◆ Food & Culinary

What a sommelier
really does.

6 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.

6evidenced tasks
5systems it runs on
See the 6 tasks ↓Open in the atlasThe full career map →
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Create and curate wine lists matching cuisine and customer preferences
Update the spring wine list to match the new tasting menu: add three l…1 sources agree

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The work, task by task

6 tasks
Hands on the work5
Create and curate wine lists matching cuisine and customer preferences+
Update the spring wine list to match the new tasting menu: add three lighter whites and two medium-bodied reds that pair with citrus ceviche and roasted halibut, remove slow-moving rosés, and deliver a printed menu for Friday service.
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when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Recommend wine pairings to enhance dishes and guest experience+
Prepare pairings notes for tonight's dinner service: suggest one aperitif, one white for the scallop course, one red for the lamb, and a dessert wine—include short tasting cues and two alternative bottles at low and high price points for each.
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when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Serve wine properly, including opening, decanting, and pouring+
Stage service for the 7pm covers: assign who opens each bottle, list decanting times for the 2015 Bordeaux and 2010 Barolo, and give step-by-step pouring instructions so every table gets the correct glassware and volume.
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when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Manage wine inventory, including ordering, storage, and stock rotation+
Audit the cellar this afternoon: note current counts, flag low-stock house favorites, schedule orders for wines below par levels, and rotate older vintages toward the front to be used first.
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when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Assist guests with wine selection based on preferences and budgets+
When a guest describes they like bright acidity and prefer under $70, suggest three accessible bottles by name—one crisp white, one light red, and one sparkling—explain tasting points and why each suits their budget.
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when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Work with people1
Train restaurant staff on wine service and basic wine knowledge+
Run a 45-minute staff training tomorrow at 3pm covering correct glass handling, opening and decanting technique, and five one-minute tasting descriptors for the house list; prepare a one-page cheat sheet for servers.
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when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?

What the work runs on

named inside the evidenced tasks
2 tasksVivinoprovides tasting notes and accessible bottle information to build practical training materials
1 taskCellarTrackermanages cellar holdings and helps select available bottles for list curation
1 taskWine-Searcherfinds market-available bottles and price alternatives to offer tiered pairings
1 taskPlexschedules service tasks and coordinates front-of-house timing and assignments
1 taskWineDirecttracks stock levels and supports ordering and stock rotation workflows for hospitality outlets
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The same task, four heights

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ExecuteDo today's task, with fewer mistakesyou are here → ImproveMake it easy for the next person to acceptin the atlas → DecideWork out the right move when it is unclearin the atlas → BecomeLearn the pattern so it stops coming backin the atlas →

Can AI actually do this job?

the honest answer

It can

where it genuinely helps
  • Explain the theory behind the work
  • Draft, tidy and structure your writing
  • Rehearse a hard conversation before you have it
  • Build a study plan that fits your gaps

It cannot

where it stops, completely
  • Be in the room where a sommelier actually works
  • Carry the responsibility when the call is wrong — that weight stays yours
  • Notice what no one wrote down: the hesitation, the thing left unsaid
  • Live with the outcome

Where the evidence lives

open any of it yourself

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Questions people actually ask

You start by checking the cellar and daily covers: inspect temperature, humidity, and any deliveries. Use CellarTracker or your restaurant’s inventory (Plex or similar) to see stock levels and bottles moved the previous night.

Before service you brief servers on specials and pairings, update the printed or digital wine list, and taste a few wines. During service you recommend wines, open and decant bottles, and rotate stock as needed; after closing you log sales and note reorder needs in WineDirect or Wine-Searcher.

Learn your venue’s inventory system first (many use Plex). That’s where you track quantities, costs, and stock rotation daily. Next, use CellarTracker to research bottle histories and Vivino or Wine-Searcher to check current market prices and availability.

For ordering and dropshipping, get familiar with WineDirect or your distributor portal so you can place orders, check shipping, and match vintages to menu needs.

Ask two quick questions: what dish are they having and do they prefer red, white, or something else? Use simple rules—acidic dishes like ceviche pair with high-acid whites; rich steak pairs with structured reds—and cite the menu ingredient (e.g., ‘grilled ribeye → Cabernet’).

If unsure, look up the bottle on Vivino or Wine-Searcher for tasting notes and price, or check your list for an affordable similar style to match budget.

Apps (Vivino, Wine-Searcher) help with quick facts, prices, and user ratings, but they don’t read the dining room or tailor suggestions to a guest’s mood and budget. Use them as tools to confirm vintage, price, or tasting notes—not as a full replacement.

Combine app data with your taste memory and service skills: AI speeds research, you make the final recommendation and perform service tasks like decanting and opening.

Run short, focused shifts: 10–15 minute pre-shift teasers covering one grape, one pairing rule, and one service step (how to hold a bottle, what decanting looks like). Use actual bottles from your list and role-play ordering scenarios.

Record a one-page cheat sheet or a quick video demo (phone is fine) and add notes in Plex or your internal system so servers can refresh before shifts.

Typical restaurant wine markups are 2–4× wholesale price; house pours and by-the-glass often have higher percentage markups. Aim for a by-the-glass cost around 20–30% of the pour price to keep margins healthy.

Track actual margins in your POS or Plex and compare to Wine-Searcher retail prices to spot over- or under-priced listings. Use these numbers to decide what to promote.

Listening and translating guest preferences into a confident choice. That means asking quick, clear questions about taste and budget, then picking a bottle you can describe in one sentence that connects to the meal.

All other skills—decanting smoothly, managing CellarTracker or WineDirect, writing the list—are important, but reading a guest and securing their trust makes the sale and the experience.