September 7, 2023
11:00am-12:00am
Sponsored by:
Hospitality is the foundation of what we do and is the core fundamental of our businesses. This activation will better help you understand hospitality as a driver of culture, customer satisfaction and revenue. Please see below bios of the hosts for this presentation.
Presenters:
Nick Bertola
Nick is an experienced business development manager with a demonstrated history of working in the food & beverages industry. He possesses strong knowledge in Hospitality Operations, Wine & Spirits, People Management, and Team Building. Nick is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers & also a skilled entrepreneurial leader who’s graduated from BCIT School of Business. Nick has spent the last decade managing some of the most prestigious restaurants in the country, having opened Boulevard Kitchen, holding the General Manager/Wine Director position at L’Abattoir Restaurant and, is now the Director of Operations at Boxset Collective (Published on Main, Bar Susu, Novella, Vignette).
Chris Rielly
Chris Rielly is the Wine Director for the Hawksworth Restaurant Group, which operates Hawksworth Restaurant in the Hotel Georgia (located in downtown Vancouver), Nightingale Restaurant (located in the heart of the central business district in downtown Vancouver), and Bel Café.
The wine programs at Hawksworth and Nightingale employ two separate teams of Sommeliers, tasked at executing a high level of expertise, and creativity to find the perfect match for their guests.
Hawksworth and Nightingale are very diverse in the range of wines offered, and the wine lists are developed to reflect the different styles of cuisine offered at each restaurant. Where as Hawksworth has a deep cellar of classic regions, vintages, and collectible producers that we only list once we feel enough age has been gained, instead Nightingale offers a diverse range of eclectic regions, varietals, and producers that are intended to be playful and approachable against the range of dishes offered on our seasonal farm to table menu.
Chris has been an industry veteran for 30+ years since his first job as a dishwasher in his hometown of Kaslo BC at the age of 12. He has worked in Vancouver since 1992 and has been employed by the Hawksworth Group for the last 6 years. Chris is WSET trained (up to diploma) as well as the CMS, and is currently the Vice President for the British Columbia Chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.
