Whistler Cornucopia Talent Lineup

Chris Read

Brand Experience Manager for Shelter Point Distillery

As Brand Experience Manager for Shelter Point Distillery Chris Read is responsible for sharing the company’s story. He oversees the customer experience at the distillery including tours and tastings. Chris provides Masterclasses on Shelter Point whiskies and Tastings at events, and he likes nothing more than introducing people to our award winning whiskies and sharing the story of how they are made. He also manages the company’s social media and media interactions. Chris has a background in communication and stakeholder engagement. He is proud to work with a team that is passionate about crafting high quality single malt that has an intimate relationship with its surrounding location and is eager to support Shelter Point’s evolution into a brand that’s globally recognized for top-quality single malt.

DJ Kearney

Wine educator, consultant and global wine expert

DJ Kearney is a Vancouver-based wine educator, consultant and global wine expert. Her decades in the wine industry have embraced teaching, wine writing and criticism, judging and speaking. DJ holds the WSET Diploma, the ISG Sommelier Diploma and has spent four years in the Master of Wine program. She is a WSET educator working for many global wine bodies and has trained hundreds of sommeliers throughout North America. She heads the WSET courses at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and has started a judge training program in Canada to help prepare the next generation of wine judges. DJ is the Director of Wine at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club. She's been the the Vice President of CAPS-BC and responsible for the Best Sommelier of BC competition and has directed two Best Sommelier of Canada competitions. While DJ is devoted to the wines of her home province and has helped guide the BC industry over the past two decades, she's also an ambassador/educator for many global wine marketing entities such as Wines of Argentina.

Chris Turyk

Board member of Wine Growers BC

Initially, Chris was on the path to becoming a chef. After attending the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, he made the switch to wine when his family were founding Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley. His wine education includes passing the Certified Sommelier exam, he holds the WSET Diploma and is currently enrolled in the Master of Wine Study Programme. For the past 15 years Chris has worked at Unsworth and in a variety of roles within the wine industry. He worked as a Sommelier at Hawksworth Restaurant in Vancouver and completed the Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture at UBC Farm. Chris is very active in the BC wine community having served as a board member of Wine Growers BC, and is currently on the Board of Directors of CAPS-BC.

Ian Casterton

2024 Best Sommelier of British Columbia

Raised around the dinner table, Ian drew inspiration from food, wine, and the people who made them from an early age. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Ian collaborates with restaurant groups to craft insightful, interesting, and unique wine programs. His five years of portfolio management at a flourishing Import Agency, five years as a Fine Dining Sommelier and Wine Director, and current position with a Canadian Producer gives him a unique perspective into our beloved industry. Ian was named the 2024 Best Sommelier of British Columbia, holds a WSET Diploma, and is endlessly preparing to become Canada's 10th Master of Wine. You can find him moderating workshops, judging on wine panels, teaching WSET, or practicing his golf swing.

James Bornn

Educator for Authentic Wine & Spirits

James is an Educator for Authentic Wine & Spirits and serves as an Ambassador for the many great brands that they represent, including Champagne Louis Roederer, Masi Agricola, Paul Hobbs, and many others. James has been educated by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, as well as the Society of Wine Educators, and has traveled extensively through much of the wine and whisky regions of the world exploring the many great products being created today.

Keith Nicholson

Educator for Authentic Wine & Spirits

Keith Nicholson is a distinguished expert in the wine and spirits industry, with a career spanning over 25 years in Vancouver's hospitality scene. A certified Sommelier, Keith has made significant contributions to some of British Columbia’s most renowned dining establishments, including The Bearfoot Bistro, here is whistler, and Le Crocodile Vancouver, where he developed and led acclaimed wine programs. Beyond his work in hospitality, Keith’s passion for spirits is evident through his diverse certifications and achievements. He holds the WSET Diploma, along with a Teachers Certification that paved the way for him to establish Statera Academy teaching WSET Certifications in Spirits, Wine, and now Beer. Keith’s expertise extends into the realm of Scotch Whisky, having completed the prestigious Diploma in Scotch Whisky from the Edinburgh Whisky Academy. Statera Academy also offers EWA certificate courses in Scotch Whisky, Irish Whiskey, Gin, and American Whisky, available both online and in-person. Keith also holds the WSET Spirits Level 3 and is a Certified Bourbon Steward, accredited by Moonshine University in Kentucky.

