible”. She explained: “I want businesses and mainstream media to make it a truly inclusive place.” Audrey also noted that wine culture truly has “global reach” and should be considered within that context. She also observed that information sharing is critical for attracting, showcasing and recruiting talent.
Careers advice
In terms of advice to those who want to follow in their footsteps, Leona explained that to progress in her career she has constantly asked herself, “What else should I do?” Her response was to take a series of more responsible positions that increased her industry understanding (and salary) while also improving her knowledge through studying.
Access to advice is critical for Audrey, especially through networking: “Sometimes you need to be put on the right track and having people introducing you makes all the difference.” The Elevate Mentorship Scheme launched by Be Inclusive Hospitality in April 2021 in partnership with Caterer.com was given special praise. To date, a total of 22 mentees have been matched with mentors. These include the London’s Evening Standard restaurant critic Jimi Famurewa, chef-author Rukmini Iyer, and co-founder of Super 8 Restaurants Ben Chapman. In addition, she also suggested “bite size” learning through content on YouTube or podcasts. “Over intellectualisation can be alienating,” said Audrey, “Engage with wine in the way you find easiest.”
Vidya “highly recommends” simply starting with an entry level wine course. The moderator and panel had all studied through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. The British wine trade’s professional educational body offers courses at a variety of levels for 85,000 students in over 70 different countries and 18 languages.
Intriguing wine ideas
The panel also had the opportunity to share some of their more intriguing ideas and unusual experiences related to the world of wine. This included Vidya’s suggestion for aged Rioja for spicy south Asian dishes: “There is enough fruit to compliment the spices. It’s something different to Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling!” Leona explained that Taiwanese cuisine where one meal can be packed with an array dishes of diverse flavours can be well paired with ‘in between wines’. She suggested Rosé or orange wine made by leaving the grape skins and seeds in contact with the juice to produce a distinctive colour. Finally Audrey introduced the intriguing idea of “sparkling palm wine” with Ghanaian palm nut soup. She also suggested oaked Chardonnay with West African peanut-based dishes and sauces.
Career opportunities in UK hospitality can be found on the Be Inclusive Hospitality jobs board.
Top image credit: Joey Nicotra / Unsplash
