Busy is certainly a word for it! We want to keep evolving everything that we do at Four Gables and given my typical title ‘All Things Drinks’ – it seemed sensible to get a better understanding of everything drinks related so that I can give the best possible advice to everyone we work with. Having completed the WSET levels 1,2 and 3 in wines, this was definitely a great start to enable all of that. I absolutely loved learning some of the weird and wonderful facts about wines (the taste testing was pretty good too!). I am currently reading for my Court of Masters Sommelier exams which has been incredibly insightful.

We have all done a fair few events now and I typically find after the food the biggest talking point (sometimes more important) is cocktails. I love creating all sorts of cocktails and my favourite thing about them is the visual wow factor they can give. After seeing trends of popular cocktails such as Margaritas or Espresso Martinis I thought to myself, we can elevate this. Having cocktails for whatever the event that catch peoples eye first is really important to me. Obviously they have to taste pretty good too! I wanted to create new versions of what I would call ’the classics’ so that in hopes they are combinations of flavours people have never heard or seen before. I get a real kick out of seeing 100 cocktails laid out on a bar that have a real impact on the guests.

I would say the question of ‘what wines shall I choose’ is the most common one I get! Wine is incredibly subjective and actually what matters more than the menu style is simply what you like and dislike. Pairing a Chardonnay from the Loire Valley may pair perfectly on paper to your fish starter but if you hate Chardonnay, there’s no point in that pairing! We often say we like to tell stories with food and I like to also try and do the same with drink – if there’s a specific region that holds sentimental value then its a great start.

This is true! I probably spend more time outside the office with David upgrading things than in! David and I were at an event at the Royal Windsor Flower Show and saw in the distance these Shepherds Huts which were being showcased. We took a wonder over to have a look in and almost immediately had the same brain wave – ‘wouldn’t this be great for tastings?’ Back at FG HQ we got to work in building the double width shepherds hut from scratch. David often likes to put my previous skills as a carpenter to work and you may often hear him describe himself as a hobby carpenter, a formidable duo… We are all delighted with how it turned out as it creates an intimate and unique space for us to be able to hold private tastings and client meetings.

I definitely like to keep myself busy when not working, there’s too much I enjoy doing. During the football season I play on Saturdays for my local team, not a bad standard but definitely not the Premier League! If its not football you’ll find me on the golf course or the padel court, followed by most likely an evening of trying new wines and eating good food!