Company Overview

John hails from world-renowned Glendale, California but made NYC his home more than a decade ago after running approximately one billion miles for the University of California - Santa Barbara cross country team. Once settled in the big city, he interned for a landscape architect, worked at a fish store (aquariums...not a seafood store), waited tables, and worked his way up the creative services ladder at Marvel with guys like Spider-Man and The Hulk. Needing a change, John then found himself in online product management at ExpoTV.com, where he and some co-workers did some extracurricular winemaking. Always an idea guy, he wanted to be his own boss—so he's now co-owner of Brooklyn Winery. In his spare time (not that he has much), John likes to run (very short distances), maintain his amazing 55-gallon coral aquarium, and pet his furry friend Walter, probably the best cat in the world.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Maine, David grew up inspired by the benefits of coastal living: fresh, local produce, abundant citrus, and incredible seafood. David creates seasonal dishes that are elegant without being pretentious and approachable without being predictable. His food is best enjoyed in the company of friends, lingering over wine and conversation. Since graduating from The French Culinary Institute, David has worked across Portland and New York including Natasha's, Cinque Terre, Walter's, Picholine, Momofuku Ko, Prime Meats and most recently, Corton in Tribeca. When he's not in the kitchen, you will most likely find him on his bicycle, lying in a park listening to NPR, doing laundry, or hanging out with his really awesome girlfriend, eating oysters and drinking Muscadet.

Jenesy is from a place you may never have heard of: the San Juan Islands in Washington state. She began working in restaurants at 14 and has been traveling the world in search of the next cool food and drink trends. While trying to figure out what she was going to do with the rest of her life she hopped from resort towns like Breckenridge, Co. Montauk, NY, and Rhinebeck, NY opening up restaurants and learning how to smile in the face of chaos. After getting her degree in metal sculpture from the artsy upstate Bard College, she floated down to the Caribbean to run a boutique hotel in the far away land of Nevis. Upon moving into the big bad city, she soon realized her passion for food and drink was shared with not just a few, and she was in the perfect spot to keep her finger on the pulse of NYC. She now takes time every week to search for new spots, take in new sights, and relish the oldies-but-goodies that make this the city that never sleeps.

Originally from St. Louis, born on the banks of the mighty Mississippi, Reuben got his first job in the food industry when he was 15. He attended Indiana University for Political Science and Economics where he cooked and bartended his way through college. It was during this time that he realized his passion for food and beverage, and that was the direction his career would take him. Leaving Indiana for Chicago, Reuben began working in the restaurant industry where he was exposed to some great opportunities and talented people. He recently moved to NYC with his lovely lady (who is an NYC native) and is loving every minute of it.

Jessica Wittwer came from a land of rainbows, unicorns and sunshine, also known as Colorado. She moved to New York to become a famous actress. Jessica decided to leave the fame and fortune for other passions and has been working in the hospitality industry for almost 10 years, most recently at Uva Winebar. She fell in love with wine while working as a captain at Felidia Restaurant. The Sommeliers took her under their wings and snuck her sips of amazing vintages of Amarone and Barolo. This is also where she met her husband; this girl loves food and wine so much she went ahead and married a chef! She also recently completed the Viticulture and Vinification course at American Sommelier Association. Jessica is thrilled to be involved at Brooklyn Winery where she combines her two favorite things: event planning and winemaking. She is excited to continue coordinating beautiful weddings and events, and loves every second of it!

Kara comes from the rugged, wet, and world-renowned Pinot Noir region of the great Pacific Northwest. Considering herself a native Oregonian (even though she lived in five other states before the age of 10), Kara was raised at the table with a mother who stalks eBay for Julia Child first edition cookbooks, a sister who used to work for Alice Waters, and a father who annually roasts a pig in the front yard. In an attempt to escape the rain (and because one of the dorms had a pool), she attended Santa Clara University and spent her collegiate days playing lacrosse, discovering box wine while abroad in Australia, and writing various newspaper stories (including an article on the secret life of performing clowns). Hoping to fully understand the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry and to pursue a career in book publishing, Kara moved to New York City in 2008. After working for several years in various marketing publishing departments and reading her own weight in books many times over, Kara decided it was time for a change. Enter Brooklyn Winery: a place where she can talk all day on the phone, take field trips to the Long Island wine country, and help people discover everything Brooklyn Winery has to offer. When she's not making event dreams come true, you can find Kara taste-testing hot wings, training for her first marathon, spending way too much money trying new restaurants, or tending to her herb garden. 

Pam's responsibilities at the Winery are numerous and varied, from paying the bills to account management to "Printer Whisperer" and everything in between. She is a native New Yorker and a beach bum at heart, but has lived all over and done a little bit of everything and has all the crazy stories (and photos) to prove it.