# Any suggestions for sommelier schools in Ca?



## mustaroad (May 15, 2010)

I'm graduating from a culinary school soon and I thought a sommelier certification would give me an edge for getting a job in a high class restaurant. What do you think about this? Any school suggestions in California?


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## kwilkinson (May 29, 2010)

I was recently looking into this.  It looks like CIA Greystone is the best option in CA.  Plus, it's hard to beat that location.     The school is quite literally in between vineyards.


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2010)

there are many schools, but none of that is necessary to work at a fine dining establishment. you have to go beg for a job (often getting ignored) and work an entry level job regardless of culinary degrees and such. it all goes by experience.

check this link if its something you are interested in learning for the sake of learning though... http://www.wineinstitute.org/resources/external-links/wine-classes-and-schools


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## mustaroad (May 15, 2010)

I think your right Hui Bui. Sommelier schools are for servers in french restaurants who want a raise.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Huy Bui said:


> there are many schools, but none of that is necessary to work at a fine dining establishment. you have to go beg for a job (often getting ignored) and work an entry level job regardless of culinary degrees and such. it all goes by experience.


As with most "generalizations", there is a "grain of truth" in the above, but the "picture" is incomplete and can be very misleading.

The OP has a goal of working in a "high class restaurant", presumably that means fine dining, or at least in that direction. Now, whether that goal is aimed at BOH or FOH is unanswered.

Typically, a sommelier works in FOH rather than BOH, which the OP has apparently gone to school to obtain BOH skills.

Neither the culinary school training nor the education as a sommelier will guarantee an opportunity to work in a "high class" restaurant will be available, let alone offered.

Will learning to be a sommelier help one land a BOH job? Probably not.

Will learning to be a cook help one land a FOH job? Probably not.

Will having the fundamental skills to tackle either a FOH or BOH job improve employment opportunities? Probably will.

Will any of this help YOU achieve YOUR goal(s)? That is up to YOU!


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Check out Greystone's wine courses.


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## mustaroad (May 15, 2010)

Nicely done pete, I should have specified. I had BOH in mind in the post: I thought that a cook would be able to impress their way into a popular, quality kitchen if they had the knowledge to cross train waiters with wine knowledge.


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## theunknowncook (Dec 17, 2009)

Mustaroad:

*PCI Certified Sommelier Program*

*CIA Greystone Wine Studies*

*Community College Week: Wine Country*

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## mustaroad (May 15, 2010)

PCI would be an impressive 10k investment, but a few courses at The Greystone Wine studies sounds right for a juvenile, ambitious cook. An intro course then the first mastery course, followed by a food pairing course @ $2,500; totally a possiblity.  Good Stuff Unknown Cook!


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