Erik is a renowned sommelier and was Food and Wine Magazine's 2019 Sommelier of the year. His career spans 17 years as a sommelier with positions in Philadelphia, Miami, Seattle, and Washington DC.
Erik has worked with some of the most notable industry players such as the Starr Restaurants, the Seven Stars Resort and Spa in Turks and Caicos, the World - Luxury Residences at Sea, and for the Schwartz Brothers Restaurants. He recently founded SOMLYAY, a company offering full-service hospitality consulting for all aspects of the beverage, hotel, and restaurant industry.
Everybody loves a good glass of wine, and nobody can recommend a better wine selection than a sommelier who has worked with some of the most prestigious companies in the hospitality industry. Why? Because it's their business to know which wines will tickle the fancy of the clients which in turn can bring in profits for the company.
Erik Segelbaum, the founder of SOMLYAY, is a renowned sommelier who has worked with some of the most notable players in the hospitality industry and he says that while the year 2020 may not be the best year for the hospitality industry, it's bound to bounce back and come out just as strong as it was before.
Join Alexi Cashen as she talks to Erik about what it's like to work as a sommelier in a luxury residence that hosts some 150 - 200 people and how his profession has evolved over the years. They also talk about how Erik learned his financial acumen and operational proclivity, what it was like to lobby against the wine tariffs, the mission and vision of SOMLYAY, and how the coronavirus pandemic has affected his industry as a whole.
