Jennifer Huether began her love affair with wine in her early twenties when a chef introduced her to the world of wine and food pairing. However, unlike most, she continued her passion through gruelling hours of study, early mornings and late nights, memorizing and reciting, and endless blind tasting sessions. All of that effort paid off – in 2011 she joined 255 Master Sommeliers worldwide; one of only 26 women and the very first Canadian. Jen is the first Master Sommelier in the world to utilize her expertise in an area she is passionate about – pairing delicious wines with plant based food.
Priya Rao is a Vegan Consultant and TV host. She has been organizing vegan food and wine events in Toronto, appearing on Breakfast Television, as the guest wine expert, and writing articles for wine magazines. Priya has spoken and shared her knowledge of vegan food and wine pairings at Toronto’s Veg Fest (the largest vegetarian food festival in North America!) and other local vegetarian events and conferences, as well as acting as MC for vegan events around the city.
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In 2021, Jennifer and Priya launched the plant based food and wine matching book ‘The Social Herbivore ‘Perfect Pairings for Plant-based Cuisine’ under the @socialherbivore platform, which is the first of its kind. The book is on the cutting edge, taking the art of pairing wine and food beyond ‘red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat’ by helping conscious consumers elevate their plant-based soirées. Authors believe in importance of supporting the wine-growing regions of the world that becoming more aware and more sustainable.
The book shows how to make eating plant-based food fun and delicious, going beyond traditional wine and food pairings. Full of tips and tricks for the sustainably-minded host, this book will definitely become your favourite whether you’re plant-based or simply plant-curious. The book includes 40 recipes, grouped into Small Talk (appetizers and starters), Big Talk (main dishes) and Sweet Talk (desserts). Each recipe has its high/low wine pairing, accompanied by expert ideas on elevating your wine hosting game. For the readers wishing to go above and beyond, the book also contains recommendations on starting your own wine cellar!
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The Social Herbivore
This book has been years in the making and is the FIRST BOOK to focus on wine pairings for plant-based food!
“I have become more and more plant-based over the years for many reasons, including my love of animals, the environment, and for my health. However I don’t want to feel like I am missing out on a great dining experience or the taste explosions that occur when you find a perfect food and wine match. It’s been a pleasure to grow and learn in this space and a blessing to be working with Priya. I hope you enjoy creating and tasting” – Jennifer Huether MS.
