del Lago Resort & Casino Announces Scholarship Winners to Attend Sommelier Class at New York Kitchen
Posted on July 15th, 2021
Awarded $13,000 in scholarships to seven individuals
Waterloo, N.Y. – del Lago Resort & Casino has awarded seven scholarships to participate in sommelier classes at Canandaigua-based New York Kitchen, totaling $13,000. del Lago set out to award four scholarships to industry professionals or wine enthusiasts to complete Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 and Level 3 in wine certification courses at no cost. Interested applicants were asked to submit a 300-word essay describing their passion for wine and its impact on a culinary experience. After reviewing the submissions, del Lago chose to award three additional scholarships to individuals who had already completed the WSET Level 2 course and were eager to complete the WSET Level 3 course.
“We are thrilled to be able to award scholarships to seven deserving individuals who have a passion and appreciation for wine,” said Carter Bair, Vice President of Marketing for del Lago Resort & Casino. “In reading numerous submissions, we realized there were a handful of people who had already completed Level 2 and whether due to hardships or life’s complications, hadn’t been able to see their goal through of attending and completing Level 3. We easily made the decision to add three more scholarships for those individuals to achieve the Level 3 certification.”
Recipients of the Level 2 & Level 3 Scholarships:
- KayJona Rogers – Rochester, NY
- Marc Peterson – Seneca Falls, NY
- Julie Miller-Trembley – Newark, NY
- Pranav Prabhu – West Henrietta, NY
Recipients of the Level 3 Only Scholarships:
- Erin McMurrough – Rock Stream, NY
- Lin Gamache – Saratoga Springs, NY
- Mike Clarcq – Fairport, NY
“del Lago has been an ongoing partner and sponsor of New York Kitchen, and we are overjoyed by their generosity to award seven scholarships to local wine enthusiasts,” said Alyssa Belasco, Executive Director at New York Kitchen. “I have had the pleasure of speaking to each one of the recipients – and they are even more excited than we are to have the opportunity to learn about the complex qualities of wine.”
The WSET Level 2 in Award Wines certification gives beginners a core understanding of a range of wines. Participants will explore the major grape varieties of the world and the regions in which these grapes are grown. The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines certification provides a detailed understanding of grape growing and wine making. By completion of the course, participants will be able to properly taste wines, describe the characteristics and evaluate the wine quality.
Additional information on the WSET certification through NY Kitchen can be found at www.nykitchen.com/event/wset-level-2-intermediate-award-in-wines-certificate-course/
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About New York Kitchen
New York Kitchen (formerly known as the New York Wine and Culinary Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in the heart of the Finger Lakes, with a mission to educate, engage and excite visitors in a celebration of the incredible agriculture, craft beverage and culinary bounty of New York State. Each day, New York Kitchen drives this mission forward through its educational hands-on cooking and craft beverage pairing classes, industry certification courses, and 100% New York State Tasting Room. Through partnerships with area farmers, wineries, breweries, distilleries, producers and entrepreneurs, New York Kitchen offers an array of inviting experiences which proudly highlight and promote the quality, diversity, and economic impact of food and beverages that originate in New York State.
About del Lago Resort & Casino
Located in the Finger Lakes region, del Lago Resort & Casino is a $440 million casino and 205-room hotel in Waterloo, New York. The gaming floor features slot machines, gaming tables and DraftKings Sportsbook at del Lago, a 6,000-square-foot state-of-the-art sportsbook lounge complete with a restaurant and bar. Dining options include the award-winning Portico by Fabio Viviani, a 4,200-square-foot food court and The Sociale Café & Bar. del Lago Resort & Casino has been named the No. 1 casino hotel in New York State and among the top five in the country in the 2019 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards. It also home to The Vine, a 2,400-person entertainment center, voted 2019 Showroom of the Year by the Global Gaming Casino Entertainment Awards. For more information, visit delLagoResort.com.
