Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/882780
42 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 { profiles } WHEN MY WIFE and I took a week-long vacation to the Croatian islands earlier this year, the experience sailed straight into the history books as one of the most momentous trips of my life. What made it so special wasn't just the simple, fresh seafood and zippy Grasevina wine, cooling off in the clear, aquamarine-colored sea or learning about the country's dramatic history and mighty, walled cities—it was Goran, our boat captain. We might have had just as much fun and still managed to stumble upon a few incredible spots without the kind-hearted Croatian native, but I can say with great certainty we wouldn't have received nearly the same treatment. It was Goran's expertise, connections and personality that added a deeper level of experience to our trip. I was reminded of Goran while interviewing Roberta Kung M.D., Founder & CEO of Gifted Taste, a top-shelf culinary concierge service. After our interview, I told her the story of our trip and likened her company to his. "Jessie, that gives me goosebumps because that's exactly it," said Kung, referencing her company's mission to go above and beyond the standard level of service. "We're not about gift cards; we're about enabling our members to gift an entire experience, with a car service, a sommelier, a full-on show. A gift card is a beautiful gesture, but it can be a bit impersonal. I want to offer this in a turn-key way for those who don't have the time—how can they gift in a meaningful and profound way and do that very quickly?" Kung says Gifted Taste transcends acting as a "global gifting, entertaining and reserving platform for culinary experiences" to span across different facets of luxury lifestyles, including health and wellness. Gifting luxuriously, though, doesn't have to mean breaking the bank. "We are offering insight into the newest things that are going on in a very curated way, because you know at the end of the day it's about the best of the best. But that doesn't have to mean the most expensive—just the most thoughtful," Kung explains. The vast realm of luxury gifting aside, what I found most expansive was uns heart. "oundin ifted Taste was really about findin peoples passion and being able to support them in what they do," she says. "I have three children and theyre the ost iportant thin in y life. I too a piot fie years ao from medicine because I also realized I wasn't serving my needs on multiple levels. . . At midlife I've asked myself, what do I want my children to remember me for? If they said, 'Mama has the biggest heart and she created a company that touched many hearts,' that's what I would love." Kung went on to list the nonprofit oranizations to which she donates her tie, and also entioned the possibility of Gifted Taste members giving to charities on behalf of those receiving the gifts. The frustrating thing is, I can't possibly begin to convey the sincerity this woman exudes—especially on one single page of a magazine—but I can reach out to our readers. erhaps youre an inuencer soelier type who can offer your expertise, or perhaps you're a busy higher-up at a distribution company who doesn't have the time to gift an experience for someone you care about. Whoever you are, if Gifted Taste appeals to you, I'll bet you understand what it means to go beyond giving. For more information, visit www.giftedtaste.com. PHOTO COURTESY OF GIFTED TASTE Beyond Giving ROBERTA KUNG'S GENEROSITY REFLECTS IN HER LUXURY CONCIERGE SERVICE GIFTED TASTE by Jessie Birschbach Roberta Kung, Founder & CEO of Gifted Taste.