Some describe Kato Wake as a renaissance woman, as her talents and skills are far reaching. She has achieved success as a graphic designer, a teacher, artist, wine educator and service trainer.
Kato accumulated over 25 years of experience working service in several high-end restaurants and bistros in Stratford, Toronto and Florida. She taught dining room service for the Stratford Chef School for 8 years, has implemented training programs for several restaurants, and instructed hundreds of hospitality workers in ‘the art of service’ in almost every Canadian province.
Kato paralleled her ‘restaurant life’ with a self-employed career in art and design. She owned and managed her own store and design business in Stratford for 7 years where she designed and manufactured promotional materials, graphics and illustrations for clients including the Stratford Festival. Kato taught graphic and new media design for several years at the International Academy of Design.
After moving to Toronto in 1996, Kato was in the inaugural class of the Canadian Film Centre’s new media program. She became creative director of her group’s prototype, ‘The Great Canadian Story Engine’, an on line story-telling project – which traveled the country in a computer equipped airstream trailer.
Since 2000 she has worked with Billy Munnelly of Billy’s Best Bottles fame – heading up design and production and also playing a key role in concept development and wine education. Kato co-wrote wine articles with Billy for Wish magazine. Together Billy and Kato have taught wine education and service skills to hundreds of hospitality workers, and conducted wine seminars to over 6,000 Canadians.
Kato teaches a colour workshop each summer near Creemore and continues to be a freelance designer for print and web.
