Full Name
Robert Jones, MS
Job Title
Advanced Sake Professional
Company
Kysela Pere et Fils, LTD.
Speaker Bio
- Grew up in Roanoke VA, left in 1990, moved to Charlotte NC, then Martha’s Vineyard, then Atlanta and have been in Richmond VA since 1999.
- Graduated from Roanoke College with a B.S. in Psychology, slanted towards Memory, Learning and Physiology.
- Service career has arced from the summer of 1980, washing dishes and bussing tables to working as sommelier and assistant manager at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta, GA 1995 – 1999. During my tenure at the Dining Room, the restaurant earned the Mobil 5 Star award, becoming one of 14 restaurants in the country to achieve that distinction.
- Encouraged by Michael McNeill MS to enter the Court of Master Sommelier program in 1995 - I passed the practical and blind tasting components of the Master Sommelier exam in October 1999 and in March 2001 I passed the theoretical component of the Master Sommelier exam, becoming the 47th American to earn the Master Sommelier diploma.
- I left the service industry in June 2001 and joined Kysela Père et Fils, LTD as a national account manager to learn the business of moving wine around the world, into and through our system of wholesale distributors and on the trade. June 24th will mark 18 years as an employee at Kysela. .
- Completed John Gauntner’s Advanced Saké Professional course in Japan in 2014.
- Professional travels to 6 of 7 continents have furthered my beverage and service education.
- Graduated from Roanoke College with a B.S. in Psychology, slanted towards Memory, Learning and Physiology.
- Service career has arced from the summer of 1980, washing dishes and bussing tables to working as sommelier and assistant manager at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta, GA 1995 – 1999. During my tenure at the Dining Room, the restaurant earned the Mobil 5 Star award, becoming one of 14 restaurants in the country to achieve that distinction.
- Encouraged by Michael McNeill MS to enter the Court of Master Sommelier program in 1995 - I passed the practical and blind tasting components of the Master Sommelier exam in October 1999 and in March 2001 I passed the theoretical component of the Master Sommelier exam, becoming the 47th American to earn the Master Sommelier diploma.
- I left the service industry in June 2001 and joined Kysela Père et Fils, LTD as a national account manager to learn the business of moving wine around the world, into and through our system of wholesale distributors and on the trade. June 24th will mark 18 years as an employee at Kysela. .
- Completed John Gauntner’s Advanced Saké Professional course in Japan in 2014.
- Professional travels to 6 of 7 continents have furthered my beverage and service education.
Speaking At
