Wine Writers’ Symposium

Tony “Winechef” Lawrence is a trusted wine and food pairing specialist. As a talented chef, sommelier, international wine and food judge, educator/lecturer and writer, he designs wine pairing programs for the global wine trade, associations, groups, college culinary/wine programs and wine festivals. His company, A Chef For You, LLC, focuses on wine and food as a lifestyle by educating about their history, art, science of terroir, sense of place and culture bridging wine to food as one. Tony started at the age of 13 cooking at a camp, then in restaurants and wineries in Maryland then vocational cooking school. He received a full scholarship to Widener University’s Hotel/Restaurant program, earning a BS degree. He honed his innate love of food interning and training at the Hotel Krone Assmannshausen in Rudesheim, Germany. He was a member of the inaugural class that launched The Culinary Institute of America Pro-Chef program at Greystone in Napa Valley in 1998. In 2000, he completed the Wine and Food Pairing for Chefs program at the CIA Greystone and a graduated from the Wine Educator Napa Valley Wine Academy in 2010. This will be Tony’s eighth year attending The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley.

He is a member and lecturer with the Society of Wine Educators, American Wine Society, German Wine Society, Tasters Guild Society, and the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine & Food Festival. Lawrence was appointed to the Pennsylvania Wine and Spirit Advisory Counsel [PLCB] in 2010. The “Winechef ” has over 34 years experience in the food & wine industry serving in various capacities including restaurants, corporate, motion picture and private catering, chef for the Philadelphia Eagles organization, and NFL Films. He was also the executive chef at two highly regarded clubs in Pennsylvania: the Germantown Cricket Club and the Merion Golf Club.