Rakesh Awaghade
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Biography
I bring over 10 years of experience in wine appreciation and took charge of The Oberoi Hotels as a Sommelier since March ‘15. Awarded as the Best Wine Sommelier of the year (2019) in Delhi NCR and achieved the Certified Sommelier Certificate (2019) from the Court of Master Sommelier Europe.
I completed my graduation in Hotel Management from Mumbai and pursued my advanced studies in Hotel Management from Cromwell College, London. Wine was never a career goal, even as I worked my way through one of the most prestigious and fine-dining restaurants, from single Michelin star Launceston Place up until Cinnamon Club run by Chef Vivek Singh. A modern Indian restaurant were matching wine with Indian food was a complete no-no. I changed the mindsets of people as I follow a genuine enthusiasm for matching people to bottles and vice versa.
Although I knew next to nothing about the wine, my interest grew as I listened to people at tables with bottles, telling stories about the people who made them and the places they came from. The management at the time, noted this, and suggested I take a course with The Wines and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), since then I have never looked back.
Before joining The Oberoi, I opened the doors of Gordon Ramsay’s Classic Savoy Grill an iconic masterpiece in Savoy Hotel. It was a huge challenge as going from nothing to creating a list; I think the most rewarding task is to simply create a balance.
Wine is all about sensual experience, all the senses that go through when drinking a bottle with friends or at work, & my role as a Sommelier is to cater to that experience, assist it along, create it. This is completely human experience, not this intangible thing. This is fun every single day.
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