History
Since starting 20 years ago First Press has raised the visibility of consumer and commercial kitchen appliance companies, helped earn industry honors for elite chefs and restaurants, organized wine consortium market visits, and brought attention to culinary non-profits. In short, we’ve touched every corner of the food and beverage world.
Get in touch
We are always excited to learn about new and upcoming projects in the food, beverage, hospitality and appliance space.
contact us here
Our Team
Founder & CEO
Benjamin Schmerler
Ben Schmerler has twenty years of experience writing about and consulting for high-quality food and beverage businesses: as a Senior Editor at Zagat, freelance food writer, and later as the co-founder of First Press.
He has counseled businesses ranging from Murray’s Cheese, the Napa Valley Vintners, and Hot Bread Kitchen to Ample Hills Creamery, Breville, and acclaimed restaurants Betony and Aquavit.
When not at work, he can often be found in his home kitchen striving to prepare food that impresses his wife and daughter.
Director of Marketing and Social Media
Brittany Ramaglia
Since graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in Journalism and Media Studies in 2014, Brittany has built a career in communications and marketing that has spanned a variety of fields including food, beverage, agriculture, and broadcast media. Brittany enjoys the creative aspect of the work, specializing in visual storytelling through video production and graphic design to create effective marketing campaigns in the fast-paced social media landscape.
Outside of working hours, Brittany spends her time writing, recording and performing with her band.
Marketing & Communications Manager
Laura Holman
Laura Holman is a Philadelphia-based communications specialist whose experience is grounded in an English & Creative Writing degree from Boston College and a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu London. Her love of storytelling through and about food has led to a wide-ranging career in the hospitality industry, including roles as Executive Assistant to Chef Marcus Samuelsson and Chief of Staff at the Marcus Samuelsson Group.
When offline, Laura loves spending time in the kitchen with her husband (sous chef) and dog (taste tester).