Kristene King Thrall
Sommelier; Chief Strategy Officer at Va Bene Italian Eatery
Kristene King Thrall is a highly experienced sommelier and Chief Strategy Officer at Va Bene Italian Eatery. With over 30 years in the restaurant industry, Kristene has built a successful career focused on wine education and restaurant strategy, creating impactful educational programs, bonus structures, and life enrichment opportunities for employees. She is passionate about helping restaurants thrive by fostering strong teams and developing training systems that enhance both service and guest experience.
In addition to her work at Va Bene Italian Eatery, Kristene has served as Director of Training & Hospitality for Louie's Wine Dive and Chief Strategy Officer at W. VinZant Restaurants, where she played a pivotal role in improving operations, brand development, and expanding opportunities for both employees and businesses. She specializes in training systems and has extensive experience in directing operations, catering, and wine training.
Kristene is dedicated to helping restaurants succeed in an ever-changing marketplace and shares her knowledge with others through her work as a wine educator, and introducing diners to new and exciting brands.
Her experience extends to a variety of roles, from leading wine training to consulting on restaurant strategy and operations. Kristene is committed to enhancing the success and growth of hospitality businesses.
