by Priya Rao
Harvest Seminar Series: A Resource for the Recovery of the Restaurant & Hospitality Industry
There is no doubt that hospitality has been one of the hardest hit industries across the world and will be one of the slowest to recover. While we wait for the public to feel more comfortable dining indoors, sommeliers, restauranteurs and other industry professionals can hone their skills and increase their knowledge of some of the emerging trends and consumer habits at a virtual conference beginning on September 28th.
Toronto-based Advanced Sommelier, Emily Pearce founded Femmes du Vin in 2016 as a way to promote and amplify the voices of all women in wine and to bring the industry forward through education, scholarships and mentorship. Annual gatherings turned into a series of seminars previously attended by upwards of 230 women in the industry. This year’s installment has gone virtual due to COVID-19. What began as a challenge quickly turned into an opportunity as it allowed FduV to go global in both speakers and attendees.
Topics cover a variety of trends and issues faced by the industry, including the increasing interest in vegan wines, natural wine, understanding carbon-neutral wine, fair labor practices, and the rise of the ‘world wine web’ in a world staying home due to COVID. Speakers span the world, from New Zealand to the USA, and from South Africa to Canada.
“Our seminars will cover deep, thought-provoking and educational discussions with some of the best in the industry, including Jancis Robinson MW, Julia Coney, Pascaline Lepeltier MS, June Rodil MS, Elsa Macdonald MW, Elyse Lambert MS, Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly and so many more.
This group of speakers has never come together under the same program and by using a pay-what-you-can approach for attendance, we’re able to ensure it is both inclusive and enlightening.”
Jennifer Huether, Canada’s first, female Master Sommelier and Director of Education for Femmes du Vin.
For more information about the Harvest Seminars, please visit the Femmes du Vin website. Tickets are pay-what-you-can and proceeds will be put towards funding for education, scholarships and mentorship programs for the 2020/2021 season.
