The Research Chefs Association (RCA) is a forward-thinking, vibrant, energized organization whose members benefit by being part of a dynamic community of equitable food professionals who work toward a common goal: the blending of culinary arts and food science.

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We've partnered up with Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits along with the creative team at Sojourn Social to create a nose-dive into sensory and flavor exploration. Join us as expert, Theresa takes us through 6 different wines as they pair with 5 courses presented by Chef Peter Petti.

Guests can begin arriving by 5:30pm, dinner service will begin promptly at 6:00pm and end by 9:00p.

*Chef Petti will be able to accommodate dietary or allergy restrictions with advance notice. Please contact event organizer, Jessica Goldstein (Jessica@nu-spice.com) to share with the culinary team.

**This event is worth 3 Continuing Education Points.

MENU & WINES coming soon..

Theresa C. Grimes. Priority Activation Manager, Jackson Family Wines

A long-time resident of New Jersey, Theresa spent 24 years in sales at Xerox Corporation. Her enthusiasm for wine began in the early 1990s and it eventually brought her to Jackson Family Wines in 2006. For 15 years she was the NJ Distract Sales Manager and in 2021 took on a more expansive role supporting New York and Massachusetts as the Priority Activation Manager. In this role she is responsible for the training, education and market support for the brand priorities within the ever-growing portfolio at Jackson Family Wines. She has a Level 1 certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers and has participated in numerous workshops and development courses throughout her career.

In her spare time Theresa enjoys dining out, reading, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. She has been married to her husband, Mark, for 35 years and has 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren.

Chef Peter Petti. Executive Chef, Sojourn Society

After graduating culinary school in 2000, Chef Peter Petti received his Bachelor’s in Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University. While attending university, he began working as a Prep cook at the Providence Journal 4-Star Rhode Island restaurant Al Forno. After which he decided to take some time to backpack through Europe where he had the pleasure of tasting the finest dishes each country had to offer. Upon his arrival back in the states, he began his culinary externship at the 3-Michelin Star restaurant Eleven Madison Park where he worked his way up to Head Line Cook. When his time at Eleven Madison Park came to an end he worked at various restaurants across Manhattan until finding his home at New York Times 3-Star Restaurant Felidia. Under the helm of the great Lydia Bastianich, Chef Peter reconnected with his love of Italian fare and worked his way up from a sous chef to Chef de Cuisine. Then through the grape-vine Sojourn found him and so began their professional relationship. Chef Peter has been Executive Chef for 14 years cooking dishes that Upper Eastsiders quickly came to love, but when the opportunity to create the menu for Sojourn’s sister restaurant, Sojourn Social, he jumped at the chance to create a new and innovative menu. When Sojourn closed due to the pandemic, Chef spent his time creating exciting new dishes for Sojourn Social, and it was time well-spent. The menu at Sojourn Social is a direct reflection of Chef Peter Petti’s extensive experience in Italian cuisine combined with an array of international flavors he’s discovered along the way. For Chef, food is able to create wonderful, long-lasting memories and his dishes are definitely unforgettable.