He has a job title most of us could only dream of, sommelier: wine expert. Wilson Oswald, a 29-year-old Atlanta, Georgia native is the Director of Beverage for 12 of the Ruth’s Chris franchises across the Southeast. But this hasn’t always been his dream.
Though he’s worked several different restaurant jobs since high school, preceding his passion for food and drink pairings was a love of religious studies. Originally intending to become a professor, Oswald graduated from the University of Virginia in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. It wasn’t until he realized that spending all his time locked away in a library with no company but books wasn’t the life for him that he returned to his roots and began his new course of study.
The Job
After receiving the distinction of being a Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist in Wine, and Certified Specialist in Spirits, he joined the Ruth’s Chris team to oversee all things alcohol-related. Some of his responsibilities include managing the list of 37 “Wines by the Glass,” 22 “Wines by the Bottle,” 14 specialty cocktails, 3 dessert cocktails, spirits, and beers that each of the 12 restaurants offer; keeping an eye on the inventories; and selecting new wines and spirits to feature.
The fast pace and close community of the culinary world are what keep Oswald going. Getting a different experience each shift, interacting with new people, and solving new problems are the basic elements of a typical workday. While keeping everything running smoothly, he does his best to bring Ruth’s Chris customers the highest-quality wine and spirits for the best value.
When he’s not worrying about the customers, Oswald likes to sit back with his wife Katie and enjoy a Kölsch ale or a Bourbon, work in the yard, or catch a Braves game.
See for Yourself
Experience Wilson Oswald’s genius for yourself. Stop by one of the Ruth’s Chris locations around the Southeast today.