Ned Goodwin

Biography

Born in London, raised in Australia and educated in Tokyo and Paris, Ned Goodwin splits his time between Tokyo where he resided full-time for 14 years and his beloved Sydney.

Ned is a dux of the Len Evans Tutorial, Japan’s first Master of Wine, educator, consultant, judge, critic and a highly regarded motivational speaker and presenter. Ned consults for select restaurant groups, Langton’s and private clients.

From 2001 until November 2012, Ned served as Wine Director – educator and buyer- for one of Asia’s largest restaurant groups, Global Dining Japan. In Japan, Ned was also the ‘wine face’ for All Nippon Airways First and Business Classes, for which he created his own cuvée’-a world first-while training a legion of inflight attendants. The airline produced a documentary on Ned’s life in wine, viewed by nine-million people across the inflight entertainment platform and The Food Network. During that time, Ned also hosted Divino Tuscany, with James Suckling and musician, Sting.

Ned has also taken on an Asian focused ambassadorial role for a Champagne house, been appointed to the ‘Wine Committee’ at Italy’s most illustrious estate, Biondi-Santi; in addition to founding his own company, Wine Diamonds, a specialist importer based in Tokyo.

Before Japan, Ned was one of three sommeliers at Veritas restaurant in Manhattan’s Grammercy neighbourhood, from 1998-2001 and prior, at Juveniles in Paris. Wine Spectator Grand Award winner and Michelin-hatted restaurant, Veritas boasted what was arguably the finest wine list of any restaurant in the world, holding deep reserves of Burgundy, Rhône, Champagne, Bordeaux, Tuscan and Piedmontese wines. Ned also worked at Willy’s in Paris, as well as Michael’s in Los Angeles, also as a sommelier.