Episode 56: Steve Olson

Steve Olson is dedicated to the education and consultation of degustation for appreciation and celebration. He teaches, lectures, and writes all over the world about wine, beer, spirits, sake, and virtually any other beverage under the sun, discussing their integral cause-and-effect relationship with food as he preaches the gospel of his mission: making tasting fun by removing the intimidation factor and the pretense. Olson’s company, aka wine geek, specializes in beverage and service consulting, and has focused on the professional presentation of beverage education for the trade, consumers, press and the media since 1992. Olson may be best known to many for his restaurant and bar consulting, having designed the innovative beverage programs and service sytems for several nationally acclaimed operations, including the Relais Chateau, Mobil Five Star award-winning Mayflower Inn in Connecticut, New York City’s #1 Zagat-rated restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, and the Adam Tihany-designed Summit at the Mobil Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond BROADMOOR in Colorado Springs. His most recent venture are Isola, Hudson Lodge, Hudson Common, and Reserve Bar, each in Manhattan, where Olson and team act as beverage consultant to the Morgan Hotel Group in NYC. Tune-in to hear how much Steve values service in his restaurants, and which restaurant in the East Village Steve is partnering with right now. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “Food has always been first. That’s been my success key. I love food – and to me, it’s not about our wine lists. It’s about making the food taste even better than it already does when it leaves the chef’s fingertips.” [5:38] — Steve Olson on In the Drink