Alexandra Miller from The Drinks Trust, with James Eastmond
James Eastmond has been awarded the 2025 WSET Develop Prize at this year’s graduation ceremony, recognising his outstanding commitment to personal and professional development within the drinks industry. This special award, presented in collaboration with The Drinks Trust, celebrates a WSET student who’s shown real commitment to growing their knowledge and skills in the drinks industry, and James is a shining example.
You’ve worked across a wide range of venues, from pub kitchens to breweries, bars and nightclubs. What originally drew you to the hospitality industry, and what’s kept you passionate about it?
As is the case with a lot of hospitality professionals that I know, it was never the original plan. I started in a pub kitchen whilst studying in order to make some extra cash, but it wasn’t until my first bar job that I really started to understand why people loved the industry. That was over 10 years and two degrees ago! In terms of why, I think it’s the fact that no two days are the same. The energy of the industry is unmatched, and the unique chaos that makes sense when you’re in it. It’s also the depth of the industry; each role that I’ve held has helped me develop new skills and knowledge, and there’s always something new to learn. Most of all, it’s about creating moments for people - whether that be a celebration, a perfectly timed glass of wine, or making them feel seen after a long day.
What motivated you to start studying with WSET, and how did those courses shape your understanding of wine and spirits?
I had spent a few years working in a brewery taproom in Bristol and had gained a broad knowledge of all things craft beer and brewing. While working to diversify the wine offerings, I spent a lot of time with some fantastic suppliers and wine professionals and became fascinated and eager to further my knowledge into wine, and figured why not spirits too? I had a great support team around me who pointed me in the direction of WSET and went from there. The WSET courses have been incredibly valuable to building my knowledge and interest in wine and spirits and have later helped me to secure future roles.
How did the support from The Drinks Trust make a difference in your learning journey and your confidence within the industry?
The support I’ve gained from The Drinks Trust has been invaluable to my learning and has opened up opportunities that I would not have had access to otherwise. If I had not possessed the knowledge and skills gained from the courses, making my transition to the restaurant industry would have been a lot harder. It has also opened up the opportunity to meet new people from around the UK and attend events that I would not have been aware of otherwise.
I would also like to give a special thanks to Nathan at Independent Spirit of Bath, Antoinette at Wine for Life Learning and Rose at The Mixing Class for their help during my WSET studies, and Philip Everett-Lyons for his continued mentorship.
Of all the WSET courses you’ve completed so far - Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Wines and Levels 1 to 3 in Spirits - was there a particular module or topic that really clicked with you or changed the way you work?
I was fascinated from the first moment of my Level 1 Spirits course, but it was the Level 3 course that was really interesting to me. Specifically, understanding how the production stages can affect the final spirit like distillation style, fermentation time, and base product processing. Knowing how even the smallest cuts during distillation can make the biggest differences was captivating, from one spirit to the next. This has changed the way that I approach spirits, both in work and in my everyday life, promoting further thinking as to why a spirit is the way that it is. It has also granted me further appreciation into how finished products are an expression of craft, place and process, and allowed me to impart that information onto others.
"The WSET courses have been incredibly valuable to building my knowledge and interest in wine and spirits and have later helped me to secure future roles."
What does receiving the Develop Prize mean to you, and how has it impacted your goals or ambitions in the drinks and hospitality world?
There was definitely a sense of disbelief when I got the email. Being awarded a prize like this has made a decade in this industry feel more worth it, and has helped to cement my desire to stay in it. It feels like more than recognition, serving as validation that the path I’ve been following means more than it did before. It’s one thing to love what you do. It’s another to feel seen by the industry you work in. In terms of the future, it has motivated me to keep going, both with my education and with my ongoing development of knowledge and skills.
Looking ahead, how do you hope to continue growing in your career, and what advice would you offer to others just starting out in hospitality who might be considering WSET courses?
I’ve just embarked on the Level 3 Award in Wines at the start of May and am very excited to get started. Bristol is a great city that has a wonderful and talented hospitality community, so I’m looking forward to learning more from those around me, and those further afield. I’m excited to see what all of these things, and this award, can hold for the future. In terms of advice, just go for it. Dive into your education and learn from those around you. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been constantly surrounded by talented people who have a depth of knowledge to share. I’ve had a fantastic experience on all of the courses that I’ve undertaken and have learnt so much. I’ve met some fantastic people through them, and in some cases I was able to travel to different cities and meet people I would not have otherwise.
If you were to give someone advice on how to tackle a WSET exam, what three top tips would you give them?
Diversify your revision; I personally found that my school year techniques weren’t necessarily the best! I definitely recommend some flashcards and such, but I feel that with wines and spirits, the best way to learn is to experience them, and can help you to link to the theory, and engage your brain with the material from different angles.
Use the WSET SAT (Systematic Approach to Tasting) whenever you can; I was taking a copy with me everywhere I went! Learn the language used and say it out loud to friends and family and it’ll flow much easier when it comes to writing in the exam.
Give yourself time; the higher levels are a real beast and it can be difficult to revise when you’re working full-time and with other commitments. Build up a study plan, and bring the information you’ve learnt into other areas of your life.
To read more about our other prize winners, take a look at our 2025 Yearbook.
