Disgorged Podcast

Seattle is having a bit of a crisis when it comes to restaurant workers. The continued massive growth in the industry has created a situation where too many jobs are available, and not enough skilled and trained workers exist to fill those jobs. With that as a given, I wanted to write about what actually constitutes good service. I think it's easy to overlook the importance of honesty, but to me it's at the crux of all great service interactions. It was demonstrated to me ye

Well honestly, there are hundreds of reasons. Yet I was reminded of one of them last night: it has a unique power to bring people together. Almost everyone has a wine story to tell, whether they're an oenophile or a total neophyte. When people find out what I do for a living, they inevitably want to ask me a question, tell me a story, or both. SInce I love teaching, and love hearing stories, that works just fine for me. Last night's was about a youthful dalliance with late-ha

Today is National Drink Wine Day. Read my tips for celebrating at the Seattle Weekly #sommlife #wine #sommelier

One of the interesting parts of my job is attending industry tastings. These take on a variety of different forms: sometimes it's a true trade show, with nothing but industry folks, while other times it's a hybrid trade/public event. In either case, the biggest challenge is fighting palate fatigue. Red wine, especially heavily-extracted and oaked reds, just get tiring to drink, especially when you're trying dozens back to back without much food. Even spitting (an essential in

December 1st, 2013 was a terrifying and gratifying day in my life. It was the day I took (and passed!) my Certified Sommelier exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers. This week's edition of The Bar Code takes a look back at the stress and challenges of that day #barcode #wine #sommelier #sommlife

Just an amazing video! #video #wine