Join us this episode as we step away from the welcome and into the wine cellar for our chat with Raj Vaidya, whose career trajectory has taken him from a bagel shop in New Jersey all the way to being Chef Daniel Boulud’s International Wine Director, and now collaborating with Daniel Johnnes, as the Director of Operations for Pressoir, the organization behind wine festivals La Paulée, La Fête du Champagne, La Tablée, and much more.

Born in New Jersey and raised in his family’s native Bombay and in Singapore, Raj attributes his passion for fine cuisine and wine to his family and their obsession with food and drink.

Listen in to hear about:

~ How working breakfast in a diner in New Jersey taught Raj to understand the theater of service

~ His thoughts on corkage

~ How making an old lady cry early on in his career forever changed his understanding of what people are looking for when they come to a restaurant

~ Tips for the two best ways to learn more about wine

~ Some of the places Raj likes to eat in NYC

~ Which two wine books he recommends for people who want the best general reference options

~ Who he’s learned from over the years (shout out to Chefs Craig Shelton & Daniel Boulud, Brett Traussi, Daniel Johnnes, John Slover, Robert Bohr, Michel Couvreux, and more.)