If you have a good sense of smell and taste and also an appetite to learn about all that is trending in the wine industry, a job as a sommelier awaits. Hemant Kumar Kochar tells you more
A sommelier is not restricted to fancy restaurants and pubs any longer. There is a need for such wine experts in any eating joint with a liquor license. It is the young brigade who are hired for this position and gender doesn’t hold a relevance. In fact most restaurants prefer women sommeliers because it is a known fact that the fairer sex does not lean towards one particular brand and will offer her advise without being too prejudiced.
The reason for the change is manifold — first, there is cut throat competition in the hospitality industry and also because wine has become a part and parcel of our culture. All this has opened up a plethora of opportunities for sommeliers.
Besides suggesting what wine selection would pair best with food, present day sommeliers also create wine lists for their restaurants, stock them, register and add high quality wine on a regular basis. Furthermore, they also offer restaurant staff with some essential wine education. To them there is no greater remuneration than working with wine and introducing it to others.
Nature of work
A good sommelier enjoys functioning with diners as they prefer the right choice of food and wine to the customer, in a sense; a sommelier is a matchmaker, seeking to rejoice customers with remarkable parings wine. He or she can take the customer faraway from the basic rules of white wine with fish, red wine with red meat, to a territory of dining fantasy. Such people should know about every wine in the cellar and every dish on the menu and they should understand when to choose a wine that enhances the food and when to select one that will give them a difference. Sometimes customers who are well-versed about wines can also gain some knowledge from the ability of the sommelier.
Skills Required
It is observed that sommeliers vary in personality and their style of approach towards the guest. But knowledge of wines is one common skills which every sommelier should have. No doubt that many important things about wine can be learned through a variety of books, course, and testings but still there are some unique qualities which a candidate must know before choosing sommelier as a profession.
· He or she must posses a quick sense of taste so that it becomes easy for them to distinguish between wines for qualities
· Proper business skills is necessary because sommeliers do everything from putting together wine lists to ordering wines
· An effective communication skill is also necessary for proper interaction with the client. Because before recommending wine, sommeliers should ask the guest about the types of wines they prefer, their price preferences and so on.
· A sommelier must have the appetite to learn about the changing trends in the wine industry etc.
Work pattern
A day in the life of a sommelier consists of working long hours, often during nights, weekends and holidays. They need to be night owls in all common sense because that is when their services are in top demand. In addition, if you decide to pursue this career, either by training yourself or earning a certificate in the field, you must expect to devote a significant amount of time outside of the restaurant to reading, keeping up on the latest wine selections and brass your management, hospitality and organisational skills in order to be a success.
Career Outlook
Usually candidates start their career as an assistant in the hospitality industry, working under and learning from experienced sommeliers. After few years of working, a candidate can work on his own. With much experience in this field, a sommelier often becomes a freelance wine expert and also gets several opportunities to work as a wine consultant for several restaurants and hotels. However, sommeliers can also look for employment in hotels, on the sales team of wine manufacturers, with event planners and more.
These people also get the opportunity to engage in a number of competitions held throughout the world where competitors take a written exam, via practical exercises in which their service skills are showcased and display their fine senses in blind tastings.
Education, training & Certification
There are multiple ways for a candidate opting for the career of a sommelier. Training can take many different ways. Gaining professional restaurant experience, undertaking a course from a reputed organisation and functioning at wineries are all possible avenues for growth of a promising wine expert. In addition, many people develop their wine knowledge through their own research. Aspirant chefs and restaurant managers who choose to practice culinary degree programmes may also come across similar courses on combination of wine with food as part of their training programme.
There are several institutions and organisations across the country that offer short and long term courses for sommeliers. The culinary Institute offers certification programmes for wine professionals. After passing these exams, a graduate can add the signature, Certified Wine Professional (CWP) to his or her name.
Remuneration and perks
Starting salaries are around Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 pm including bonus and commission while experienced sommeliers can earn about Rs60,000 pm.
(The writer is director of Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration and Research)