East West - The Asian American Lifestyle Magazine

By Alissa Marrapodi 

Life is like Chinese food.

Or at least that is the perspective of Chicago-based master sommelier Alpana Singh.

Life, Singh, 30, says is best approached with an open attitude. “Try as many different things as possible,” she continues. “I love Chinese food, but there are a lot of unknowns. In the past, I tended to stick to my favorite dishes. But there was always that one dish on the menu I would wonder about. I was too afraid to order it, afraid it would ruin my dinner. Finally, I said, 'What am I afraid of?' If I don't like it, it's not a big deal, I'll move on. I started ordering different things. And yes, sometimes I don't like it, but most times I find things that are quite enjoyable. I think this is a great analogy for life in general.”

Born and raised in Monterey, Calif., to Indian parents, Singh, who at 26 became the youngest woman to be inducted into the world's most exclusive sommelier organization, the Court of Master Sommeliers, says the Chinese dining experience also parallels the enjoyment of wine. “I think sometimes people get stuck in their Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio and they've always wondered what Malbec tastes like, but they're afraid because they may not like it. When in fact, that is what's preventing you from learning.”

Singh's career path has included learning experiences at restaurants in her hometown of Monterey. She eventually transitioned into the role of sommelier, and later filled the title for five years at the French restaurant Everest, a Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. restaurant in Chicago.

Her work ethic and drive to succeed paid off, earning her a promotion in 2005 to director of wine and sprits for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and a bevy of accolades over the years, including a James Beard Foundation Nomination for Wine Services (2002), Best Sommelier by Chicago Magazine (2004), Crain's 40 under 40 and Food & Wine's 35 under 35.

Singh also recently put pen to paper about her career and the wine life with her 2006 book, “Alpana Pours: About Being a Woman, Loving Wine, and Having Great Relationships.”

What may seem as hurdles in her line of work, namely being a young, Indian woman, Singh -who also hosts Chicago's public broadcasting system's hit restaurant review show, “Check, Please!”-regards as only facts of life, which rather than slowing her down have made her unique.

What initially drew you into the wine business?

I liked the study behind wine, the history, the science, the travel and definitely the food. I have a lot of interest just behind the actual wine part that I find fascinating.

You were a sommelier at Everest for five years. What was a typical day like for you?

I would check in orders, taste wine for the wine list, look at the invoices, update the wine list, and then every day was a little different between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. At 4 p.m., everyone sat down and had dinner. At 5 p.m., service started and you would take care of the guests from 5 p.m. to about 11 p.m. You would get home about midnight.

Wow! So those were long days?

Yes. I get a lot of people who want to be sommeliers and they've never worked in a restaurant before. I think people sometimes get this idea that being a sommelier is just sitting around and drinking wine all day, when actually, it's a very physical job. Yes, you're tasting wine, but it's not the enjoyment type; you're doing it very objectively. You are tasting for many different palates.

What do you say to people who are interested in becoming a sommelier?

I always encourage people; I never discourage people. I too used to be that wide-eyed person and I made it. So, I always like to give people the benefit of the doubt and encourage.

Your current job is the director of wine and spirits for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc., which operates more than 20 restaurants. What does the job entail?

I do a lot of education and training. I oversee the beverage program for the entire company, but I don't buy for each individual restaurant.

Do you select the actual wine list?

For some of the restaurants, not all of them.

Do you prefer the director position over being a sommelier in an individual restaurant?

I like this job better. I had five years of working nights and not having a life. This is 9 to 5. It allows me to go home and watch TV and actually participate in society somewhat. Being in the restaurant business, you would think you'd get to meet so many people. But what people don't realize is that you have to completely remove yourself from the process. You are the last person you think about when working at a restaurant because you need to anticipate the needs of the guest. You are there for the customer and your needs come last. After doing that for nine or 10 hours a day you forget what you need. After five years of that, you become very selfish with your time.

You have received many awards and honors over the years; do any of them stand out to you?

The Wine & Spirits Professional of the Year from Bon Appetit [in 2006] was pretty cool. That is a magazine I've read since I was kid.

Did you find that being South Asian was unique in this field?

Absolutely. It's just like being a woman. I think people had a tough time with three things; it was what they wanted to pick on: the youth part, the female part or the Indian part. It's really interesting because I think the aspect that most people were fascinated by was actually the age part.

Was your age then an obstacle?

Not really. Maybe it was and I didn't even notice it. Looking back, I think the difficulty was actually just being 23 and 24 years old. That age is already tough enough and then on top of it having this job. It's pretty high profile. You're still growing up and learning a lot about yourself.

Does being South Asian give you a unique perspective or advantage, perhaps?

I think work ethic. My parents instilled a very strong work ethic and the drive to want to succeed. I'm not saying other people don't have that, but it seems more ingrained in our culture. Failure is not an option. It's almost a sense of stubbornness.

Before we wrap up, I have to ask: do you have wine favorites?

Not really, whatever I'm in the mood for. Right now I'm drinking a lot of big, heavy reds because it's cold. In the springtime I'm going to start craving lighter, crisper, cleaner whites. By summertime all I drink is dry rosé. In the fall, I'll start craving earthier, spicier, reds and then in the winter I'll go back to my big, heavy reds. I'm a seasonal drinker. * And, Singh does recommend these grape varietals: Gruner Veltliner, Malbec, anything from Spain and dry rosés. * And, Singh does recommend these grape varietals: Gruner Veltliner, Malbec, anything from Spain and dry rosés.