About the Panel

Rachel Lowe

Director of Beverage Operations at Levy Restaurants

Rachael Lowe passed the advanced sommelier degree from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2009 with a top score that earned her a Rudd Scholarship. She was the 2010 Jean Banchet Top Sommelier, 2011 Star Chef Rising Star Sommelier and 2016 Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year. In addition to such merit, she won the top prize at the Ruinart Chardonnay competition hosted by Ruinart and the Guild of Sommeliers in 2010.

Lowe served as Sommelier at the Michelin-rated Bouchon, a French bistro in Yountville, CA, under the direction of The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. Prior to her time there, she spent more than four years as Sommelier for several fine-dining venues throughout New York City, including Café Gray, the Mandarin Oriental and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay inside The London NYC hotel. Upon moving to Chicago Lowe served as Director of Wine and Spirits at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, where she oversaw all wine and beverage management, which included Sixteen, the hotel’s signature fine-dining restaurant, Rebar, the Terrace at Trump, and all catering and in-room dining.

She then took over as Wine Director at both Naha, a Michelin-starred Mediterranean restaurant, as well as the companies French based sister restaurant, Brindille. Six years ago Lowe took the position as Director of Beverage for Spiaggia, where she oversees the restaurant, Café and private dining events.

In 2018 she was promoted to Director of Beverage for Levy Restaurants where she oversees the group’s portfolio of 13 different restaurant locations nationally.

Jim Bube MS

Wine Director at Hogsalt

Board member and treasurer of Second City Sommeliers Tasting group in Chicago, Jim is a Master Sommelier and Wine Director at Hogsalt. Formerly the Director of Education for Heritage Wine Cellars in IL, Jim focuses heavily on mentorship in the wine industry when not cooking or trying to make the perfect canelé.

Jim was the 2016 National TopSomm second place finisher and 2017 Guildsomm Online Competition winner. Jim has hosted hundreds of tastings and wine dinners in his 18 year career as a wine professional and has just wrapped up working harvest at Argyle winery in Willamette Valley.

Over his career, Jim has worked the restaurant floor, rose to top management at the 3rd largest wholesaler in IL, managed a 7 state territory as an importer prior to joining Hogsalt as wine director. Jim has helped organize an annual, immersive, 2 day hospitality and tasting bootcamp for the wine industry drawing participants from across the United States.

Cami Lehmann

Director of Marketing, Maggiano’s Little Italy at Brinker International

Cami Lehmann manages the wine programs for Maggiano’s Little Italy along with the marketing and buying as part of her responsibilities at her position at Maggiano’s.

An American casual dining restaurant chain, Maggiano's Little Italy specializes in Italian-American cuisine. The company was founded in 1991 by Rich Melman's Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) and was named after Melman's late partner, Marvin Magid. It was based in Chicago's River North neighborhood, at Clark Street and Grand Avenue. in August 1995 the enterprise was acquired by Brinker International, Inc. from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. As of June 24, 2015, there were 52 locations throughout 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Maggiano’s Little Italy is a part of Brinker International, Inc., a Dallas-based enterprise that is one of the world’s leading casual dining restaurant companies. Founded in 1975, Brinker produces $2.9 billion in sales and owns, operates, or franchises more than 1,600 restaurants across 31 countries and two territories under the names Chili’s® Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy®.

Maurice DiMarino

Wine and Beverage Manager at Cohn Restaurant Group