About

Shakera Jones of BlackGirlsDineToo—a lifestyle brand, blog, and social media space—serves as a guide to the wonderful world of high-end food and wine. Her welcoming teaching style and warm personality allow people to learn about wine and cuisine no matter their knowledge or experience. Hosting bi-weekly virtual “tastings,” Shakera explores varietals and production regions to broaden the palates of her followers. All while she breaks down the intimidating barriers often associated with the world of fine wines. Shakera’s goal is to promote and support diversity and inclusion efforts for women and other underrepresented groups in the culinary and fine wine industries. A need she identified from her own experiences exploring her passion for food, wine, and culture in this space. A tech professional by day and wine student by night, she is currently studying to obtain certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine Scholar Guild (Spanish Wine Scholar). Shakera is also a media personality on the SOMM TV streaming network and is part of the cast of the soon to be released film, SOMM 4. She is a wine writer with articles featured in Food & Wine and SevenFifty Daily and was recently recognized by Wine & Spirits magazine. She recently launched her new podcast A Glass for Every Palate.

Ok, now that you’ve read the formal paragraph, let me tell you a little about me! I grew up around food. Most of my fondest childhood memories involved food. I am from Belize City (and Corozal), Belize, a tiny country in Central America nestled between Mexico and Guatemala, whose culture, both socially and culinarily speaking, are an amazing mix of ..well... everything. A country where the official language is English, but a large portion of the population is bi- and in many cases tri-lingual. Where we LOVE to fete and jam to Soca, but love Punta, tamales and garnaches!  My great-grandmother owned and operated a restaurant. My grandmothers (on both sides) are two of the best cooks and storytellers the world has ever known. My parents and several of the aunts and uncles I grew up around are all exceptional cooks. My dad is the most adventurous eater you'll ever meet. When I was younger, he'd pack my mom and I into the car and drive to some random ethnic restaurant, in some random NYC neighborhood just to "try something new". As long as we could identify the dish was chicken, beef, pork or something from the sea, we would give it a try. I've never lost that culinary curiosity.  I carry the legacy of my great-grandmothers and grandmothers, that the best stories of people are told through their food. 

 As you read this blog, I want you to know there are a few things that will ALWAYS hold true.  When I recommend a restaurant, I will evaluate on the same 3 criterias: 1) the taste of the food, 2) the quality of the service and 3) utility (is the food and dining experience worth the price? Keep in mind, this is purely subjective).  I will never recommend a place based on popularity or celebrity (or feature on VH1 or Bravo lol).  Truthfully, I find the food at some very popular places in NYC REPULSIVE. I've eaten at a 3 star Michelin restaurant that compared to others, I think  deserves 2, and I've eaten at a 1 star restaurant that offer the best food, service and dining experience that money can buy (the restaurant in the picture on this page is 100% intentional). The same holds true with wine. With very few exceptions, most of my favorite bottles of wine are range anywhere from $15-$40.  Have I tasted some rare, phenomenal wines that cost hundreds of dollars?... yep! Are they amazing?...yep. Does anyone NEED to spend hundreds of dollars to enjoy an incredible bottle of wine?... Absolutely NOT! As I embark on this journey of becoming a Sommelier, my primary motivation is to become an ambassador of the wonderful world of food and wine to black women (and men)!

I'm girly, worldly, pretty (at least I think so) and witty. I love my friends like my family. There is a clear void in the culinary world when it comes to black women. From chefs, to sommeliers, to restaurant owners, to managers, to diners. The goal of this page is to fill that gap, and to remind EVERYONE that BlackGirlsDineToo! I don't know how this site will evolve over time, but I am excited about the journey. I look forward to learning more each and every day and to sharing that knowledge with you all! Thank you in advance for your support. 

"I drink wine...and I know things" - Tyrion Lannister

Kera