Sake 101

Join us as we welcome Sake Sommelier Nancy Cushman for a Sake 101 event.
Nancy Cushman’s passion for sake was sparked over a decade ago in her hometown of Chicago. After her first sake experience, she became fascinated with it and made studying the beverage her mission. She left her career as an advertising executive and in 2006, she completed the Sake Professional Course in Japan with John Gauntner, who is recognized as the world’s foremost sake expert. In Boston in March 2007, she opened o ya, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, with her husband Tim Cushman.
o ya has received numerous awards, including being named by the New York Times’ Frank Bruni as the #1 new restaurant in the U.S. outside of New York. In 2012, Nancy travelled back to Japan to complete the Advanced Sake Professional Course and is now one of less than 100 people in the world to have this certification.
As o ya’s sake sommelier, Nancy enjoys serving and pairing an extensive selection of premium sakes with the cuisine. She also regularly teaches sake courses for public and private organizations.