Born in Malaysia, Marie spent her formative years in the UK, at boarding school then Imperial College London. After a misspent few years working in the City of London she took a tangent and did her Cordon Bleu and WSET Diplomas. Moving to Boston, Mass. she discovered her true love for food & beverage, and continuing into her fourth decade visiting, interviewing producers and researching indigenous dishes, ingredients and drinks in over thirty countries on six continents.
Marie has also presented on both Drinks and Food to hundreds of people at major Food and Drink Festivals over the years. For over 15 years she has been on the Competitive Judging circuit in UK, Europe and Japan for Sake, Wine, Spirits and Food. Marie currently spends her days writing, presenting and teaching.
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Recipient of the 2021 Guild of Food Writers Futures Fund Bursary. She was awarded a competitive scholarship in 2015 to research washoku, sake making and related culture in Mie Prefecture, Japan by the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy.
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WSET Certified Sake Educator Level 1 and Level 3 – Nominated Sake Educator for various UK wine schools (trained in Japan). JSS Sake & Shochu Certified, Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association. The only International Sake School of America Instructor for Certified Shochu Adviser and Sake Adviser Courses.
Speaker/Lecturer at public events and educational institutions including the Abergavenny Food Festival, York Food Festival, Expo Milano and the University of Gastronomic Sciences (Italy).
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Qualifications and Educational Background
- Chairman, British Sake Association.
- Council Member, Association of Wine Educators.
- Member, Circle of Wine Writers.
- Member Guild of Food Writers.
- Spirits Judging Committee, International Wine and Spirits Competiton (IWSC)
- Competition Committee and Technical Director for Asian Spirits, CINVE (Spain)
- Panel Chair Asian Spirits, International Spirits Challenge (ISC).
Panel Chair IWC (Sake)
Visit Marie Cheong-Thong Official Website