Kate Koo first fell in love with sake in 2007 when she discovered Yuki no Bosha (Cabin in the Snow). This passion quickly grew when she opened the sushi bar at Zilla Sake in 2008 and began to learn more about brewing techniques, sake service, and menu curation. Over the last 18 years she has completed multiple sake education courses. Her restaurant has nearly 100 sake selections by the glass.

Through her “Sake Senpai,” Marcus Pakiser, she was introduced to the Sake Sommelier Association and gained the opportunity to further her enthusiasm for teaching after becoming a Certified Sake Sommelier and Sake Educator in 2024. She opened Oregon Sake Academy to share sake knowledge and practical skills for Food and Beverage workers to provide expanded sake service for their guests

The goal of the Oregon Sake Academy is to present clear sake information covering technical aspects such as the brewing process and styles as well as cultural context, history, and service. A strong emphasis of the Oregon Sake Academy’s courses is on tasting elements and how to talk about sake in an approachable way. Though the world of sake is complex and full of detail, we believe that making sake knowledge both welcoming and accessible is the best way to cultivate a love of sake in others.

There is a sake for everyone to enjoy!