Chicago somm celebrates diversity, elevates BIPOC talent

Sommelier Ermoni Best channeled her frustration of being constantly shut out of Chicago’s hospitality industry into creating Launch Thy Neighbor, a food and wine pairing series of events featuring some of the area’s most prolific Asian, Black and Palestinian chefs. “I created Launch Thy Neighbor to promote an initiative about diversity, inclusion, racial representation. I’m using food and beverage to accomplish that because it’s a way to celebrate culture,” said Best.