For the fourth year in a row, I am participating in Bike To Care — and once again, I am getting back to my roots and riding for the USA Team supporting the Sommelier Scholarship Fund.
If you know me, you know that cycling and wine are two of my great passions. And I feel one of my purposes to exist on this earth is to connect people – especially through food, wine and cultural experiences.
I’ve spent the last 20 odd years growing in the hospitality industry one way or another. Whether sneaking into wine tastings as a college student, having the chance to help open up some world-class cocktail bars, meeting incredible wine mentors that have shared their passion to me, and now in France for 10 years having the mind blowing ability to see, breath, taste and live in the wine culture and vineyards that are practically on my doorstep.
My love of cycling was born from the hospitality industry, by chance. Whether racing, competing or traveling – I’ve been cultivating a space for hospitality professionals to get in the saddle as well, in order to provide us a way of gathering together outside of bars and restaurants. Chefs, Sommeliers, Bartender already have such a sensibility to terroir, the landscape … and once they get on a bike, it’s transformative.
Bike to Care was launched by Maison Louis Jadot in 2022 in an effort to support workers in the hospitality industry who had been affected by the pandemic.
These initiatives continue by supporting training and professional development of these same workers and those entering our industry
Our team will be raising money for the Sommelier Scholarship Fund. Your donation will directly fund scholarships. For any of you that have had the chance to visit a Burgundian domaine, meet and taste with the winemaker, or feel the soil and vines for yourself — you know what a transformative experience this can be.
A few years ago, I would have considered 200kms next to nothing. But since COVID, I fell off the saddle. I went from a minimum of 5000kms a year to nearly none. Bike to Care is part of my journey to get back in the Saddle – and your support will mean loads.
I inherited my passion for cycling and wine from those who shared their passion with me. It’s my goal to bring together gourmand cyclists around the world together – and featuring delicious wine, bread and food cultures.
In that fashion, this is my attempt to pay it forward from those that have shared their passion with me.
I hope you’ll consider donating today so that we can make this a more inclusive, diverse and accessible venture.
If you are in the USA, please go directly here to make a donation to the Sommelier Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)3 organization.
If you are based in France, please consider donating to:
the Association Jean-Claude Vrinat pour la valorisation des metiers de la restauration