PBS-TV’s Emmy & James Beard Award-winning Wine & Food Expert
An award-winning author, speaker, consultant, and television host, Leslie Sbrocco is known for her entertaining approach to wine, spirits and food, as well as inspiring others to live a life of passion. She is the host of the nationally syndicated PBS-TV series, 100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations. “A passport to delicious,” it showcases her culinary adventures around the globe. As host of the KQED-TV PBS restaurant review series, Check Please! Bay Area, Sbrocco has won three Emmy Awards and a coveted James Beard award in 14 seasons. She is a regular guest on NBC’s Today Show, and appears frequently on national media outlets including NPR, CNN, The Hallmark Channel, QVC, ABC and TBS. She is the author of Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine (winner of the Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year award), The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide, and is at work on a companion book to 100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations. Sbrocco is one of the country’s most sought-after wine, libations and food speakers and an inspiring speaker on how to turn personal passions into lucrative careers. Voted as one of the Top 20 most influential people in the American wine business, Sbrocco’s engaging personality, humor, and ability to connect with the audience—whether on screen or on stage—are her trademarks.
Sbrocco has showcased her energetic style at hundreds of events including O, The Oprah Magazine’s Hi Gorgeous tour with Oprah Winfrey, and the Women of the Vine, and Women in Insurance Leadership Symposiums. Her portfolio of corporate clients include Liberty Mutual Insurance, The Wall Street Journal, Mercer, Cisco Systems, RedPrairie, and AON to name a few. Within the culinary industry, Sbrocco has appeared on stage with a roster of celebrity chefs including Marcus Samuelsson, Carla Hall, and Jacques Pépin. She has been keynote speaker at high-profile events including Food and Wine Magazine’s Aspen Classic, the Boston Wine Expo, Pinot Noir New Zealand, Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, the Boardwalk Wine Promenade, Tulalip Resort’s Taste of Tulalip, and SF Chefs. Sbrocco is also a charity auctioneer helping organizations maximize their fundraising efforts.
Sbrocco has built programs for and consulted with companies such as Target, Harry & David, and Kimpton Hotels. Her educational training clients include The Atlantic City Alliance, Wines from Spain, Trentino Wines, G7 Wines of Portugal and Traveling Vineyard. Sbrocco is a member of the philanthropic society Les Dames d’Escoffier and a respected judge at global wine competitions including the Concours Mondial, The Argentina Wine Awards, Sunset Magazine’s International Wine Competition, Critics Challenge, and the San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Sbrocco’s work has been published in outlets such as People Style Watch magazine, Epicurious.com, Time, O, The Oprah Magazine, Coastal Living, Health, Good Housekeeping, and Glamour among others. Prior to completing Wine for Women, Sbrocco was a columnist for The New York Times online and General Manager of WineToday.com, a site of The New York Times Company. She is also the founder of the multi-media company, Thirsty Girl LLC. Through her social media, print, online outlets and television appearances, Sbrocco reaches millions of consumers.
Leslie Sbrocco lives with her husband and children in Sonoma County, California.
Praise for Leslie Sbrocco’s Events
“Leslie is an amazing keynote speaker. Not only were all of her seminars a sell-out, she truly entertained and educated the standing-room only crowds. But that’s not all. With Leslie, we had the perfect speaker because of her command of print, radio and television media and her willingness to totally support her speaking engagements by conducting media interviews on our behalf.”
— Ed Hurley, Director of Event Marketing, ResourcePlus, producers of the Boston Wine Expo & Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival
“Learning to select and pair wines can be an intimidating process for many women. But Leslie managed to educate the crowd with ease. Her engaging, conversational tone and sharp sense of humor proved to be tremendous to the overall success of our ‘Hi Gorgeous Tour’ events!”
—Jill Seelig, Publisher, O, The Oprah Magazine
“It was a pleasure to have Leslie Sbrocco as a guest speaker for our James Beard dinner on June 25th with Chef Jamie Leeds of 15ria. The wines matches for the dinner were superb and Leslie charmed the members in attendance with her vivacious and sparkling personality. Everyone learned a lot and had plenty of fun. She knows how to connect with her audience and share her knowledge without boring, jargon-filled lectures.”
— Gary Cheong, Volunteer Program Chair, James Beard Foundation
“Attending a Leslie Sbrocco seminar is like a breath of fresh air! Her contagious spirit and in-depth wine knowledge make her presentations easy to follow, entertaining and informative. Everyone walks away with a smile and a shopping list, be it for a great merlot or a new black dress! Kudos to Leslie for bringing this engaging presentation style to the forefront of wine education.”
— Jamie Peha, Executive Director, Taste Washington Festivals
“Leslie Sbrocco holds the title of the most appreciated and enjoyed speaker at the Women’s Show series we produce. Leslie’s knowledge of wine is impressive. It is, however, her ability to share this knowledge in a fun, interesting and interactive way is what makes Leslie special. She epitomizes the saying, ‘Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.’ Her book, Wine for Women, is a personal favorite, and I recommend it to my friends (both women and men) who are wine connoisseurs as well as those just beginning to explore the world of wine. We’ve had many wonderful speakers and never had a speaker whose topic, delivery and personal sense of style has so enchanted our audiences.”
— Joan H. Zimmerman, CEO, Southern Shows, Inc.
“A 20-year career veteran, I’ve sat through my fair share of inspirational speakers as Vice President of Marketing for brands such as the NFL and Outback Steakhouse and your keynote presentation at the Women of the Vine Symposium falls directly in to the category of ‘Rock Star.’ Thank you for standing amongst strangers and peers and being authentic, honest and candid. Most importantly, thank you for providing tangible, actionable wisdom.”
—Jayne Portnoy, VP of Marketing & Brand Strategy, Napa Technology
“I have been fortunate enough to work with Leslie for several years on corporate and private events. Recently, I partnered with Leslie on a corporate/executive retreat in California wine country. All details of the multi-day event were meticulously planned to perfection. From the boutique hotel accommodations, to elegant restaurant selections, and unforgettable winery experiences, she created a once-in-a-lifetime event for our guests. I cannot thank Leslie enough for the quality and care she puts into every detail.”
—Brandon Avery, Fortune 100 company executive
“Leslie proved her exceptional talent as an auctioneer during the Soroptimist International fundraising event, where she entertained and cajoled a crowd of 350 to bid on live auction items to fund a mission to help women become their best selves. Her efforts resulted in a total dollar amount that far exceeded past auctions.”
—Charlene Peters, Visit Calistoga
