Editor, Hospitality magazine
Veronica Johnston
veronica.johnston@tplmedia.co.nz
DDI +64 9 529 3002

 
Journalist Veronica Johnston has written for several food-related magazines including Catering Plus, Food and Beverage Today and Foodservice. Working on Hospitality magazine simply adds to her love of good food and meeting those who have a passion and creative flair for making it. Having lived in Japan and Canada for a few years and travelled around the UK and Europe, she’s sampled many culinary delights here and overseas but remains staunchly proud of the quality of our wine and food industry here in New Zealand.

Account Manager, Hospitality magazine
Wendy Steele and Te Radar
WendyS@tplmedia.co.nz
DDI +64 9 529 3019

 
Wendy (left) grew up in Napier, but decided at an early age she was destined to be an international woman of mystery. So she left, and has since lived in Hong Kong, England, France and Italy. When she’s not working on Hospitality magazine, Wendy’s into seriously good food and wine, music, (is hopelessly addicted to Pink Martini), the Coromandel, and travelling the globe (despite the exchange rate) in search of the next Pink Martini concert.

Editor,Thirst: Don Kavanagh
donk@tplmedia.co.nz 
DDI +64 9 529 3005

Don is the editor of Thirst and has been involved in the liquor industry for 25 years. Starting as a potman collecting empty glasses, he has worked in every conceivable area of the industry as a bartender, bouncer, manager, entertainer, wine merchant, educator and writer. His main interests are whisky (in all its forms) and wine and his aim in life is to work in quality control for Guinness.

Account Manager,Thirst: Joel Bremner 
Joelb@tplmedia.co.nz 
DDI +64 9 529 3008

A qualified chef with a genuine love of fine food and drink, Joel had over seven years’ experience as a top advertising consultant in several major publishing firms before starting with TPL Media in 2008. His current role continues to build on his extensive wealth of knowledge of the hospitality industry. Joel is also passionate about making music and he has been playing drums for over 20 years. He currently performs with indie/pop group The Bayonets.

Contributing Writer: Wendy Colville  wendyc@tplmedia.co.nz 

 Journalist and editor Wendy Colville has worked in both television and print.  Previously she has edited NZ Pharmacy Journal, Your Health magazine, and has written for Foodtown Magazine, Next Magazine, and NZ Management Magazine. "Hospitality Magazine is a great assignment, combining my intersts in both business and food, and giving  me the chance to meet some of the most creative and passionate people in the industry on a regular basis." As a television director and writer she has worked on many different series but recalls a favourite, "Made in New Zealand' which profiled successful businesses, many of them in the hospitality area, most still going strong.  Less popular was her stint on a documentary series that involved following people with unusual jobs - including the team that inspects Auckland's underground sewer lines. "Wading through waist-deep sewerage in an all-in-one rubber suit was certainly a unique experience. I was happy to return to the office after that one!"

Master sommelier Cameron Douglas began his career in the 1980s in the kitchen of Auckland's renowned Chatterleys Restaurant. After moving to front-of-house at Papillon Restaurant, he realised his true calling was working with wine and beverages. Douglas went on to work as a sommelier for the leading Auckland restaurant Vinnies for 10 years. Twelve years ago, he became a lecturer at AUT University within the then Hotel and Tourism School.
Douglas is an associate wine judge for Cuisine magazine, a judge for the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards and Air New Zealand Wine Awards and has also held the chief judge front-of-house position for the National Culinary Fare for three years. He continues to be involved with the Culinary Fare as the convenor for Sommelier of the Year, and is the chief judge for Apprentice of the Year for the Hospitality Standards Institute of New Zealand.
In 2007, Douglas became New Zealand's first Master Sommelier with the International Court of Master Sommeliers. He is now determined to make the sommelier profession as recognised and respected in New Zealand as it is around the world.

Vic Williams loves wine and food, and firmly believes that if more families sat down once a day to share an honest meal and good conversation, the world would be a better place.

Vic is cellar director for the New Zealand Wine Society, New Zealand wine consultant for Cathay Pacific Airways and wine and food editor for the Wine, Food & Art book series in New Zealand and Australia. He has written 10 editions of the annual Penguin New Zealand Wine Guide and was co-author, with Julie LeClerc, of The Vineyards of New Zealand Cookbook. This much-reprinted publication won the award for Best English Language Food and Wine Matching Book in the World at the annual Gourmet Cookbook Awards in France. He has also acted as New Zealand food and wine editor for Fodor's Guides and Courvoisier's Book of the Best and has hosted radio and television wine and food programmes on television.

During the 25 years that Vic has been writing and speaking about wine and food, his columns and articles have appeared in many publications in New Zealand and overseas. He has delivered presentations on New Zealand wine and food in Melbourne, Sydney, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Hong Kong and on board cruise liners.