Case Studies

I've also built wine programs and trained staff at Tartine, OTOTO, and Tsubaki.

Carla's Fresh Market

Highland Park, Los Angeles

The brief

A new Black woman-owned neighborhood grocery wanted a wine and beer section that matched its values — small producers, organic and natural sourcing, and real access for the community it serves.

What I did

I curate the full wine and beer selection, built around small, minority-owned winemakers, rotating seasonally to keep the shelf fresh.

The result

Wine has become one of the store's best-selling categories.

Kismet

Los Feliz, Los Angeles

The brief

A Mediterranean-California restaurant with an established all-natural wine program, sourced from all over the world, built by my predecessor.

What I did

I stepped into an existing program as wine buyer and kept the list fresh and exciting, making sure it spanned different price points to reflect the clientele's taste. I also ran regular staff training.

Neighbors and Friends: The Kitchen

South Pasadena

The brief

An all-California wine list with a focus on underrepresented winemakers, for a warm, family-style dining room still deep in kitchen R&D.

My role

Less curator, more connector. I made the tasting appointments, took notes, and brought my opinion to every conversation while serving that specific brief. The tastings were big family affairs, warm rooms full of energy, where I was there to listen, take notes, and gather opinions. I was happy to hear each wine rep out, and happily fed along the way — it pays to be part of a project while it's still deep in food R&D.

What shaped the list

The owner's approach to markup was quietly radical — a conservative markup so guests could drink well without wine becoming a luxury tax. That's a values decision: the people at her tables deserve access to something good, and she wasn't going to use wine as a profit center at their expense.