Kathryn Woods - Wine & Spirits/Hospitality Trade
Name: Kathryn Woods
Industry: Wine & Spirits/Hospitality Trade
Job Title and Employer: Wine Room Manager for Willow Park Wines and Spirits
Area of Expertise: Wine and Customer Service
Bio: I started my journey in the restaurant industry in 2010 with zero knowledge or training but quickly became infatuated with food and beverage. In 2012, I enrolled in the Hospitality Management program at SAIT and began working for La Chaumiere, formerly Calgary's oldest French fine dining restaurant. It was during my experience here that sparked my interest in wine and I started to concentrate my career on wine and food service. I was lucky enough to do my internship for Jasper Park Lodge with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Following my internship, I was offered to continue a career with Fairmont for the following 5 years after my SAIT graduation.
Shortly after while living and working in Whistler, BC I began my WSET 3 journey. While volunteering on an organic farm in Pemberton, BC my yearning for a deeper understanding of organic wine really took hold. I completed my WSET 3 and felt an urge to travel and put the skills and understandings I had learned to practical use. South America was first on my bucket list and became my new home for 2 years. I was able to secure a working visa in Chile and became the Sommelier & Assistant Wine Maker for a hotel in Valparaiso called WineBox. The focus at WineBox was sustainability; honest, true wine and an incredible guest experience.
Upon completing my time in Chile, I returned home to Calgary, AB where I moved into retail wine sales with Willow Park Wines & Spirits. Starting off in their E-Commerce department I quickly grew a new understanding of the wine business and all the different avenues in which my career could take me. I spent the last year in Regina, SK as the Product & Events Manager which lead to understanding a whole different aspect of the wine market yet again. Recently I have returned to Calgary to take on my new role as Wine Room Manager, which focuses on customer and staff education as well as creating memorable experiences.
Fun Fact: Kat spends her days studying for her WSETDIP, skiing in the mountains and sipping just as much craft beer as she does wine.
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