In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Thomas Price of Jackson Family Wines. In this episode we speak to Thomas about:
Thomas’ Bio
Thomas Price has been in the Hospitality Industry for his entire adult life. Thomas was born in Pasadena, California in 1965. His family moved to Alaska when he was 7. Thomas’ first restaurant job was as a Dishwasher at a diner in Juneau at the age of 14. By 18, Thomas was the day Lead Cook at an upscale burger house called Harry’s in Anchorage. Thomas moved into the front of the house as a Server and Bartender upon turning 21. His passion for wine was instantaneous, and was fueled by a stint as a Server at Zeppo’s, an Anchorage wine bar, and wait shifts at their parent restaurant, The Marx Brothers Cafe.
Thomas moved to Seattle in 1988, where he met his lovely wife, Jessica. Jessica shares Thomas’ passion for food and wine, and they both worked at some of Seattle’s most notable restaurants of the era, (Dahlia Lounge, El Camino, Etta’s Seafood, The Santa Fe Café).
In 1997, Thomas and Jessica opened their own restaurant, Luau Polynesian Lounge, in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood. In 2004, Thomas and Jessica decided to pursue other challenges, and sold Luau.
Thomas decided to attempt to obtain his Master Sommelier certification, the highest standard for wine and spirit sales and service in the world. Thomas began as a waiter at Seattle’s Metropolitan Grill, and obtained his Basic Sommelier certification in September of 2004.
In 2005, Thomas was promoted to a Sommelier/Captain position and in 2006 he obtained his Certified Sommelier certification. Thomas was approached by Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse to be the Wine Director for it’s Seattle and Bellevue stores. He was there until 2007, and returned to The Metropolitan Grill as a Sommelier. In September of 2007, Thomas passed his Advanced Sommelier certification on the first try, and became eligible to sit The Master Sommelier Exam.
In June of 2008 Thomas was named Head Sommelier at The Metropolitan Grill. Thomas obtained his Master Sommelier certification in May 2012. Thomas is dedicated to sharing his passion for wine with his guests, friends, and loved ones, one bottle at a time.
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