Tad Carducci is a bon vivant with a profound love of food, wine and spirits. To him, there is no greater joy than sharing a beautiful glass of wine and a plate of cheese with an equally beautiful companion, discovering a new joint for classic cocktails or investigating the best burger and beer dive on any given block in downtown…anywhere.

Equally as enthralled by the history of comestibles, and the processes by which they are crafted, Tad has spent the better part of the last two decades as a student of wine, spirits, beer and food. He earned the Advanced Certificate with merit from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and both the Introductory Certificate and the Sommelier Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Most recently he took part in the inaugural B.A.R. (Beverage Alcohol Resource) beverage professional’s course, on a scholarship from Wine Enthusiast Magazine, finishing at the top of the class. He has also spent time as an assistant brewer, crawling in and out of kettles, learning the intricacies of beer-making. Mr. Carducci also did a stint as a “cellar rat” at the former Windows on the World, a highly coveted apprenticeship, where he learned wine and humility. He even hawked wine on national television, working for Rocco DiSpirito on NBC’s “The Restaurant” (an edification of an entirely different color.)

Tad’s passion for food and wine came to life at about the age of ten, when his grandfather, a true bon vivant, began teaching him to cook – mostly rustic Italian food – and to identify nuances of flavor and texture. These days he still finds himself experimenting in the kitchen, but now the focus is centered on cocktails and using culinary techniques and ingredients to create unique and exciting flavor combinations. He believes that as long as you stay true to the roots, you shouldn’t be afraid to color outside the lines.