Curating a Dope Palate With Helen Johannesen

The Alexi Cashen Podcast

Helen Johannesen is the Owner and Founder of Helen’s Wines, a naturally-driven and organically farmed wine shop. She is also the Director of Operations and the Beverage Director at Jon & Vinny’s restaurant and all associated restaurants, including Animal, Son of a Gun, and Petit Trois. She is passionate about food and wine and was titled Best New Sommelier by Food & Wine in 2016.

Helen graduated from the University of Wisconsin and began her career in the food industry working at L’Etoile, where she gained valuable experience in the fine dining and farm-to-table sector. After moving to Los Angeles, Helen worked as a manager at Craft before taking a position with Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo and eventually became their partner at Jon & Vinny’s.

In this episode…

How do new brands connect and educate consumers? What does it mean to stay humble in the rapidly growing ecosystem of the wine industry, and how can you remain authentic?

For Helen Johannesen, connecting and establishing a personal relationship between her consumers and the brand they love begins with a conversation. Helen has had a colorful career in the food and beverage industry — and her experience as a leader has inspired and shaped the foundation of her wine shop, Helen’s. By remaining authentic and firm to her roots, she has successfully scaled her brand and positively impacted the lives of her consumers.

Listen to this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast to hear from Helen Johannesen, Owner and Founder of Helen’s and Partner at Jon & Vinny’s. Alexi and Helen discuss keeping true to your roots, increasing revenue, and staying humble in a diverse industry. Helen talks about the importance of educating the consumer, setting brand expectations for authenticity, and being persistent in your personal growth. Stay tuned!