I grew up in San Antonio with the music and performance gene deeply engrained in my DNA. I am the son of both a band director and a theater teacher, so when it came time to choose a college, the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music felt like a natural fit. It had a reputation for producing outstanding music educators, and I landed there in 1998 with every intention of following that track. I was serious about the craft, spent time in the Honors College and eventually taught high school students after graduating. 

My career path felt clear until it didn’t. 

The pivot came a few years later. I had moved with my wife, a fellow UH alum I met on campus, to New York City. Initially, I thought I would pursue graduate work in theater. Instead, I found myself working as a server at a fine-dining restaurant. Serving in New York is humbling and intense, but I learned to like it. Soon, hospitality started to feel like a viable career. If I was going to stick with it, though, I wanted a more defined avenue forward. 

Leveling Up 

It wasn’t long before wine captured my attention. I started attending introductory seminars taught by Master Sommeliers and fell in love with the mix of knowledge, service and storytelling that the profession required. I decided to start working through the Court of Master Sommeliers ladder, one level at a time. 

The ambition grew as I was introduced to the lifestyle. Statistically speaking, pursuing the Master Sommelier title is a bit irrational, as fewer than 300 people worldwide hold the credential. But I approached it the way you approach any demanding pursuit: As long as doors continued to open, I’d keep walking through them. 

I completed my introductory and certified sommelier exams in New York, and then, after my wife and I welcomed our first daughter, we moved back to Texas. In 2011, I joined Pappas Bros. Steakhouse as a floor sommelier. The environment there pushed me to grow professionally and academically. I’d passed the advanced exam and had my sights on that final rung: the master level. 

It’s a grueling exam that tests three areas of excellence: theory, tasting and service. I’d passed the other two at various times, but in 2018, I finally passed the tasting portion. Elation! And then, well, confusion. 

Five weeks after my exam, a cheating scandal broke, and even though I’d done nothing wrong, the Court of Master Sommeliers decided to revoke all credentials issued to those who tested that year. It was one of the most surreal moments of my career. Luckily, when I returned later that year to retake the compromised section, I earned the title again. (Others, unfortunately, were not so lucky.) 

Perfect Skills Pairing 

My role at Pappas Bros. has continued to evolve. Today, I serve as wine director across all three of the restaurant’s locations, working with a talented team of sommeliers and overseeing one of the country’s most respected wine programs. In 2024, I was honored to be named the Michelin Guide’s first Texas Sommelier of the Year. Awards are meaningful, but what I value most is the opportunity to mentor others and contribute to a broader wine culture. Many of our team members end up running wine programs elsewhere, and seeing their growth is incredibly rewarding. 

When it comes down to it, hospitality is about humility. Sommeliers once carried a reputation of being intimidating, but the profession has evolved. My goal, and the philosophy we emphasize with our team, is to make wine approachable and engaging. Choosing a bottle or glass should not be a high-pressure affair. For anyone interested in learning more, my advice is simple: Engage the sommelier, ask questions and explore. Follow your curiosity, because there are way more educational resources available today than when I started. 

Looking back, I can see how much my education at UH prepared me for this career, even though the destination wasn’t what I was planning at the time. Studying and teaching music require patience, structure and great listening — skills that translate directly into mentorship and leadership. Clear communication is critical to both endeavors. 

Career paths rarely unfold in straight lines. Mine didn’t. But UH gave me a foundation in education and creativity that enabled a smooth transition into the world of wine. For students and alumni, I think the lesson is to remain open to those pivots. The knowledge and discipline you pick up in college often find relevance in ways you could never predict.