Meet Our Chairs
2012 Beverage Chair, Sommelier Nadine Brown
Nadine Brown was born and raised along the sunny shores of Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Food and drink, including some of the world's best rum and coffee, played an important part in the culture and in her childhood, thought ironically for the future sommelier, wine was distinctly absent. She would discover that passion on her own.
Brown's initial vocational calling to her to the mainland U.S., when she earned her bachelors degree in social work at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts, and proceeded to work with emotionally disturbed children for several years. It was during one summer that she moved south, to Washington, DC, and took a break from social work, hostessing at a new hot spot: Bistro Bis. From there, she never looked back. "There's an energy on the floor of a restaurant that is addictive," she recalls/ Brown remained there for four years learning the front of the house from the ground up and covering all the bases - hostess, server, banquet captain, office manager and floor manager - before moving on to work at other venues.
While she continues to gain practical experience, Brown also began to educate herself once again. While at Bis, one of her first managers had a passion for wine, which Brown found infectious. "I found myself reading anything and everything I could about what I was tasting," she says, "I found it all fascinating."
"I thought I'd be a lucky woman if I could get up every morning and love what I did for a living, so I set out to do it," she smiles. Brown took a French class at the USDA in order to assist her pronunciation with French wines, went to a series of local classes, and attended every tasting and seminar she could. In addition, she started studying for her degree with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a London-based organization and a prerequisite for eligibility as a Master of Wine.
Brown is currently the sommelier at one of DC's top power spots: Charlie Palmer Steak DC, where she utilizes her passion, charm and skill to impression some of the most influential people in Washington. Brown has been involved in Taste of the Nation for years and is a proud supporter of Share Our Strength's mission to eliminate childhood hunger in America.
2012 Mixology Chair, Gina Chersevani
Mixologist Gina Chersevani was born into a culinary family in New York City. Growing up her Northern Italian father's pizzeria paved the way to the culinary life. Chersevani moved to College Park, Maryland just outside of DC to attend the University of Maryland. She bartended her way through college, and after graduating with a bachelor's degree in psychology and fine arts, she mixed at Penang in DC.
In 2001, Chersevani found her adopted city still enamored with bourbon on the rocks, but her cucumber martinis went over well and she continued to push the boundaries. Her exuberant personality worked its wonders and people started trying her drinks. In 2003 DC Rising Star Chef Jamie Leeds hired Chersevani to help launch the beverage program at 15 Ria. Chersevani consulted for Poste Moderne Brasserie before moving to acclaimed Indian restaurant Rasika in 2006. Working with Chef Vikram Sunderam exposed her to spices like never before, and saffron, cloves and coriander began making appearances in her cocktails. And her cocktail recipes began making appearances in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post.
In 2008, Chersevani was named bar chef for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. A year later she would join forces with PS 7's Chef Peter Smith. They are constantly collaborating, pushing the envelope on forward-thinking cocktail and food pairings. She has presented at Tales of the Cocktail, and judged more than her fair share of cocktail competitions. Extremely active in the local community, she supports the Humane Society, DC Central Kitchen, Share Our Strength, March of Dimes, and Starlight Foundation. She is also an ambassador and founding member of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild and winner of the 2010 RAMW Award for Best Beverage Program.
