{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Ep 10 \u2013 Erika Haigh: Sake educator, relationship builder, and marathon runner","description":"Welcome back to Cheers with Nat \u2013 the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today\u2019s guest is Erika Haigh, founder of Mai Sake. Erika talks us through her career to date, including how her work in wine led her to discover her true passion for sake, and how she went from opening London\u2019s first dedicated sake bar to setting up a boutique fine sake merchant. A true sake educator, Erika tells us about her training, both within and outside of the classroom, helps us to bust some sake myths, and reflects on her role as a representative of Japanese culture more broadly. You\u2019ll also hear about her recent TV appearances, her love of travel, how she stays grounded outside of work, and more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On running a small business: \u201cPrimarily, I do think it really revolves around human relationships. I think it\u2019s about cultivating and nurturing relationships I have. Whether\u2026 it\u2019s with those producers in Japan or it\u2019s with the beverage buyers or sommeliers in the restaurants I partner with or it\u2019s my team\u2026 I do think a lot of it is relationship building is really what I do.\u201d On helping people through hospitality: \u201cI do think the world of food and beverage is about brightening people\u2019s day to day\u201d On finding and following her passion: \u201cI had a few things happen that led me to realise that you only live one life, why not make your passion into a job\u2026 I thought why not just make something I love into something I dedicate myself to day to day. So I started off in the world of wine, but quickly transitioned to sake when I really felt that I could make an impact with my background.\u201d On opening a sake bar: \u201cYou really could not find a place like a wine bar or a pub for a pint of beer that you could go to very casually to enjoy sake. Of course, there has been sake in the UK for a decade or two, but it was purely in Japanese restaurants or somewhere very premium perhaps. You know, there wasn\u2019t this casual offering that people could just rock up to and have a glass of sake, so that is truly what I wanted to open.\u201d On being a small business owner: \u201cI think every single business owner \u2013 regardless of whether they\u2019re in hospitality or not \u2013 will tell you that every single day is filled with challenges, but it\u2019s truly about how you tackle those challenges and just knowing that everything you can figure out. Or at least having that confidence\u2026 that\u2019s what\u2019s key.\u201d On the importance of education: \u201cI think it\u2019s just basic human nature that you don\u2019t really want to approach something that you don\u2019t really know much about. You don\u2019t want to seem foolish\u2026 And especially in the UK where there are so many other drinks available, why would you seek out sake. So with that, I think education comes first and foremost, [on] how delicious these drinks are and also how varied the world of sake is.\u201d On representing Japanese culture beyond sake: \u201cIt\u2019s always great for me to travel and its wonderful for me to be able to eat these things and go to this location, but it if stops with me, I feel like that would be quite a shame. So, yes, I do like to chat about the sake, but I always involve an element of something about the culture or the history, as well.\u201d On combining her love of running and travel: \u201cI love travelling after booking a running race. It also keeps me very responsible, let\u2019s say, because the days leading up to the race, I can\u2019t drink as much. And then I get to overindulge after the race because, you know, we\u2019re celebrating. So it keeps me in check. But again, you see more of the city and you just have this sense of accomplishment\u2026 so it adds to the fun of travelling there, as well.\u201d   Links & things: What we\u2019re drinking: EIKUNholic sake Where Erika\u2019s worked: Co-founder of MotoLDN Founder of Mai Sake Where you can catch Erika on TV: Sunday Brunch Sake education options: WSET sake education SSI International Kikisake-shi certification Sake Sommelier Association Mai Sake \u2018Mai Traveller\u2019 newsletter: Sign up here! Podcast recc: Sake on Air Book recc: Hooked by Asako Yuzuki   Recording info: April 2026 in London   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email ","author_name":"Cheers with Nat","author_url":"https:\/\/cheerswithnat.substack.com\/","html":"