Sunny Hodge founded Diogenes the Dog in late 2018, a multi-award winning Wine Bar and Café in Elephant & Castle.
He has over 10 years’ experience in hospitality, starting his career as a restaurant openings trainer for Nando’s where he organised and led training at both management and ground level for new openings across the UK. He worked his way into wine within the Gaucho group and then proceeded to assist in the opening and management of two high end restaurants in Covent Garden and Canterbury West (‘Margot’ and ‘The Fordwich Arms’).

Diogenes the Dog has gone from strength to strength in just two years of being open, throughout the worst if the pandemic and in a location that has been deemed up-and-coming for the last 10 years. Diogenes came at a time where catalysing a local economy and community was key. It has been rated in London top 10 Wine Bars for the likes of Time Out, The Spectator, The Nudge and garnered wine list awards from the likes of Decanter and Winelist Confidential.

The concept of challenging the status quo is one that will ring through in much of Hodge’s endeavours where he truly seeks to create a new experience for education within hospitality for both valued guests and those working with him. His latest endeavour ‘aspen & meursault’ is again a wine bar and shop with a real focus on understanding how our food and wine gets to our table and low intervention methods of wine production. It’s focus on learning, sleek design and meaningful interpersonal connections have catapulted this 4 month old neighbourhood wine bar into the realms of Time Outs “ Best New Bars in the World 2021”. Outside of the bars Hodge also consults within wine & hospitality projects, as well as being a commentator within the field. He has recently been awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” in the 2022 Southwark Business awards