Jerome Dudicourt

Oyama Sausage Co

Jerome has been with Oyama Sausage Co since day one, for over 25 years, at the Granville Island Market. Jerome is the charcuterie expert, and Oyama produces 90% of what they sell. Oyama uses local meat, helping farmers for these past 25 years, always trying new recipes and innovations to make the best products ever. You can find Jerome at the store at the Granville Island Market five days a week, from 530am to mid afternoon. Everyone is welcome!

Kurtis Kolt

'Sommelier of the Year' award at the 2010 Vancouver International Wine Festival

Kurtis Kolt's lengthy career in Vancouver's restaurant and wine industry includes managing several acclaimed establishments, eventually earning the 'Sommelier of the Year' award at the 2010 Vancouver International Wine Festival. He has led wine programs on occasions at James Beard House in New York City, and contributed to publications like Vancouver Magazine, Decanter, and Eater. Along the way he has achieved various certifications from the WSET in London, the Court of Master Sommeliers, and the Winemaking Program at UC Davis. Additionally, he co-founded Top Drop, a series of terroir-focused trade and consumer events celebrated as "the nerdiest, most awesome wine festival in Canada." His endeavor is Free Spirit!, a celebration of non-alcoholic wine, beer, and spirits. Find him at KurtisKolt.com

Paul Watkin

Certified Specialist of Spirits

For the past 4 decades, Paul has embraced the culture and world of wine. This love has afforded travels throughout the world, providing the inspiration to bring back and share these experiences. A long-time wine & hospitality professional, he worked his way up through various positions in restaurants and wine retail. This fuelled his personal desire and knowledge and today is an accredited wine educator and a Certified Specialist of Spirits. Paul continually consults and provides education for restaurants and is currently the Sales director for the wine importer, the Seacove Group. The philosophy is simple: Wine should be discovered and enjoyed, together.

Samantha Rahn

Fine Wine Ambassador and Private Client Services Manager

Samantha has spent her entire adult life in the mountains, immersed in food and wine. It started in Banff where she wrote her first award winning wine list back in 2001 for the Maple Leaf Grille. After meeting her taller half racing snowboard cross in 2007, she was imported to Whistler by him, and served as Wine Director at Araxi Restaurant until her retirement from full time restaurant work in 2018. Samantha was awarded BC Sommelier of the Year from both the Vancouver International Wine Festival and Vancouver Magazine in 2013. After leaving Araxi, Samantha worked as Fine Wine Ambassador and Private Client Services Manager with Select Wines and sister agency Icon Vins Fins until spring 2024. As an active participant in Whistler Cornucopia since landing in Whistler in 2007, and being Cornucopia Ambassador for well over decade, Sam is now in second year in her expanded role as Cornucopia Festival Sommelier. She is also proprietor of Samantha’s Garden, which offers food, beverage and hospitality services and consulting. Samantha lives in Pemberton with her guy Jamie and their two beloved tabbies, Francis and Fleurie. Sam is also a dedicated mountain bike coach in the Whistler Bike Park, very busy backyard vegetable farmer and avid sports fan.

Eric Blouin

Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite Agricole

After spending 20 years on the West Coast in Whistler, Éric and his wife Annie returned to Quebec in 2019 to take over the reins of Clos Sainte-Thècle.

During those years, Éric built an impressive career, first as a sommelier at Whistler’s renowned Bearfoot Bistro, then in wine importing, where he curated a portfolio and collaborated with world-class producers. This chapter not only broadened his international network but, more importantly, sparked a true passion for winemaking.

In 2008, Éric and Annie also launched a small négociant project in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, highlighting the region’s terroir through limited productions of Pinot Noir sourced from Bill Hanson’s vineyard.

