Welcome to Episode 1126 in which Marc Millon interviews Michele Longari, in this installment of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon on the Italian Wine Podcast. More about today’s guest: “Until 10 years ago I was working as a Computer Engineer in Emilia Romagna, Italy. Although my daily job was in a different industry, I already had a deep and rooted passion for good wine and food. In fact, I was spending most of my spare time and holidays traveling around the regions of Italy to learn more about the local cuisine and traditional wines. Since I was becoming more and more passionate about wine, I decided to start the Professional Sommelier Diploma course with the Italian Sommelier Association, with the main idea of learning something more about wine and, at that time, I was not even planning to take the final exams. Then, the more I was involved with wine and the less I wanted to be involved with computers and coding (who can blame me?!), and so I eventually ended up taking the AIS Sommelier Diploma in 2013 then, the very same year, I moved to the UK and started an MSc programme in Wine Business Management at the Royal Agricultural University. While I was finishing my Master Dissertation, I accepted a job offer from HAY WINES, a small independent British wine merchants & importers, and now after 8 years I am still working for the same company. My official role is Purchasing Director, and my main responsibilities are purchasing strategy and imports management.” To learn more visit: Facebook: @MicheleTLongari Instagram: @micheletlongari Twitter: @MicheleTLongari LinkedIn: @micheletlongari Website: haywines.co.uk More about the host Marc Millon: Marc Millon, VIA Italian Wine Ambassador 2021, has been travelling, eating, drinking, learning and writing about wine, food and travel for nearly 40 years. Born in Mexico, with a mother from Hawaii via Korea and an anthropologist father from New York via Paris, he was weaned on exotic and delicious foods. Marc and his photographer wife Kim are the authors of 14 books including a pioneering series of illustrated wine-food-travel books: The Wine Roads of Europe, The Wine Roads of France, The Wine Roads of Italy (Premio Barbi Colombini), and The Wine Roads of Spain. Other titles include The Wine and Food of Europe, The Food Lovers’ Companion Italy, The Food Lovers’ Companion France, Wine, a global history. Marc regularly lectures and hosts gastronomic cultural tours to Italy and France with Martin Randall Travel, the UK’s leading cultural travel specialist. He is soon to begin a regular series on Italian Wine Podcast, ‘Wine, food and travel with Marc Millon’. When not on the road Marc lives on the River Exe in Devon, England To learn more visit: quaypress.uk/ marcmillon.co.uk vino.co.uk quaypress.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marc-millon-50868624 Twitter: @Marc_Millon Let's keep in touch! Follow us on our social media channels: Instagram @italianwinepodcast Facebook @ItalianWinePodcast Twitter @itawinepodcast Tiktok @MammaJumboShrimp LinkedIn @ItalianWinePodcast If you feel like helping us, donate here www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ Until next time, Cin Cin!