How to become a Sommelier

Also called: Demi sommelier, Head sommelier, Wine server, Wine specialist, Wine steward, Wine waiter (commis sommelier), Wine Specialist (Demi Sommelier), Ÿ Demi sommelier, Ÿ Head sommelier, Ÿ Wine specialist, Ÿ Wine steward, Ÿ Wine waiter (commis sommelier)

Sommelier makes wine suggestions to go with particular types of food, based on their knowledge of wine pairing, or suggests wines based on customers’ taste preferences. He/she creates wine lists, orders wines, and maintains and rotates wine stock. He/she also trains waiting staff on wine, often by conducting wine tastings.

Main tasks

• Greeting customers and presenting them with menus and beverage lists
• Advising on food and beverage choices
• Taking orders for food and drinks and passing order to kitchen or bar staff manually or through Point of Sale (POS) systems and/or other software
• Serving food and beverages to clients at tables

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Captain waiter/Waiter supervisor
• Waiter
• Bartender/Mixologist
• Barista
• Bar/Lounge hostess

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Questions people ask

Will AI change the work of a Sommelier?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026