Alex Schrecengost, Kathleen Poyser & Christina Marcelli - Culture With Us, Laurent Perrier Champagne & Marcelli Formaggi
WHO: The evening will be hosted by longtime fine wine and spirits expert Alexandra Schrecengost, CEO of Virtual With Us and WSET Dip; Champagne Laurent-Perrier U.S. Vice President of Marketing and Operations Kathleen Poyser; and Christina Marcelli, whose family has been crafting award-winning artisanal cheeses in Abruzzo, Italy for centuries.
ABOUT: Wine Enthusiast "40 under 40" Tastemaker Alex Schrecengost
founded Virtual With Us in 2020 following Culture With Us in 2021 — and serves as the CEO. The organizations’ missions are to support global corporations with distributed workforces through cultural programming, and food and beverage entertainment to better improve human connections. Most recently, she led communications strategy, brand campaign initiatives, media relations, website development, and social media strategy as Head of Communications and Digital at fine-wine marketing agency Wilson Daniels. Notable former clients include the Spanish wine regions of D.O. Ribera del Duero and D.O. Rueda, Nespresso, Stoli Vodka, Marchesi Antinori, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, and The Plaza Hotel. She holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and a Masters of Public and Organizational Relations from Montclair State University. And she serves on the beverage committee for The James Beard Foundation and the board of Self Help Africa.
Kathleen Poyse is the Vice President of Marketing and Operations at Laurent-Perrier US. She obtained her Advanced Certificate in Wine from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Champagne Master Level Certificate from the Wine Scholar Guild. Over her 8-year career at Laurent-Perrier, she has served as the Finance and Operations Associate, Associate Brand Manager, the first National Accounts Manager for the US, and was moved into her current role in 2022.
A graduate of the renowned Culinary Institute of America, Christina Marcelli spent many years as an executive pastry chef in New York City. After gaining vital pastry techniques and honing her creative and operational skills, Marcelli took the opportunity to move to her ancestral home of Anversa degli Abruzzi in the mountains of central Italy. Her cousin's famous bioagroturismo sheep farm, La Porta dei Parchi, produces award-winning artisanal farmstead cheeses. Marcelli enjoyed working and living on her family's farm, growing the ingredients, tending the animals, making organic raw-milk cheeses, and cooking in the farm's restaurant. Today, she owns Marcelli Formaggi — a family business dedicated to bringing the culinary treasures of her beloved Abruzzo, Italy, stateside.
WHAT: Join us for an unforgettable culinary experience with expert-paired fine wine and cheese from two legendary European producers: Laurent Perrier and Marcelli Formaggi.
WHEN: Friday, December 1, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: De Gustibus Cooking School by Miele