{"id":1363,"date":"2018-06-30T05:23:47","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T03:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.apptimal.at\/sommeliers\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2024-03-30T17:07:12","modified_gmt":"2024-03-30T16:07:12","slug":"kelvin-irungu-wanjira-kenya-wine-consultant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sommelier-jobs.com\/it\/2018\/06\/30\/kelvin-irungu-wanjira-kenya-wine-consultant\/","title":{"rendered":"Mr. Kelvin Irungu Wanjira - Kenya (Wine Consultant)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Name:<\/b> Kelvin Irungu Wanjira<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kelvin Irungu Wanjira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nationality: <\/b>Kenyan<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment: <\/b>Kenya<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brand Manager\/Wine Consultant<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prerequisite:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please, tell us a little bit about your first encounter with wine & the wine industry? Any particular, mentors at that time?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My personal encounter with wines was rather funny; I would buy dry box wines and lime juice mix them up and enjoy. Little did I know that I was messing up the gist.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My professional encounter with wine came at around Mid 2014, I did get a chance to give a talk at an agency that was going to be handling a wine account, Nederburg wines. Fast forward I got employed by the same agency as the brand manager for the wines and I was asked by the managing director to undertake training to understand wines.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What specific traits or skills should a Sommelier(e) possess for professional performance and is there any person with that qualities you especially admire within the wine industry?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\/ she must be humble, equipped with skills to learn and study a customer and possess some charm that way customers will be persuaded of any wines they recommend. <\/span>In Kenya, I admire Geoffrey Kariuki who won the Sommelier Word Cup Africa Chapter and represented the country as well the country in South Africa in 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would be your advice to a young Sommelier(e) i.e. Commis Sommelier(e) where to look finding an adequate position at home or abroad? Any further tips?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My advice is for them to look within places that are not already swarming with fellow sommeliers if they were to get an opportunity and grow on the job.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good somm, needs to save and travel at least three wineries outside their country in their lifetime and attend a harvest as well make some free run wine just to have a grasp of the winemaking bit.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Active:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a customer asks for advice on selecting wine what's in your opinion would be the best approach?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time of day..<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a celebration?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there food to pair with?\/<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are they a sweet or dry palate kinda people<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What's your philosophy about glasses? Are you working with well-known brands or are you considering new brands as well and how do you determine?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The glasses should reverberate enough and be as delicate and functional enough. Think Olivia Pope\u2019s glasses. IKEA is a good brand that does not let down.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What advice would you give people on pairing wine with food?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do not overthink it? Pair the food with your wines that you like but if they are experts, pair the weight of the wines with the weight of the dish.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should a Sommelier(e) taste the guest's wine?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No. such opportunities are only reserved if client complains of a wine a fault.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where would you suggest a young Sommelier start searching for Sommelier positions on the internet in your country?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenya has a lot of potential as far as wine business is concerned. Restaurants are a first start up for any sommelier at least this is where most of the business and best wine practice exists.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wine list:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the key ingredients for creating a wine list for a restaurant and what is your opinion on some ridiculous pricing on wine in restaurants, do you have tips on how to determine markups?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here in Kenya most restaurants look at wine producing regions, taste offerings and obviously prices. The price of a wine in a restaurant should be closer to that in the supermarket otherwise by the glass sales will always supersede that of bottle sales.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The price margin should be at least 10-20% more from retail.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you manage to stay on top of the changes in the wine industry?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n