Michael Green
Michael Green is one of America’s premier wine and spirits celebrities, serving as Gourmet Magazine’s wine and spirits expert for 19 years and making appearances on the Today Show, Food Network, MSNBC, and CNN. Featured in the New York Times, Fortune Small Business, and Entrepreneur Magazine, Michael is a long-time icon in the wine and spirits industry. He serves as the Wine and Spirits Director and lead presenter for the Food Network Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival and is the headlining wine and spirits personality on the national Buick Discovery Tour. Michael travels the world thrilling audiences with his spirited wine and mixology performances, sharing his love of wine, spirits, and authentic experiences. He is also an accomplished playwright and is currently working on a new spirits-themed off-Broadway play. Michael’s first play, “Wine Lovers: The Musical” is currently touring the U.S. His new play, set during Prohibition, is slated to begin production in Spring 2012.
Christina Machamer
It is hard to say where my culinary journey began. I was born in St. Louis, and began working in restaurants at the age of sixteen. Following a brief stint as a pre-law major in college, I realized that my path lay in the hospitality industry. After an apprenticeship for world renowned chef Larry Forgione at An American Place, I began my formal education at Forest Park Community College in 2003. After traveling through Europe and the United States looking for a school, I decided to attend The Culinary Institute of America in the spring of 2006.
After graduation, I returned to St. Louis for the airing of Hell’s Kitchen season Four. During this time, I assisted my friend and mentor, chef Cary McDowell,in the kitchen of the former Revival Restaurant.
The secret of my triumph in Hell’s Kitchen was revealed in July 2008, and following a whirlwind publicity tour, I relocated to Los Angeles as the Executive Sous Chef at the aptly named Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood Hotel. In the fall of 2008, we received our first Michelin star, having only been open a few months. Under Gordon’s tutelage I was able to realize my potential, and flourished under the banner of standards and professionalism.
I returned to the professional kitchen last October, as a member of the opening team at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills. We opened with as much hype as “the second coming,” and received an amazing three star review from the LA Times within a few short months.
Though I still have a few goals to accomplish at Bouchon, I am working with a phenomenal team of old friends and new on opening my own venture in the next couple of years.
David Elswood
International Director of Wine Christie¹s Europe and Asia
Principal Auctioneer of the Hong Kong Wine Sales
David Elswood entered the UK wine trade in London in 1981, working in the competitive retail sector for four years. In 1985, he picked up a magazine, which featured an article on Michael Broadbent, Head of Christie¹s Wine Department and doyen of the auction world. Later that year, David joined the team at Christie¹s and commenced his auction career. David was appointed as Director and Auctioneer for Christie¹s in 1989, a position that he held until the end of 1999. During that time he became Deputy Head of Christie¹s wine sales in 1994 and Head of UK and European sales in 1997. In 2000, David was invited to establish a European office for the U.S. Internet auction house, Winebid.
In 2002, following a successful two-year stint Œon the net¹, David was invited to rejoin the team at Christie¹s to oversee all European and Far Eastern sales as Head of the Wine Department in London. In March 2004, David was appointed as International Head for Christie¹s Wine Department and now works with consultants Michael Broadbent M.W. and Anthony Hanson M.W. to ensure that Christie¹s stay at the forefront of the competitive international wine auction market in Europe and the U.S. He also runs an independent fine wine advisory service for buying and selling fine wines to a global market, via the wide range of auction and retail services available to the serious collector and acts in an advisory capacity to a number of wine merchants and institutions.
David has travelled extensively through the vineyards of Europe and the U.S. retaining a special interest for the wines of Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. In 1987 he was awarded the Spanish Scholarship in the Wine Education Trust Diploma exams. As principal auctioneer for the Wine Department at Christie¹s he has presided over a number of notable sales in London, New York, Amsterdam and Geneva including ³Grands Crus² in 1997 in London, which still holds the European record for a wine sale at $10m. Also the Florida Winefest Auction since 1996 and both record-breaking Napa Valley Vintners Charity auctions in 1999 and again in 2001-2004. David has also hosted a regular wine phone-in show on London¹s LBC radio channel, participated in numerous TV shows on the world of wine auctions and contributes regularly to a number of specialist wine publications, including his recent appointment to the editorial board of ŒWorld of Fine Wine¹ (2004). Christie¹s remain the world¹s leading live wine auction house, registering the highest sales totals worldwide in 2002-2006. In 2003, David received the rare double distinction of being appointed both as a Commandeur du Bontemps de Medoc at the Fete de la Fleur held at Chateau Mouton- Rothschild and as a Chevalier du Tastevin at the Clos de Vougeot ceremonies in Burgundy.
David was married to Teresa in 1986 and they have two sons, Daniel and Patrick. They all live in ³rural splendor², deep in the heart of East Sussex and David¹s hobbies include guitar- playing (aspiring), gardening (perspiring) and drinking good wine (inspiring).