How To Become A Head Sommelier

The role of Head Sommelier combines the need for both expert knowledge of wine, and top-tier leadership skills.

From creating the wine list to managing stock, a head sommelier will oversee these processes and many more from start to finish.

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Useful skills to put in your CV:

• Deeply authentic and personal passion for wine, and the rich history and culture intertwined with it.
• A strong drive to consistently deliver the perfect pairing to each customer, sympathetic to their tastes and the food being served.
• An incredible sense of organisation in order to efficiently handle large amounts of stock and balance this with other elements of work.
• A supportive and encouraging management style, enabling your colleagues to do their best in their roles.

Top Skills-boosting Tips

You will probably go on wine courses yourself so that you know as much about wines as possible.

How Do You Get These Skills?

Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.

Build Your Skills With the FREE Young Professional Programme

School, College And Training

You can’t become a Head Sommelier as a school leaver – you need training and experience first! Of course, you can also apply for hospitality roles to see if the world of hospitality is for you, then start your wine training while already working in hospitality.

Previous experience in similar roles and a deep, authentic, passion for wine are the most common desirables in candidates for the job of Head Sommelier.

Hospitality Apprenticeships

If you want to get straight into a role and don’t have directly relevant qualifications or experience, you can train on the job and earn money at the same time by taking an apprenticeship in hospitality.

These are available at different levels. After gaining some experience you could take the:

• Level 1/2 Hospitality NVQ/SVQ
• Level 3 Hospitality supervisor advanced apprenticeship
• Level 4 Hospitality manager higher apprenticeship

Useful qualifications include:

• WSET Levels 1-3
• WSET Level 4 Diploma
• Court of Master Sommeliers qualifications

Once you are ready, the GOV.UK Find an Apprenticeship service can help you to find suitable positions.

What experience do you need to be a Head Sommelier?

Ideally, a successful candidate would have one or a combination of the following experience:

• Previous experience as a head sommelier.
• Significant experience in a sommelier role, a minimum of 2 years or more.
• Experience at length in a role with an appropriate level of seniority, such as a head wine buyer.
• Considerable experience in wine-tasting or winemaking would be advantageous.

Who Can Help?

Many professional bodies also offer a range of training opportunities, including activities that count towards continuing professional development (CPD). Find out more below:

• Hospitality Guild – lists training courses including college-based qualifications and apprenticeships, regulation and licensing courses, and CPD options.
• Institute of Hospitality – offers a range of hospitality-related qualifications, professional development workshops, webinars, online courses and networking events.
• UKHospitality – hosts various events across the year and provides publications and resources for members.

With time and experience, you can move in different directions – for example, you could become a head wine buyer, and focus on the sales side of wine, rather than the hospitality side of helping guests.

As a Head Sommelier, you are already at the top of your game – and in the role because you love honing your skills as a wine expert!

• Hospitality apprenticeships
• Hospitality graduate schemes

You can also take a look at our database of local opportunities to see if there are any relevant jobs, work placements, or careers events and workshops to help you get started.

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.