Mr. Ovidiu Olteanu - Romania / UK (Head Sommelier)

Name: Ovidiu Olteanu

Nationality: Romania

At the moment: United Kingdom

Head Sommelier 

His performance :

2012-Demi-Finalist National Contest Sommelier Trophy

2013-Big Trophy National Contest Maitre D'Hotel

2016-Quarter-Final -World Best Sommelier Argentina

Prerequisite:

Please, tell us a little bit about your first encounter with wine & the wine industry? Any particular mentors at that time?

I work in the field of hospitality for 19 years, I took the position of Maitre D'Hotel walk to where there have bound relationship with Sommelier, I worked in various large hotel chains.

What specific traits or skills should a Sommelier(e) possess for professional performance and is there any person with that qualities you especially admire within the wine industry?

Sommelier should be one serious person with charisma, to have capacity geography, can learn and memorize a lot about wine and always invest in it through various courses and visits to wineries.

What would be your advice to a young Sommelier(e) i.e. Commis Sommelier(e) where to look finding an adequate position at home or abroad? Any further tips?

As advice for new Commis sommelier, is to spend as much time near very professional Sommeliers and desire to learn something new.

Active:

When a customer asks for advice on selecting wine what's in your opinion would be the best approach?

Sommelier is orderly person, can have the ability to perceive wine not only by brand, namely what happens inside the bottle, and that person not only promotes expensive wines.

Wine list:

What are the key ingredients for creating a wine list for a restaurant and what is your opinion on some ridiculous pricing on wine in restaurants, do you have tips on how to determine markups?

I think the key ingredient to produce a list of wines is you know the customer's requirements, and une class you can.

I my new job I prepare my own signature wine list, unique wines, varieties not found very often in restaurants but also with great wine houses.

At the moment I work in the THE VINE RESTAURANT U.K in Sevenoaks near LONDON, my list includes different varieties and countries like INDIA, CROATIA, GEORGIA, SERBIA,BULGARIA.

How do you manage to stay on top of the changes in the wine industry?

Sommelier need to document daily, because always there are new changes in the world of wine

Favourite pick:

If you were a wine, which variety would you be, and why?

Chardonnay variety is my favorite, I love the complexity and variety.

Ovidiu Olteanu

@ by Dominik Kozlik – Zeitgeist Sommeliers - International Sommelier Positions - www.sommelier-jobs.com