Thirsty wine trade uncorks grape career opportunity in Hong kong
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Demand from the catering industry for wine experts has at least tripled in the past year despite tightening budgets due to the economic crisis.
A measure of this came as the Hong Kong Sommelier Association published its first list of 134 recognized sommeliers yesterday - and revealed that at least 200 well-paid vacancies remain.
"The market potential is much greater than that," said HKSA chairman Nelson Chow Kwok-ming.
"Despite the fact that some Chinese restaurants have recognized the importance of matching Chinese cuisine with wine, many have still not caught up with the trend."
After wine duty was abolished last year, the association was flooded with calls from hotels, clubhouses and restaurants looking for sommeliers able to market and recommend wine to diners.
The number of calls may have dropped off, but despite the economic crisis, a healthy number keep coming.
The association has introduced an examination system and has recognized more than 40 sommeliers and eight senior sommeliers in the past month.
One of the eight certified seniors is the China Club's Henry Chang Kwok-wai who started as a waiter 18 years ago after finishing Secondary Five.
He is set to represent Hong Kong in the World's Best Sommelier Competition in Chile next April. Chang will be up against representatives from 40 member countries of the Association of Sommeliers.
But before then,
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Self-taught Chang, 44, had no formal wine education and learned about wine tasting from working in Western restaurants and extensive reading.
He won the Best Sommelier Hong Kong competition in 2007 during which he was able - while blindfolded - to identify a red wine's country of origin, year of production, type of grapes used and price.
"I do this with other wine-loving friends in our leisure time as well. I enjoy the anticipation I get from wine tasting," Chang said. "Sometimes I look at the bottle or sniff the wine and I cannot help imagining the taste of the contents."
Chow said many of the listed sommeliers started at the bottom and are now high-ranking executives in the catering industry.
"We are in need of new blood and hope this system can facilitate the grooming of new talent," he said.
There is no requirement for secondary education or language training - just a passion and willingness to learn.
Monthly salaries range from HK$13,000 to HK$30,000.