Jessica Claire Roat
WINE SPECIALIST

Jessica believes that everything tastes better with a story, and that through the lens of vines, juice and booze, everything is little more beautiful.

She hails from Golden, CO where she spent her youth participating in marching band, theatre, and choir (Nerd!). Forever an academic, she attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley where she received a dual undergraduate degree in Theatre: Acting and Technical Design/Production Management.

In 2006, Jessica chased her acting dream straight to New York City, where she quickly found herself behind the bar serving up craft cocktails to Manhattan’s midtown elite. It has been said that you could eat three meals a day for one hundred years in New York City and never eat at the same restaurant twice. And so it is no wonder that the redefinition of Jessica’s career occurred almost instantaneously upon her arrival in the culinary playground that is Manhattan.

From Starbucks barista, to waitress, to bartender, to manager, she worked for a series of award-winning chefs including Bobby Flay, Dan Barber, and George Mendez. Internships with Edible Manhattan and GrowNYC resulted in her decision to attend Boston University and complete a Master’s Degree in Gastronomy (Food Studies). Originally designed by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin, the Gastronomy program blessed Jessica with the interdisciplinary opportunity to complete graduate level coursework in Food History, Anthropology, and Politics, while simultaneously earning both a Culinary Certificate as well as a Level 4 Wine Certificate.

While studying under Masters of Wine, Bill Nesto and Sandy Block, Jessica focused on the language of wine, the physiology of taste and the magical way that everthing tastes better with a story. She worked her way through graduate school slinging drinks with Max Toste at Deep Ellum and managing the James Beard winner, Hungry Mother.

She believes that wine is for everyone, and is thrilled to be back in Denver, excited to share her passion with the talented and hospitable Baur’s family. She understands that today’s wine connoisseur no longer wears a three-piece suit, or lives in a penthouse on Fifth Avenue, and her goal is to make wine as accessible to the people of Denver as possible. She loves to chat about all things food and wine related and can’t wait to help you taste your new favorite thing!

Contact Jessica anytime: jessica@baursrestaurant.com