Carrie Rau

Carrie Rau is a proud Cree hospitality professional based out of Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Most recently she could be found working as a research and development chef in the test kitchen of one of Canada’s largest grocery retailers-Loblaw Inc., collaborating with the Innovation team on LBL Brands and on the floor of some of Toronto’s finest restaurants, Vela, and Grand Cru Deli as a certified sommelier through CAPS Canada.

She has recently relocated to the wine-growing region of Prince Edward County, Ontario to learn wine

production at Lighthall Vineyards winery, who are purveyors of small batch, high quality wines and local sheep’s milk cheeses. Carrie also teaches wine education for George Brown College and WSET courses at IWEG Drinks Academy both located in Toronto, Ontario.

She earned her red seal journeyman papers as a classically French trained Chef and worked in many kitchens after graduation from the Stratford Chefs school and although she has moved to the front of house as a sommelier and wine educator, she loved the 20 years she put in working back of house. It is here that she continues to give back sitting on the Board of Directors for her alma mater.

The Master of Wine Scholarship provided by the Women of the Vine & Spirits will help me immensely in my studies for the prestigious MW designation. For me as an educator representation matters so much and I could become the first Indigenous Master of Wine in Canada. We are a small community in the Beverage and Alcohol industry, yet it is important to show strong, resilient Indigenous women in all sectors. I want to thank the Women of the Vine & Spirits for their incredible programming for women in wine and providing opportunities for advancement.