Higor Valle on Building Wine Programs for Miami's Top Restaurants and Why the Beverage Industry Is at a Crossroads

🎙️ From 7-Eleven Cashier to Corporate Wine Director: Higor Valle's Journey From Brazil to Mr. Hospitality MiamiHigor Valle, corporate wine director at Mr. Hospitality Group in Miami and founder of Wise Cellar consulting, shares his journey from arriving in Naples, Florida at 18 on a J1 visa and discovering his job had been canceled before he even landed, through a series of chance encounters that led him from a 7-Eleven cash register to busboy to sommelier after a single sip of 1995 Chateau Margaux, through building wine programs at multi-concept restaurant groups, surviving Hurricane Ian, and eventually getting a phone call offering him six weeks to build a wine program from scratch at a multimillion dollar steakhouse that was already six weeks from opening.✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:Arrived in the U.S. at 18 with a canceled job, chose to stay and rebuild.First restaurant role as busboy in Naples, fell in love with wine after tasting 1995 Chateau Margaux.Studied obsessively, became sommelier while serving weekdays.Earned Court of Master Sommeliers certifications up to advanced level.Moved to Miami after Hurricane Ian, built Lafayette’s wine program in six weeks.Now oversees wine programs across three Miami concepts with unique market approaches.Biggest challenge today: rising prices and declining alcohol consumption among younger generations.Founded Wise Cellar during COVID, offering private sommelier and consulting services.Credits his positivity to his mother, who always says “it will all work out.”🌟 Higor's Key Mentors:Friend at Lafayette Naples: Secured his first restaurant job.Hospitality Pro from San Francisco: Guided him toward becoming a sommelier.Study Partner: Pushed him to complete advanced certification.Friend at Mr. Hospitality: Called him for the six‑week wine program challenge.His Mother: Source of his resilience and optimism.👉 Don't miss this conversation about what it actually takes to build a wine program from scratch under pressure, why declining alcohol consumption and price inflation are colliding in ways the industry has never seen before, and what it means to leave your family behind and build a new one from the people around you.🔗 Connect with Higor Valle:Email: [email protected] Company: Mr. Hospitality Group and Wise Cellar Consulting📄 Transcript Available: Higor Valle on Building Wine Programs for Miami's Top Restaurants and Why the Beverage Industry Is at a Crossroads📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com