Episode 24: John Ragan, Union Square Hospitality Group

Master Sommelier and Wine Director at Union Square Hospitality Group, John Ragan, is this week’s guest on In the Drink. Beyond his work with Union Square Hospitality Group, John is organizing with DeVine Intervention, an initiative designed to provide relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy. DeVine Intervention is an online wine charity auction that will give all proceeds to The Mayor’s Fund. Listen in to hear John talk about the process of becoming a Master Sommelier. What difficulties did John encounter, and how did the process help him keep an open mind in a culinary sense? How does John incorporate Danny Meyer’s signature hospitality into his wine program? Find out this and more on this week’s installment of In the Drink! Thanks to our sponsor, Cain Vineyard & Winery. “By far the most challenging part (of becoming a master sommelier) was the theory part, because being a restaurant guy soaks up a lot of hours of your day and going home to hit the books is tough.” [20:00] “At the end of the day, I’m the jack-of-all-trades that tries to keep the band together.” [21:00] — John Ragan on In the Drink See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.