Food & Wine Leadership Club

Food & Wine Leadership Club

Food is a nexus of many different subjects, from physics and chemistry to history and culture. Our club will host events that touch on all of these.

In addition to exposing students to current events and players in the food industry.

We will also work to showcase some of the excellent work going on at other UC Davis departments such as the Robert Mondavi Institute and expose students to opportunities here at Davis and beyond. There will also be snacks…

Some past events include:

  • Tastings–of wine, ice cream, bourbon,
  • Trifecta Summit on Upcycled Wine Grape Pomace
  • Apple picking at local Cider Mill

Possible events/topics for this year:

  • Tour of the Robert Mondavi Center
  • Tour of the Meatlab at UC Davis
  • Visit to AgStart startup incubator in Woodland, CA
  • Regenerative Agriculture
  • Food Waste and Upcycling
  • Farm/Producer Visits
  • Wine Tasting
  • Cooking Classes
  • Feasts and BBQ’s for networking and fun!
Nick McKenna

Nick McKenna MBA 25
Co-president

Nick McKenna’s upbringing as the son of military parents shaped his early childhood, leading to a semi-nomadic lifestyle that fueled his early love for food. From savoring hot cocoa under the arch in St. Louis to indulging in Berliners in Kaiserslautern, he experienced a diverse range of cuisines before settling in Winters. He pursued his studies in Genetics and Genomics at UC Davis, where he solidified his passion for serving in the hospitality industry. Looking ahead, McKenna aims to contribute operational and general management support to new food and beverage industry ventures.

Maximillian Santiago

Maximillian Santiago MBA 25
Co-president

Maximillian Santiago is an aspiring Vigneron with almost a decade’s worth of experience working in the wine industry. He started his journey at the Graduate School of Management to develop his strategy for expanding his wine business and his own vineyard with his wife, Suzette. He has a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis and is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. In his spare time, he enjoys a tall cup of coffee and sitting down for a board game with his wife and cats.