Erik Segelbaum

Erik Segelbaum Speaker Biography

Erik Segelbaum, founder of GoodSomm (a luxury lifestyle wine club), 2020 Wine Enthusiast 40 under 40 Global Tastemaker and Food & Wine Magazine 2019 Sommelier of the Year. With nearly 3 decades of industry experience, he has a proven track record of success in the hospitality industry. This includes creating and running highly profitable, award winning and operationally efficient beverage programs, delivering enlightening staff and management training, effective profitability maximization strategies, operational improvements, revenue amplification and more. Prior to founding SOMLYAY, Segelbaum held a number of diverse roles that include Corporate Beverage Director for Starr Restaurants, Head Sommelier of MV The World, and Corporate Wine Director of Schwartz Brothers Restaurants.

Erik is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Certified Specialist of Wine (with distinction) with the Society of Wine Educators, and Wine and Spirits Locations Specialist (with distinction). Erik's hospitality experience includes 10 years as a fine dining chef and nearly two decades in front-of-house. Segelbaum has opened more than 30 restaurants, hotels and venues including building, implementing, executing and training of beverage programs. His experience set includes everything from Michelin Star fine dining to fast casual to multi-unit concepts. Segelbaum is a wine educator with ongoing sessions at Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. as well as private and corporate events. Segelbaum lectures at many confer- ences including CIA's Bev Pro, SommCon, VIBE, ABID, et-cetera. Segelbaum is a wine journalist with recurring columns and content in multiple consumer and trade publications. Segelbaum serves as the Vice President of the United Sommeliers Foundation, a charitable fund that provides financial assistance to sommeliers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own (such as the global COVID-19 pandemic).