Yakira Batres

Yakira Batres began her hospitality journey as a pastry chef in San Francisco, eventually leading the Michelin-starred pastry program at Octavia Restaurant. During the pandemic, she applied her new love of natural wine, spending nearly four years at Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River, Oregon learning viticulture, farming, business development, and hospitality. There, she helped lead the James Beard-nominated Outstanding Wine Program.

Now, she is the Wine Director in Residence at James Beard Semi-Finalist in Outstanding Wine Program Tomo Seattle while exploring food and cider pairings at Bauman’s on Oak from a chef’s point of view working in the kitchen. She also is part of a small project, Little x Little, that is cultivating 2.5 acres of cider apples and sourcing a small amount of grapes for wine – bringing hospitality full circle, from soil to table.