Michael is the James Beard Foundation Award-winning co-author of the book Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth (Tuttle Publishing 2022) with journalist Nancy Matsumoto. He is a certified WSET sake and wine instructor for the Independent Wine Education Guild, a Panel Chair for the International Wine Challenge, held in London and Japan, and a Sake Judge for the U.S. National Sake Appraisal in Hawaii. In October 2018 Michael was inducted as a Sake Samurai at the Matsuo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, a 1300-year old shrine to sake. This is a distinction held by only 70 people at that time. He is the founder of the Sake Scholar Course, an advanced certification that explores the many sake regions of Japan. He enjoys traveling to Japan whenever he can and has worked in renowned sake breweries in Niigata, Shizuoka, Shimane and Gifu prefectures, practicing his ‘work-in-progress’ Japanese and learning from the Toji (master brewers). Michael is currently the Beverage Director for Toronto’s Ki Modern Japanese + Bar, where he manages an award-winning wine and sake list. He is dedicated to being Ki’s ambassador for sake, educating guests and staff alike in the beauty and subtle art of sake, wine and food.