Local wine expert advances in sommelier competition

DEL MAR — Joshua Orr, Del Mar resident, in-house sommelier and bar manager at the downtown Marina Kitchen, has advanced as one of 25 young sommeliers in the nation to compete in the second round of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs 2013 Young Sommelier Competition.The competition kicked off on Dec. 8, 2012, with an online written exam, from which the top scoring sommeliers were selected.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized as one of the country’s top 25 young sommeliers,” Orr said. “It is with great esteem that I move onto the second round and I hope to advance to the finals as the West’s regional winner.”

The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is the world’s oldest international gastronomic society, founded in Paris in 1248. Each year the society sponsors young chef and sommelier competitions that attract contestants from throughout the world, while the Chaîne Foundation provides scholarships for students in these fields.

The competition’s next stage will be held between by March 2013, in six of the Chaîne’s regions, which includes the far West, Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, South Central, and Hawaii/Pacific. Members of the Chaîne will have an opportunity to meet the young men and women during this time and will select one representative from each region. Orr is one of three young sommeliers representing the far West. Winners of the regional competition will advance to the finals, which will be held at the Société Mondiale du Vin annual meeting in Sonoma May 4.

Orr holds the Advanced Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and is currently studying to pass his Master Sommelier certification in the spring of this year. He has been with Marina Kitchen since the restaurant’s opening in May of 2012. Before joining Marina Kitchen, Orr worked in Las Vegas as a sommelier at B&B Ristorante at the Venetian Hotel and then at Fiamma Trattoria in the MGM Grand Hotel. Orr was also the wine director for Vineagogo, a wine company in San Diego. In addition to wine certifications, Orr is also certified as a specialist of Sake from the Sake Education Council and holds a bartender’s certification through Pernod Ricard’s Bar Smarts program.

 

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