The Philippines

The Charming Sake founder, Chan Tran, has always felt a kindred spirit for the culture of Japan, a country where he has visited multiple times annually. In Spring of 2020 (with more than half the world closed for travel), the pursuit of Sake (Nihonshu/Seishu) became a special passion journey, culminating in the certificates for both the Introductory and Certified Sake Sommelier with SSA. The only natural step was to obtain the special Sake Educator credential, which he obtained in 2022.

Chan was born in Vietnam and emigrated to the USA at the young age of five. Having travelled most of his adult life, the kind people of the Philippines has brought him back for many visits during his journeys to Southeast Asia/Pacific Islands. He also has an extended marital family in Manila. The learning environment he hopes to create will be inclusive, diverse and with an abundance of fun participation.

As a Sake Educator, Chan hopes to surprise and share the same passion he discovered with all the students, from laboriously beautiful process of making Sake, to the rich regal tradition from its past. His special focus will be how Sake pairs with all types of foods from around the world, from the Philippines to Japan to the USA and to watch the smiles of enjoyment when the “perfect pairing” happens.

The Charming Sake hopes to share the bottled poetry of Sake.