Jesse Webster, Director of Operations / Group Beverage Director, AvroKO Hospitality Group
Since 2008 Jesse has been the Beverage Director for the AvroKO Hospitalty Group which includes PUBLIC, Saxon + Parole in New York and The Thomas in downtown Napa.
Jesse has been involved in food and restaurants since his early teens. On coming to the United States from New Zealand more than 20 years ago he spent several years in kitchens on the West Coast before moving to NYC. Like many others in the restaurant business, Jesse is a refugee from the acting business (although he continues to explore his theatricality in his wine trainings!) and is a life long hospitality junkie.
After moving to NYC and exploring various restaurant homes in and around the city Jesse began working at PUBLIC in 2004, he worked as a server, wine steward and subsequently came to manage the wine program as sommelier and wine director/GM. Michellin starred PUBLIC is home to one of the US’s best Aussie and NZ focussed restaurant lists and has given Jesse fantastic opportunity to explore great Antipodean wine over the years. Since 2008 Jesse has been the Beverage Director for the AvroKO Hospitalty Group which in addition to PUBLIC includes Saxon + Parole in New York and The Thomas in downtown Napa. Jesse, in 2009, completed his WSET Diploma of Wines and Spirits.
Jesse has worked as a freelance wine ambassador for NZ Winegrowers in the New York City market and has been an occassional commentator in various media on the wines of Australia and New Zealand and on wine trends in the US restaurant environment.
