In this episode, we are delighted to chat with Leah van Deventer, a globally respected drinks writer who also serves as an Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars. Leah is a recognized voice in the drinks industry, working at the intersection of writing, judging, education and public speaking. Leah contributes to several top media outlets, including Your Luxury Africa and EatOut, where she covers cocktails, travel and food.

Leah directs Cape Town Cocktail Week (CTCW), teaches spirits for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), contributes to multiple publications and consults across the drinks sector. She also founded the industry sorority SIS in 2022 to promote solidarity and upliftment. Leah sits on numerous competition panels and regularly presents seminars at leading bar shows.

Leah’s work has earned her multiple accolades, including four placements among the Bar World 100, three South African Bar Communicator of the Year Awards, a global Top 4 ranking for Spirits Communicator in and the title of Best Mentor in 2024. SIS was named Best Upliftment Initiative in 2023, and CTCW Drinks Festival of the Year in 2026.

Connect with Leah:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahvandeventer/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahvandeventer/

For all 100+ media guests to date, you can find their information and episodes on our agency’s website, www.hannaleecommunications.com. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣Connect with our hosts, Michael Anstendig and Hanna Lee, as well as our agency, on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hanna Lee Communications⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @hannaleepr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HannaLeeCommunications ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hanna-lee-communications/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hanna Lee⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @hannaleeny ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannaleenyc ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannaleepr/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

TikTok: @hannaleeny ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Michael Anstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @michaelanstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.anstendig ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-anstendig-7b5256/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

TikTok: @michael.anstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick off Season 8, we have a double interview featuring Good Housekeeping’s Karen Cicero and Brie Schwartz.

Karen is a Contributing Travel Editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers family travel, leisure travel and travel trends. In this role, she helps manage the annual Good Housekeeping Travel Awards, which she helped launch, and creates digital travel coverage.

Karen was IMM's Travel Journalist of the Year in 2025 and has spoken at several travel industry conferences, including PRSA and the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Alliance, and was previously the Travel Editor at Parents. She has visited almost every state with her family.

Brie is the Director of Editorial Commerce at Good Housekeeping, where she leads the brand’s shopping coverage. Brie covers shopping, travel and trends relating to beauty, fashion and more. With 17 years of experience as an editor and content strategist, Brie has written extensively about style, beauty, travel, wellness and relationships.

Before joining the team, Brie was the Commerce Director for Glamour and Teen Vogue, and helped launch Oprah Daily as the site’s Deputy Editor. Her work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Elle, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Women’s Health, Men’s Health and more.

Connect with Karen:

Instagram: @karen.cicero

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-cicero-9933717/

TikTok: @karencicero

Connect with Brie:

Instagram: @brietaylors

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brie-schwartz-22416b1a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brie.schwartz.5

TikTok: @brieschwartz

For all 100+ media guests to date, you can find their information and episodes on our agency’s website, www.hannaleecommunications.com. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Connect with our hosts, Michael Anstendig and Hanna Lee, as well as our agency, on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Hanna Lee Communications⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @hannaleepr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HannaLeeCommunications ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hanna-lee-communications/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hanna Lee⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @hannaleeny ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannaleenyc ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannaleepr/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

TikTok: @hannaleeny ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Michael Anstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @michaelanstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.anstendig ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-anstendig-7b5256/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

TikTok: @michael.anstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we are delighted to chat with Julia Cosgrove. Julia is the Editor in Chief and Vice President of Afar, the critically acclaimed brand that makes a positive impact on the world through high-quality storytelling that inspires, enriches and empowers travelers who care. Afar's editorial distinction and authority have helped it cultivate the most affluent and influential audience across all travel media.

Previously, Julia was a writer and editor at media companies, large and small, including Time Out, BusinessWeek and ReadyMade. A graduate of Barnard College, Julia has taught magazine writing and design at the d.school at Stanford University. She lives in Berkeley, Calif., with her husband and two daughters.

This episode concludes Season 7. Stay tuned for Season 8 in early 2026 and join us as we move hospitality forward together!

Connect with Julia:

Instagram: @afarmedia

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-c-cosgrove/

For all 100+ media guests to date, you can find their information and episodes on our agency’s website, www.hannaleecommunications.com. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Connect with our hosts, Michael Anstendig and Hanna Lee, as well as our agency, on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X and TikTok.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Hanna Lee Communications⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @hannaleepr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HannaLeeCommunications ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hanna-lee-communications/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

X: @hannaleepr ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hanna Lee⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @hannaleeny ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannaleenyc ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannaleepr/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

X: @hannaleeny⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

TikTok: @hannaleeny ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Michael Anstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Instagram: @michaelanstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.anstendig ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-anstendig-7b5256/ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

X: @ImbibingGuy ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

TikTok: @michael.anstendig⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.