Jeff Porter: originally from Texas, Jeff’s passion for wine started while at the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career at Central Market in Austin, Texas one of Austin’s premier wine destinations. After graduating Jeff moved to California where he worked as a salesperson for a wholesaler in the San Francisco Bay Area but his passion for restaurants and service drew him further north. His sommelier career began in Napa Valley working at Tra Vigne Ristorante in St. Helena, California. He joined the Bastianich Hospitality Group in 2009 at Osteria Mozza under the auspice of James Beard Award winning chef Nancy Silverton. In 2011, he moved to New York City to become the wine director at Del Posto Ristorante, and in 2014 Jeffrey became the Beverage Operations Director of the entire company. In this role he oversaw the beverage programs for Babbo, Del Posto, Esca, Lupa, Otto, Babbo Pizzeria and others. In 2019 Jeff left the Bastianich group and began his consulting career and a web series about wine, life and culture called Sip Trip. Jeff’s consulting business took off quickly with Hometown BBQ, Red Hook Tavern and the brand new luxury hotel in the Barolo region Casa di Langa. Jeff helps his clients create beverage lists and service standards to entire programs of hospitality. In October of 2021, the Brooklyn Nets hired Jeff to oversee the beverage program at the Barclays Center to help usher in a new era in how wine is viewed in the sports entertaiment space. Apart from Jeff’s day job he is a passionate advocate & practitioner of BBQ in all of its guises & glories, a father of a daughter and happy husband.