Jonella Orozco

Beverage Director & Sommelier

Jonella grew up in California but spent most of her formative years in South Carolina and moved to the Holy City to pursue an undergraduate degree at the College of Charleston. At the age of 20 and shortly before graduating, she developed an interest in the vast world of wine while working under industry veterans Justin Croxall (Bull Street Gourmet and Stems & Skins) and Matt Tunstall (Stems & Skins). What initially drew her in was how obscure wine as a topic was to her at the time, and the fact that an entire profession is dedicated to the study of it. Around the same time, the first Somm movie came out and seeing the intensity and passion with which those professionals studied the trade really solidified her decision to pursue a career as a sommelier. At 21, she passed the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory exam and fervently began her studies to pursue the next Certified exam. At 22, she passed the Certified exam and began a menteeship under Mark Solomon, the Wine Director of the renowned Peninsula Grill, to whom she graciously owes everything she's learned in her career as a young sommelier. After 2 years at the Grill, she then began as the Wine Director of Park & Grove during the summer of 2021 and truly cannot wait to further evolve our wine program as we move with the seasons!