Marvella Castañeda
Lazy Betty | Atlanta
april 2023
Marvella Castañeda has been in the hospitality industry since she was 15 years old, working as a server in fast casual restaurants, but it wasn't until college that she realized how much she had grown to love it. Looking to further explore her passion for service and her growing interest in wine, Castañeda moved to Athens, Georgia in 2014. She joined the team at The Pine, where owner Scott Parrish took her under his wing and taught her the fundamentals of wine. She eventually began working at Rising Stars alum Hugh Acheson’s Five & Ten, where Wine Director Steven Grubbs taught classes to the staff. Castañeda was inspired, and committed herself even more to her wine education and getting her certifications.
In 2020, she moved to Atlanta and accepted a position at Lazy Betty as wine director. Castañeda has embraced her leadership role and is working to make the restaurant a home for wine education, while also making it a point to engage with the local wine community. Always finding ways to expand her ever-growing wine knowledge, she has become an active member in wine networking events, where she also works to support and uplift other beverage professionals, especially women. At Lazy Betty, Castañeda has created a wine list that she plans to expand even further, sharing unexpected varietals from around the world—including France, Greece, New Zealand, India, Mexico, Lebanon, and beyond—to foster excitement amongst her team and guests.
