Welcome to the Next Generation and Episode 2514 of the Italian Wine Podcast. Today McKenna Cassidy interviews Marie Cheslik, founder of Slik Wines, a platform for wine education.

More about today’s guest:

Marie Cheslik is a Wisconsin-born registered nurse and certified sommelier. In 2010, she moved to Chicago to get her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, also working as a part-time hostess in a restaurant. She balanced two careers, working as a nurse and at award-winning restaurants, becoming more passionate about wine. In 2018, Marie passed the Certified Exam of the Court of Master Sommeliers, worked as Wine Director at a Michelin-star restaurant, Elske, and received nominations including Jean Banchet's 'Best Sommelier' in 2019 and Eater’s 'Young Guns’ in 2020. In August 2020, she created Slik Wines to make fun and approachable wine education for everyone. In 2023 she was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 Tastemakers and has worked with notable brands such as Wines of Germany, Vini d’Abruzzo, Rick Bayless, VinItaly, and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.

Connect:

Website: https://www.slikwines.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slikwines/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@slikwines/featured

More about the host:

McKenna found her love of wine while serving in a Napa Valley tasting room. She later graduated from the University of Notre Dame and pursued wine on the East Coast with E. & J. Gallo Winery. She has worked in wine distribution for restaurants and luxury retail stores for the past three years.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, McKenna is a Certified Specialist of Wine (2021), Certified Sommelier (2022), and Italian Wine Ambassador (2023). She loves country swing dancing, hosting brunch parties, and sipping Italian wine.

Connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckennacassidy/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenna-cassidy-cs-csw-66baa412b/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mckennacassidy

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Until next time, Cin Cin!

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