THE TILTED PLATTER STORY
how it all
started
Kerri Cook was raised in West Hartford, CT and grew up enjoying her Grandmother’s cooking and exploring her mom’s spice cabinet. It was in these kitchens that Kerri learned hands-on what flavors meant.
After living in Seattle during the height of the Grunge scene, Kerri moved to the Napa Valley in 2002 to attend the Culinary Institute of America’s professional wine study program. She received 17 certifications in different areas of wine study. From there she worked in wineries and for a stint at World Market as a Wine Steward. After moving to Santa Rosa (Sonoma County) she began with Whole Foods in 2005 and had an 11 year career as a Wine Specialist until the position was eliminated.
A DREAM
realized
While at Whole Foods, Kerri worked closely with the cheese department; tasting, cutting and learning about many aspects of the cheese market. She fell in love with pairing cheeses and wine. She discovered her ability to taste a cheese and separately taste a wine on a different occasion and remember the flavors well enough to pair without having them together. A superpower? Not a cheese or wine snob, just someone who can recognize flavor combinations.
Currently Kerri works as a Wine Director and Manager for the original Commercial Winery of the Napa Valley, Charles Krug. She has passed her Sommelier, WSET level 2 (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) and is currently studying for her CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine). As a Professional Wine Judge, she has had the honor of judging wine with some iconic people in the industry from pioneering winemakers and impactful Food and Wine journalists to celebrity Sommeliers.
