“I want your job” is a phrase that a Sommelier hears fairly often. Could be from a guest that happens to spot a tasting under way with a wine distributor where a number of bottles are opened in the hope that one will stand out and make the list. Or possibly at the point when you are explaining to guests the differences between a couple of wines being considered to enjoy with dinner. Who wouldn’t want to be in a position to check out good wine all day? This is generally perceived to be the job of a Sommelier, but the actual work entails a bit more. A bit more that doesn’t involve drinking good wine. For my first “blog” entry, I thought I could offer a little personal insight into the life of a Sommelier.
Websters defines a Sommelier as “a waiter in a restaurant who is in charge of serving wine”. That’s certainly one important aspect of the job, but a Sommelier is also a busboy, a server, a food runner, a dishwasher, a host, a firefighter, a medic, a punching bag, a barista, an encyclopedia, and nocturnal. Versatility and a willingness to play out of position are keys to survival and success. We’re passionate about wine of course, but we are also passionate about hospitality and the teamwork it takes to run a successful venue. I actually found that the ceremony of presenting and opening a bottle of wine was one of the most therapeutic parts of my day…until that one cork snaps. No one to bail you out of that one. Every table, every drop of wine in that bottle, every recommendation you make could put you in a challenging spot. Becoming comfortable in the uncomfortable is a hard transition at first. That’s why we study, practice, and push ourselves to be the best we can be.
There is also an element of personal sacrifice with the unconventional hours that we work, especially with family responsibilities. I’ve definitely felt it while pouring wine for a smiling, laughing, happy restaurant full of people while I knew that my wife was at home wishing we were out doing the same on a night that isn’t Sunday – Wednesday. That’s the nature of the profession though. We’re paid to make sure that our guests have the best possible experience and the reward is knowing that you played a role in that. This career has also lead me to meet some of the greatest people I have ever called friends in my life. While our Friday and Saturday nights are dedicated to ensuring a pleasant dining experience for you, our Mondays and Tuesdays have been some of the best times I can remember.
For the aspiring Sommelier, the path is long and difficult, and there are no short cuts. You have to study constantly and have a fire in your belly that pushes you to work long hours and make personal sacrifices. If you have ever looked at a wine professional and thought “I want your job,” then you have already been bitten by the bug. There is no shortage of information out there, and you can never hope to learn it all. The deeper I get into this business, the less I’m sure I know, but my motivation to continue never fades. If you are reading this and you still feel like this profession is the calling for you, I will end this entry with a “typical” in my life as a Sommelier.
7:55 a.m. – Startled awake by the alarm. I have to walk my son to school at 8:00, it will be the only fifteen minutes I have with him all day. He wants to pretend that he’s Iron Man and I’m the Incredible Hulk and we’re annihilating bad dudes the whole way to school. In actuality, I’m Zombie Man and I probably shouldn’t be in charge of anything right now (especially a small child).
10:30 a.m. – Awakened a second time by my alarm. Need to get moving to my group’s weekly blind tasting session as part of our study for advanced Sommelier accreditation.
12:00 p.m. – Results vary from week to week in our blind tastings with up to ten people attending. To be a good taster, you should be present each week and learn from your prior mistakes. We meet for about an hour, and I usually leave feeling like I don’t know anything about wine anymore. I wish I could commit more time to the process but my schedule just won’t allow it.
1:30 p.m. – Headed to work. Today is an order day, which means I have to get all my beer and wine ordering done by
4:00 p.m. to have it delivered tomorrow. The ordering process isn’t necessarily complex. If it’s low, you order, but you could definitely go down the rabbit hole and focus on many other factors like proximity to inventory, seasonality, close outs, etc. to help shape your decisions.
2:45 p.m. – We have “pre-shift” at 3:00 p.m. and I like to discuss something beer or wine related. I pull a bottle of wine from the cellar that we haven’t been selling and pour roughly twenty glasses for the staff. I take the next fifteen minutes to make sure I know everything there is to know about this wine.
3:00 p.m. – The entire front of house team meets. We discuss everything we need to know for service that night. What we’re low on, what we’re out of, key points of service that have been dulled over time that need a bit of refocusing. We also sip a bit of wine and talk about the grape(s), the region, the weather, the soil, who would or would not like the wine. “Who hates this wine?” is my favorite question. Of the twenty or so in the room, one of us surely finds this wine to be unpleasant. Pinpointing the “why” is the goal. It’s too dry, it’s too sweet, it’s too tannic, it’s too fruity, it’s too poopy. These are all common explanations that will benefit the group during a real life scenario, and make us a better wine sales team.
4:30 p.m. – Service starts. I’ll walk the dining room, run food, and bus tables. I will also open some wine and make some recommendations to guests, but never as often as I would like. I’m constantly changing hats and playing different parts in the show to ensure that everyone is enjoying their experience.
9:30 p.m. – Take 20 minutes, have a bite to eat, call my wife.
12:30 a.m. – The last guest has left the building. The doors are locked and it’s time to begin the closing process. Counting money, setting alarms, and making sure that every surface is clean for service tomorrow. This process usually takes about an hour.
1:30 a.m. – Uber home.
2:00 a.m. – No one can just “shut down” after a busy dinner service. I have a beer and watch some television. Decompress. Bed time.
7:55 a.m. – Zombie Man lives
Thank you taking the time, I hope you enjoyed the read. I think it would be fun to hear a typical day in the life of any other Sommeliers out there. Feel free to post a comment with what your day is like. I will be posting industry content focused blurbs about all things South Africa, food, wine, and service related. Along with my experiences as someone trying to achieve an Advanced Sommelier Diploma through the Court of Master Sommeliers.