This journey has been in motion for sixteen years but it hit full throttle in Los Angeles where Rachael worked their way up through the fine dining hospitality industry and became the Captain and Expeditor at Chef Curtis Stones’ restaurant, Gwen. There, they grew their understanding of upscale dining and were humbled as the 2018 Employee of the Year.
Following that, they ascended into the field of wine which led them to relocate back to New York City. Rachael attended The American Sommelier Association where they completed first, the Foundation Course and Examination. Following that, in 2018, they pursued and received their final Certification in Viticulture and Vinification.
Rachael passed their introductory course and exam through The Court of Master Sommeliers of America in the summer of 2018 in Houston, Texas. Finally, they attended The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). Rachael plans to pursue the Level 4 Diploma in Wine.
In 2019 Rachael was the Service Director and Sommelier (helping open) the generously reviewed Nikkei restaurant, Llama San, by acclaimed chef-owner Erik Ramirez and partner Juan Correa. Rachael’s experience with both Llama San and Llama Inn brought them to a bridged management position between both locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
In June 2019 Rachael was declared “An Asset to Tourism” as a US Beverage Influencer and was flown to Bolivia by the Bolivian Government and Chamber of Commerce to document the scene of culture, food and wine in multiple cities. In Tarija, Bolvia’s wine country, Rachael was honored with the “Distinguished Guest of the City” award by the local government. Rachael plans to continue traveling as often as possible to document for others as well as broaden their understanding of food, wine, and culture.
In 2022 Rachael moved on as the Sommelier at Frevo, an elegant take on contemporary cuisine curated by Brazilian chef Franco Sampogna and Portuguese restaurateur Bernardo Silva. An exclusive 14-seat counter, concealed by a fine art gallery. In true NYC fashion— the entrance to the restaurant is hidden behind one of the works of art.
In 2023 Madori won the Professional Merit Scholarship to SommCon. While at the convention she attended seminars not limited to Women in Mentorship, Entrepreneurs: Life After Restaurants, Cannabis Cocktails 101 and Wine & Sustainability. Rachael also took classes and an exam and received her certification in Sake through The Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Currently, Rachael is the AGM at Jacks Wife Freda in Manhattan and is in the process of developing craft cannabis cocktails (0% ABV) for her exclusive NYC pop-up event, The High End, on March 8th, 2024. For more info follow @TheHighEndCannabisCocktails on Instagram and visit TheHighEnd.org/rsvp to get on the guest list.
