I have been in the F&B industry for 20 years. Starting as a waiter, then as a bartender – that was when I started appreciating alcohol, through cocktails. I think that’s why I was able to sell a lot of drinks, because I personally enjoy it so much. My General Manager at the time saw potential in me and offered to sponsor my education in wine, to further my career. That was back in 2011, and I’ve been trying to learn more about wine ever since.
I like competitions. That’s where you get to meet people from all over the world and build your network. Networking is very important for our line of work.
In competitions, it’s not just about knowledge, it’s about managing your nerves when you go on stage. It’s like facing yourself in a mirror: you need to know yourself very well, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to perform under pressure. When you are enjoying yourself, you are more likely to win.
I do have a mentor for competitions, but for exams, Google is my best friend. Being a sommelier is about keeping yourself up to date on all the new things happening in the wine world every day – new regions to focus on, new appellations, new information coming to light. You really need to find time to focus, to keep learning and keep pushing yourself to become better.
I do a lot of running, hiking, and recently completed a half marathon. When you are running, you need to focus and keep the momentum. You cannot give up, because if you stop, you cannot go further. It’s the same with studying and competing – how do you focus and keep going until the end?
The best sommeliers are super humble. They are eager to share their experiences because they want to help you. If you want to be successful, you need to keep improving yourself, and be open to suggestions and opinions. There are so many people who are more experienced, more talented than you, you cannot think you are the best in the world. Keep learning, and be a good person – this also works for life in general.
With friends, I drink wines that are not too expensive. Hidden gems, rare bottles, interesting wines from Georgia, for example. When I was preparing for my exams, I couldn’t risk confusing myself with super funky stuff, because I needed to keep my palate accustomed to classics, which was what I was tested on. Now that I’ve passed that part, I can drink wines that are more experimental.
Schnitzel paired with Grüner Veltliner is one of my new favourite pairings, after my recent trip to Vienna. An off-dry Riesling cuts through the fattiness and sweetness of char siu (Chinese barbecued pork) really nicely, so you can enjoy the honey and richness of the meat without it becoming overwhelming.
Read more insider perspectives from Wine Circle.
I like competitions. That’s where you get to meet people from all over the world and build your network. Networking is very important for our line of work.
In competitions, it’s not just about knowledge, it’s about managing your nerves when you go on stage. It’s like facing yourself in a mirror: you need to know yourself very well, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to perform under pressure. When you are enjoying yourself, you are more likely to win.
I do have a mentor for competitions, but for exams, Google is my best friend. Being a sommelier is about keeping yourself up to date on all the new things happening in the wine world every day – new regions to focus on, new appellations, new information coming to light. You really need to find time to focus, to keep learning and keep pushing yourself to become better.
I do a lot of running, hiking, and recently completed a half marathon. When you are running, you need to focus and keep the momentum. You cannot give up, because if you stop, you cannot go further. It’s the same with studying and competing – how do you focus and keep going until the end?
The best sommeliers are super humble. They are eager to share their experiences because they want to help you. If you want to be successful, you need to keep improving yourself, and be open to suggestions and opinions. There are so many people who are more experienced, more talented than you, you cannot think you are the best in the world. Keep learning, and be a good person – this also works for life in general.
With friends, I drink wines that are not too expensive. Hidden gems, rare bottles, interesting wines from Georgia, for example. When I was preparing for my exams, I couldn’t risk confusing myself with super funky stuff, because I needed to keep my palate accustomed to classics, which was what I was tested on. Now that I’ve passed that part, I can drink wines that are more experimental.
Schnitzel paired with Grüner Veltliner is one of my new favourite pairings, after my recent trip to Vienna. An off-dry Riesling cuts through the fattiness and sweetness of char siu (Chinese barbecued pork) really nicely, so you can enjoy the honey and richness of the meat without it becoming overwhelming.
Read more insider perspectives from Wine Circle.