Clos Sainte-Thècle today covers 4.7 hectares in the foothills of the Laurentian Mountains, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, halfway between Quebec City and Montreal. The vineyard counts about 6,000 vines, divided into one hectare planted in 2003 with hybrids and another hectare planted to vinifera in 2021.

Together, Éric and Annie now bring their wealth of experience, deep passion, and meticulous approach to craft exceptional wines that showcase the unique terroir of this very special site in the heart of the Mauricie region. Their work has already been recognized with several distinctions: in 2024, they were awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite Agricole and were finalists for Winemaker of the Year at Les Lauriers de la Gastronomie Québécoise. The previous year, Clos Sainte-Thècle was honored as Eco-Responsible and Sustainable Development Business of the Year.

Sean Nelson

WSET 3, French Wine Scholar, and Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced

Sean Nelson has spent his life in hospitality, chasing down great bottles and even better stories. Along the way, he’s worked and travelled around the globe, picked up certifications like WSET 3, French Wine Scholar, and Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced, and poured more wines than he cares to count.
From 2014 to 2018, Sean ran the wine program at the iconic Vij’s Restaurant. Under his watch, the restaurant earned Platinum at the Vancouver Wine Festival Awards of Excellence three years running, and Wine Enthusiast Magazine named it one of Canada’s Top 10 Wine Restaurants in 2017. That same year, Sean was crowned BC Sommelier of the Year — and went on to make a little history as the first Canadian to win the Somm Slam Competition at the International Chefs Congress in New York.
These days, Sean runs Somm Wine Guy Consulting: a one-stop shop for all things wine. From curating private cellars and building restaurant lists to hosting lively tasting events (like the cult-favourite Cambie Village Wednesday Wine Tastings), arranging custom wine travel, and running his monthly Somm Wine Club, he’s all about making wine approachable, memorable, and fun.
Follow along at sommwineguy.com or @SommWineGuy, ideally with a glass in hand.

Chef Jason Dabbagh

WSET 3, French Wine Scholar, and Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced

Jason Dabbagh (BEd, RSE) grew up in a home where food was not just a means of nourishing bodies, but also a means of nourishing relationships and community. Hospitality was paramount.

Jason extended this philosophy into his teaching practice: a culinary high school teacher since 2011, Jason continues to lead with the tenants of hospitality, community, service, and compassion. He also believes that building confidence in people through food education will promote better eating habits and dramatically improve quality of life. He is most proud of the creation of a program that empowers students as owners/operators of a small food business and especially proud of the young successful cooks that have emerged from it.

Chef Alana Maas

Chopped Canada winner

Raised in a food-centric family, Alana graduated from Dubrulle Culinary School in 2002, worked in some of the most demanding kitchens in Vancouver, and quickly earned recognition as a leading and coveted chef in the city, successfully running the kitchens at Cru Restaurant and The Hart House.

A Chopped Canada winner, her confidence and trust in herself is contagious. Board member of the Les Dames d’Escoffier chapter of Vancouver, Alana is committed to empower women in her profession. She has an approachable intensity and will call it the way she sees it with a smile, and will give detailed feedback that makes you feel good about learning from your mistakes. This is proof that nurturing mothers make great teachers…and chefs. Has the most uncanny ability to know what’s in house and where everything is.

Chef Luis Valenzuela

Co-Owner and Executive Chef of Carmen Cocina Española

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico-born Luis Valenzuela had a passion for food at an early age. Luis immigrated to Toronto in 2011 to study the culinary arts at George Brown College, where he quickly developed his unique style and flair, embracing traditional methods while staying true to his Latin roots. He then went on to Toronto's notable North 44 and Bymark restaurants, working with renowned Chef Owner Mark McEwan and Executive Chef Andrew Ellerby.

