Meet the Sommelier: Brian Phillips of THE CAPITAL GRILLE

Brian Phillips is the Advanced Sommelier for The Capital Grille, the renowned steakhouse with locations throughout the United States. A passion for genuine hospitality experiences is the keynote of Brian Phillip's career path over the last 15 years. Brian joined The Capital Grille in 2013 through another luxury restaurant, Eddie V's Prime Seafood.

As Advanced Sommelier with The Court of Master Sommeliers and a Certified Wine Educator from The Society of Wine Educators, he is currently pursuing the final Master Sommelier certification. To stay sharp, Brian continuously challenges himself through Sommelier and service competitions and hands-on wine production.

Brian has held leadership roles with Omni, Hilton, and InterContinental, and has won recognition for building progressive wine and beverage programs.

Brian truly believes that he gains his greatest insights and rewards through sharing his love for wine with others.

Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of meeting Brian Phillips at The Capital Grille's "The Generous Pour" event. We also interviewed him for our "Meet the Sommelier."

What special personal qualities or talents have enhanced your career?

I decided early on that I wanted to be in the hospitality business in some manner. I studied abroad in Europe attending a Tourism Development School and completed a full project to enhance regional tourism. This enabled me to see the bigger picture of the overall guest experience and the many things that can impact an experience and how it is perceived. I actually started my working life in restaurants with my first job in high school. Having worked in restaurants in various hands-on management roles allows me to have a deep understanding of how things actually function in day-to-day operations.

I have also produced my own wine and label. I was involved in every step of the process from the selection and harvest of the grapes, to actual distribution in both retail and restaurants. This experience, paired with my tourism study in Europe and restaurant management background, has given me an all-encompassing view of each part of the wine business.

Who have been some of your professional mentors or individuals that have inspired your work?

Everyone before me has paved the way, allowing me to progress. To advance, I have specifically looked to my peers that are challenging themselves in the same processes. It inspires me most when I see peers succeeding and when their achievements become wins for all involved. I like to surround myself with people who work hard and have specific goals. I believe you progress as those around you progress.

I also try to model myself on certain leaders traits such as Danny Meyer's and Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey's focus on hospitality and guest-first mentality.

Tell us a little about your travel experiences as a sommelier.

Staying tuned in to what your local environment produces has always been important to me. Every region does something unique. I became very familiar with the wines of AZ, TX and VA when I lived there. Now that I am living in Florida, I'm always on the lookout for unique spirits and beers that are Florida-focused.

When travelling to wine regions, it's all about the people. I think they have a huge cultural influence on what the final wine is. It's important to understand the local traditions and what wineries are pushing for new advancement, and how these camps play with or against each other. I have really enjoyed visiting 'old world' regions such as Portugal and Northern Italy where there is such an ingrained cultural influence. It's a big contrast with going to, say, Oregon where things are still so new and fresh and continuously being defined. In the end, it really comes down to the people behind the wine labels and understanding what they are trying to represent in their wines.

Why do you find your career as a sommelier so rewarding?

Wine truly enhances a dining experience and being a part of the country's growing interest and understanding of wine as a necessary part of a meal is exciting.

As a sommelier, you are a storyteller. Every wine has a story of the people and culture behind each varietal. I love telling these stories and having the honor of being the person who gets to pass the story and passion behind each wine on to our guests and team members. This is how and why wine interest continues to grow.

Wine has also allowed me to connect with our guests and team members by building on a mutual interest. Being able to pass on any knowledge I have gained completes the circle.

What is one of your favorite meals and what wine would you select for it?

I lived in Austin, Texas a good while. There, barbeque is the iconic and cultural food of the region. A perfectly slow mesquite smoked brisket and an off-dry German Riesling became a ritual for me. The savory, sweet smoke and spicy sauce melds perfectly with a palate cleansing and slightly sweet wine such as Riesling. Sometimes it's the simple things done with pride and upholding a cultural heritage that ensures quality.

Tell us a little about the restaurant or organization that you currently work with.

The guest is always the reason for everything we do. The team makes constant efforts to reinforce the reason we open our doors every day and we work hard to ensure the trust and expectations of our guests are met or exceeded. We have been trusted as the place that will deliver and exceed expectations every time. We strive to be a family. A family that holds each other up and expects greatness from everyone. We help each other find ways to achieve our goals.

The Capital Grille is currently holding it's annual wine event "The Generous Pour" at all of their locations through September 3rd. You can read about it here: /bwwfood-wine/article/BWW-Preview-THE-CAPITAL-GRILLE-Announces-The-Generous-Pour-Wine-Event-Nationwide-from-710-to-93-20170620.

The Capital Grille is recognized for gourmet cuisine, fine service, and an award-winning wine list. For more information, visit www.thecapitalgrille.com.

Connect with The Capital Grille on social media, #GenerousPour; Twitter @Capital Grille; Instagram @The Capital Grille; Facebook, Facebook.com/TheCapitalGrille

Connect with Brian Phillips, Advanced Sommelier @TheWineExpert

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Capital Grille

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