Francisco Gonzalez Romero

During his decade long professional career in the alcoholic beverage industry; Francisco “Paco” Gonzalez Romero has worked especially with fermented beverages, specializing in communication & consumer service, leading sensory experiences and training.
He has been an international beer judge in more than 10 countries, and is the Mexican judge with the most international experience.

Certified Sake Sommelier and Educator with the Sake Sommelier Association; Beersommelier by Doemens Academy; Unionbirrai Beer Taster; he also has other certifications as a beer and mead judge.

He currently works as a teacher, consultant, judge and ambassador for Sake Sommelier Mexico, Beer Paradise and other groups.

Matthieu Guerpillon

Matthieu Guerpillon is Wine, Scotch & Sake Sommelier
I am French, born in Paris but I grew up in Normandy and my fathers gave me the habit of cooking, eating, and enjoying food. Mainly French food but also Italian, Thai, Chinese, African, and now Mexican cuisine. It become a daily ritual for me from my youth.
25 years ago, I studied in the Bordeaux Business school with the opportunity to have a university exchange with a Mexican school. And I decided to stay…
At first, I worked as a sommelier in different restaurants and wine bars in Mexico City. Wine wasn’t a very common drink for Mexican people 25 years ago. So, I was convinced that I could help to grow the wine consumption in México, which is the reason I decided to become a Brand Ambassador for different wines brands, from Chili, Spain, and California as well. A few years later, I become the Brand Ambassador of an important Mexican Winery in Baja California. I really enjoy being part of the Mexican wine transformation to a better quality.
In 2021, I decided to expand my horizons and keep learning about different drinks. I had heard that sake is very interesting to pair with food, especially for its capacity to enhance flavours.
Nowadays, I am working for the first Mexican sake brewery, Nami. My role is to help grow the sake category in México as a Sake Sommelier and a Sake Educator with the SSA, and demonstrate sake is the best alternative to pair with a wide variety of food.

Sarahy Leymont

Graduated in gastronomy from the Mariano Moreno Institute in Mexico City, her passion for wine led her to continue with the Sommelier diploma at the Mexican School of Sommeliers.

Sommelier certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers of America, completing the Introductory and Certified levels with excellence.

Her passion to continue learning led her to be Certified Sake Sommelier by the SSA- Sake Sommelier Association and thus be the first Certified Sake Sommelier in Puerto Vallarta.

She worked in the largest wine cellar in Latin America located in the Hotel Presidente Intercontinental in Mexico City, being part of the Sommeliers team, as well as teaching classes for the To Be training institute for wedding planners.

Since 2019, she has lived in Puerto Vallarta, working at the Grand Velas Hotel, the first resort on the Pacific coast with 5 diamonds by AAA. She is currently a representative Sommelier of a wine importer throughout Bahía de Banderas, creator of Catamundo, where she shares all her knowledge with training, advice, events and personalized experiences, as well as executive Sommelier of the Yeo group, restaurants focused on Japanese fusion cuisine.

David Guzman

A marketer by profession with extensive experience in commercial areas, since 2015 he has specialized in the spirits industry as a sales and marketing consultant at the beginning; and later on leading the marketing area for an important international distributor. He has contributed to the development of new brands, repositioning brands’ DNA, creating marketing and communication plans; in addition, focused on education through mezcal and tequila masterclasses above different international distributors.

On the other hand, in parallel, he also has served since 2015 as a commercial consultant for an importer and distributor of a premium artisanal portfolio range of Nihonshu across Mexico, after, in 2016 this company became the first Mexican Sakagura, that produce the first Mexican Sake ever: NAMI! During this period, when the category was mainly unknown and a tiny niche, David found a fascinating challenge in order to developed, spreading and sharing sake culture along mexican market, in which he found a fervent passion and led him to become one of the pioneers in implementing specialized sake tastings and programs from Japanese concepts to all kind of gastronomy concepts. At this time, he assumed the role of commercial manager and also an educational brand ambassador for the on premise channel and some Off trade accounts.

Nowadays, David has been certified as a Sake Adviser, Sake Sommelier and Sake Educator for the SSA Mexico and the Latin American Office; and has given sake tastings and experiences since 2015. In addition he is also managing the specialized and wholesaler channel for an important brand builder and distributing premium spirits for a Mexican company.

Sake Sommelier – Mexico are the Central American representatives of the Sake Sommelier Association. Offering the SSA’s two leading courses, the Introductory Sake Professional and the Certified Sake Sommelier, to students across Central America. Sake Sommelier – Mexico are based in Mexico and often work closely with the NAMI sake brewery, also based in Mexico. Outside of Mexico, there are bases to study with in Panama and Costa Rica.