The SOMM Journal

February / March 2017

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{ q & a } 66 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 Since becoming the Wine Director for Union Square Hospitality's North End Grill in New York City, Mia Van de Water has overseen the significant expansion of the wine list with a focus on great discoveries, unexpected values and carefully sourced older vintages. In 2014, she earned the prized Rudd Scholarship by passing the Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Exam with high marks. She has also served on The New York Times wine tasting panel. We recently met at North End Grill to talk about her passion for unique wines and connecting with customers. Kathryn Morgan: Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me today. What led you to New York, the restaurant life and Union Square Hospitality Group? Mia Van de Water: I went to school for acting in Boston. A year after graduating, I decided I was really ready to have a commercially successful career in New York. I had gotten interested in wine working in restaurants in college. I was hired as a server at Union Square Cafe, then came to North End Grill as a server on the opening team. I was officially hired as the Wine Director at North End Grill in the spring of 2013. Q&A A Reputation for Great Service SOUTHERN GLAZER'S WINE & SPIRITS MASTER SOMMELIER KATHRYN MORGAN INTERVIEWS MIA VAN DE WATER, AWARD- WINNING SOMMELIER AND WINE DIRECTOR AT NORTH END GRILL IN NEW YORK CITY photos by Timothy Murray "I try and be the best person I can be—which feeds into how I am as a manager, and as a men- tor for people coming up underneath me," says Mia Van de Water.

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