Ian Trinkle’s restaurant roots run deep.  Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ian was raised by his mother and grandfather who owned a family restaurant The Monterey Inn.  While studying history in Philadelphia, Ian worked for the Starr Restaurant Group, one of the fast-growing multi-concept restaurant companies in North America.

In 2004, Ian began managing The Inn at Easton, an award-winning boutique inn and restaurant in Easton, Maryland, which was nationally recognized as one of Food & Wine’s Top 50 Hotel Restaurants.  While at the helm, the restaurant received three stars from The Washington Post and received a glowing review by the late Johnny Apple in The New York Times.

After the esteemed Inn at Easton closed, Ian decided to pursue his passion for wine, by moving to California where he explored the rich vintner’s landscape of Napa and Sonoma Valley.  In 2009, he completed the WSET Level 3 in Washington DC.  Soon after Ian was recruited to become the wine buyer and store manager for The Winery, a family owned wine retailer known for its extensive wine selection near Baltimore, Maryland.

In 2010, Ian and his Australian fiancée moved to Australia where Ian took up the position the Head Sommelier for Aria in Brisbane, one of Australia’s leading restaurants.  While at the helm for Aria Ian was awarded The Judy Hirst Award for Australia’s Best Sommelier and Best Wine List as well as Best Sommelier in Australia through Sydney Morning Herald “Good Food Guide”

We are so delighted to have Ian teaching the WSET courses in Brisbane for us.  His love of wine, depth of knowledge and well-demonstrated application of both of these will be amazing for the students he is teaching.