Rajat Parr

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Rajat Parr is a prominent Indian-American sommelier, who oversees the wine program for Michael Mina's restaurant group.

[edit] Biography

Parr was born and raised in Calcutta, India.[1] He grew up close to his cousin, who ran two restaurants in New Delhi.[2] Although he had read about wine, he had never tasted it (wine production and consumption in India is relatively limited) until age 20, in 1993, with an uncle living in London.[1]

Par graduated from the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, Karnataka, India.[3] He graduated from the the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, intending to become a chef[1] and externed at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. He moved to San Francisco to become a food runner at Rubicon Restaurant[3], on encouragement from his wine instructor, after reading a magazine article about the restaurant's celebrity-sommelier Larry Stone.[4][1][2] Parr, who visited vineyards on his days off to learn more about wine, impressed Stone with his persistence and determination.[2] Within six months he became assistant to Stone, who became his mentor.[2] After three years, Parr became sommelier of the Fifth Floor in San Francisco in 1999.[3] In 2003 Parr was appointed wine director all of the Michael Minna restaurants throughout the United States.[2][5]

In 2007 he, along with Michael Mina, were hired to develop and run a food and wine program by the developers of San Francisco's Millennium tower, who called him "one of the most celebrated sommeliers in the world."[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d James Molesworth. "Sommelier Talk: Rajat Parr: The Grand Award-winning sommelier and wine director for San Francisco's Michael Mina draws on experiences from India to Burgundy to England", the Wine Spectator, March 5, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. 
  2. ^ a b c d e Carolyn Jung. "Meet The Sommeliers Who Are Changing The Profession", San Jose Mercury News, September 25, 2002. 
  3. ^ a b c Rajat Parr. Rajat Parr.
  4. ^ Jordan Mackay. "Rolling Stone", 7X7 Magazine, March 16, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-19. 
  5. ^ Somellier Profiles:Rajat Parr. Winescore.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  6. ^ Stacy Finz. "As upscale home complexes add great chefs, more buyers are biting", San Francisco Chronicle, December 19, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-19. 
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