Bryan is Buying and Partnerships Manager at Hackstons, a luxury wine and spirits retailer, where he spends his days sourcing bottles worth talking about and building the relationships behind them. He has worked in food and drink for nearly 20 years, starting out in professional kitchens before moving into the world of wine and spirits. As a former chef at some of London’s best-known restaurants — including The Ivy (West Street), Maze, Petrus and 34 — he developed a deep respect for flavour and balance, and an understanding of food and wine pairings. Since then, he has worked across retail and hospitality buying, brand management and retail leadership, honing his palate through study, judging and an ongoing curiosity to taste as widely as possible. Bryan holds the WSET Diploma (including Spirits) and the Sake Level 3 Award.