Chris Struck credits his upbringing in a large, hybrid French-Deeply Southern US family in the coastal city of Destin, Florida as what incited his passion for food and beverage at an early age.

He began cooking professionally within Chef Tim Creehan’s fine dining restaurant group at the age of 14 and supplemented his formal restaurant apprenticeship with self-study trips to Europe, working in both kitchens and vineyards to gain greater knowledge of regional cuisines and wines.

After completing his undergraduate degrees in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management at Johnson & Wales University, Struck gained certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, the Society of Wine Educators, the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas, and the Deutsche Wein und Sommelierschule in Koblenz, Germany. Struck also holds an Executive MBA in Food Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

Restaurant experience has included opening 8 restaurants in both front and back of house capacities throughout his career, including being employed as the assistant sommelier at Racines NY and at Danny Meyer’s flagship Union Square Café. Currently Chris is the Beverage Director at ilili Restaurant (www.iliIn.com) in New York City and is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Hospitality Management Department of the College of Technology at the City University of New York (CUNY) teaching beverage and marketing classes.

INSTAGRAM: @chris_struck