James Peden is the wine director for the Liberty Entertainment Group in Toronto and is responsible for the wine and beverage programs at all 7 properties including BlueBlood Steakhouse in Casa Loma, and three Cibo Wine Bars.
Prior to this James worked as the Head Sommelier at Treadwell Farm-to-Table in Niagara-on-the-Lake. During this time, James curated a list with over 150 VQA wines and developed strong relationships with wineries and winemakers in the Niagara Peninsula. This strong attachment to Niagara is why he decided to run for the CAPS board as an ambassador for the region.
After passing the Advanced Sommelier exam on his first attempt in 2019, James is now preparing to challenge the Master Sommelier exam in 2021. James plans to design and host masterclasses and webinars to allow CAPS members to continue their education. He lives in Grimsby with his wife Kim.