The Ethics of Smoking for a Sommelier

For thousands of years, smoking has been a part of human society, and many people still enjoy the occasional cigarette or cigar. Smoking, however, might present some moral dilemmas for sommeliers. A sommelier is a trained professional who chooses, buys, and serves wine in a restaurant or other establishment. Many people are curious as to whether a sommelier can smoke as the position demands a keen sense of taste and scent.

Jane Lopes is an expert sommelier with experience in some of the world’s top eateries. She is not a master sommelier, though. The Court of Master Sommeliers bestows the coveted designation of master sommelier. It entails completing a challenging exam that assesses your understanding of wine theory, wine service, and wine tasting. This distinction, which has been attained by a small number of people only, is commonly regarded as the apex of the sommelier profession.

The difficult sommelier exam measures a candidate’s knowledge and proficiency in wine service, taste, and theory. The exam is broken up into three sections, each of which gets harder as it goes along. While the second portion assesses the ability to recognize wines blindly, the first half provides fundamental wine knowledge. Candidates must present their wine service abilities in the final section, including decanting, serving, and wine and food pairing.

There are numerous people who have become authorities in the subject even though there is no official sommelier accreditation for coffee. These people, who have in-depth knowledge of coffee farming, roasting, and brewing, are frequently referred to as coffee sommeliers or coffee experts. They are frequently in charge of choosing and buying coffee beans as well as developing distinctive coffee blends that are customized for a particular restaurant or café. What Is the Number of Black Master Sommeliers?

There are just 14 black master sommeliers in the entire globe as of 2021. Carlton McCoy became the first black master sommelier in 2013, when he was awarded the title. Since then, only few people have been able to pass the difficult test. The dearth of diversity in the sommelier profession has come up for debate recently, and numerous groups are attempting to encourage inclusion and diversity in the sector.

Despite the fact that smoking is a question of personal preference for sommeliers, it is typically recommended to abstain because it can impair their sense of taste and smell. Smoking can significantly affect taste and smell, two senses that are crucial to the job of sommelier. Smoking can also produce an offensive odor that might make it difficult to enjoy wine. There is no law against smoking, though, because coffee sommeliers’ sense of taste and smell are not affected in the same way. Despite the traditionally low level of diversity in the sommelier profession, attempts are being made to increase it. This is shown by the rise in the number of black master sommeliers.