Luis continued to work under influential leaders who helped shape his culinary style. His travels took him to Europe, where he worked under Chef Bruno Barrbieri in Verona, Italy and Chef Adolfo Munoz in Toledo, Spain. After returning to Toronto, Luis became Head Chef at Café Cinquecento in 2006 and quickly rose through the culinary scene and became Executive Chef at Torito Tapas Bar in 2007. Throughout these experiences, Luis has been able to create balance by contributing back to the community through meaningful charitable causes and campaigns.

In 2012, he became Co-Owner and Executive Chef of Carmen Cocina Española, serving Toronto Spanish-inspired cuisine paired with Luis' bold influence. In 2013, Carmen received a nomination as one of Canada's Best New Restaurants by Enroute Magazine

In the spring of 2017 Luis made his debut on the small screen, starring in a cooking show on Gusto TV "The Latin Kitchen" is an upbeat half hour of culinary favourites from Mexico, Spain and Venezuela.

Luis' culinary philosophy reflects the rich diversity of Toronto. He articulates global flavours while also honouring the land, working with southern Ontario producers and farmers to seek out the finest regional ingredients. Currently Luis is the owner and Executive Chef from El Moro Latin Kitchen, head Chef at Mad Mexican and teaches as a culinary professor at George Brown College.

Luis is passionate about making a difference to cuisine in Canada, one dish at a time. Ongoing and devoted to his craft, Luis is also passionate about mentoring young cooks to discover their talents in the same way he was encouraged. He is proud to foster strong and dynamic teams that are continuously learning and striving for excellence.

Chef Quang Dang

Executive chef at D.I.C.E.D

Chef Quang (pronounced ‘Wang’) Dang began his culinary career at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse and further apprenticed at the Metropolitan Hotel before moving to West Restaurant, where he worked as junior sous chef. West won the Vancouver magazine ‘Restaurant of the Year’ in 2004 and 2005 during his tenure. After three years at the renowned seafood-centric C restaurant, where he worked with Chef Rob Clark, O.C., Quang became executive chef at the Metropolitan Hotel’s Diva Restaurant. He returned to West as executive chef for seven years, was executive chef at Whistler’s Araxi Restaurant, then became corporate executive chef for their parent company, Top Table Group. More recently, he has been executive chef at D.I.C.E.D., a culinary social enterprise organization.

Early in his career, Quang quickly established himself as an advocate of sustainability and a champion of West Coast cuisine, a role that he continues to undertake in defining his approach to modern cookery.

Quang went on to compete in a number of international food competitions such as the Bocuse D’Or in Lyon, France; the National Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in Winnipeg; and as a Canadian representative at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels, the largest of its kind. “Every day brings a new adventure,” he says, “defined by the seasons and the extraordinary ingredients available to us in the Pacific Northwest. It is my privilege to have worked alongside the finest culinary and service brigades in Canada.”

Chef Neal Harkins

Executive chef at Whistler’s Conference Center

Chef Neal Harkins serves as the executive chef at Whistler’s Conference Center, bringing nearly 30 years of expertise in large group catering and fine dining. Throughout his accomplished culinary career, he has led numerous kitchens. Beyond his leadership in the kitchen, Neal also owns Rootables Chips, a popular favourite that continues to expand. Recently, he’s gained additional recognition as part of the lively duo, “Two Chefs and a Knife”, known for creating engaging and viral cooking content on YouTube and TikTok.

Ivan Decker

Actor, comedian

Known for his sharp, polished, and multi-layered observational comedy, Ivan Decker continues to achieve success as a writer, stand-up, and actor. After being named "A Comic to Watch" at the New York Comedy Festival, Netflix then released his Comedy Special, "Underwater Scissors" to rave reviews. Ivan made his American television debut on "Conan" and his comedy album "I Wanted to be a Dinosaur" was the recipient of the JUNO award for "Comedy Album of the Year." He can also be seen and heard on the popular CBC radio program "The Debaters."

Erica Sigurdson

Actor, comedian

Erica Sigurdson is a two time Leo Award winner for comedy writing, an award-winning standup comedian and highly sought after performer and emcee for conferences and events.

With over twenty years stage experience and numerous television appearances – Erica has become an in demand performer at both festivals and private events.