Song of the Sommelier

[Rebel Rose]

Merriam-Webster still defines a chef as a skilled cook who manages the kitchen (as of a restaurant).

It defines sommelier as a:

: court official charged with transportation of supplies, or pack animal driver, from Old Provençal 'saumalier' pack animal driver, from 'sauma' pack animal, load of a pack animal

: a waiter in a restaurant who has charge of wines and their service: a wine steward.

From cook to culinary wizard, from saumalier to sommelier.

What effort, training, and talent are required of a sommelier?

Do only the top talents survive?

Does it require dedication to one's craft?

And can the sommeliers of the new millenium be as approachable and personable as the celebrity chefs that have brought the concepts of fine cooking to millions of hungry people?

If we had an Iron Sommelier vs. Iron Chef challenge, would there be enough sommeliers to weigh in opposite the celebrity chefs?

[Mark Sommelier]

25 years ago, I worked with a guy who was the most pompous, unethical creep sommelier. I learned all the things you should never do to a customer from him. For that I thank him. I go out of my way to be approachable and personable. Its a good tactic, and it works.

[KatieLoeb]

I wonder how they could "score" an Iron Sommelier type competition?? Seems sort of subjective, even more so than the Chefs competition might be. There are Young Sommelier competitions out there, a friend here in Philly recently came in third in the US. But I seriously wonder how to "score" such a thing.

The other thing is, that other than the tiniest percentage of truly high end restaurants that require an active "on-the-foor" sommelier, there is still someone in charge of choosing the wine for any restaurant that purchases it. Are they not a sommelier because they aren't actively interfacing with the customers during dining service? I still consider myself a sommeliere if only because I am in charge of the wine purchasing, the pricing and cost control of our "cellar", and training of the staff to sell those wines in my absence. Is Beverage Director a better title because it doesn't necessarily imply the customer interface? Or does that matter?

Just wondering what others might think.

[Really Nice!]

25 years ago, I worked with a guy who was the most pompous, unethical creep sommelier. I learned all the things you should never do to a customer from him. For that I thank him. I go out of my way to be approachable and personable. Its a good tactic, and it works.

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Mark? Ohmygosh! Is that you?

[Mark Sommelier]

25 years ago, I worked with a guy who was the most pompous, unethical creep sommelier. I learned all the things you should never do to a customer from him. For that I thank him. I go out of my way to be approachable and personable. Its a good tactic, and it works.

←

Mark? Ohmygosh! Is that you?

←

Yes, I think so.