Alpana Singh

One of only 274 Master Sommeliers worldwide, and one of just 24 women to be given the distinction, Alpana Singh became the youngest female to pass the final level of the Master Sommelier exam, at the age of 26.

Born and raised in Monterey, California, Alpana’s strong work ethic and ease with people of all ages stemmed from a youth spent working in her family’s ethnic grocery store. Later, while waiting tables in college, she fell in love with wine and discovered that it united her varied interests in traveling, history, and food.

Alpana Singh shares her inspiring story of rising from the daughter of Fijian immigrants to becoming a successful entrepreneur and television personality all while navigating a male-dominated profession. She gives groups a glimpse of the back of the house as she teaches them how to taste wines “blind,” purchase bottles like a professional, and pair with meals for any occasion.

At the age of 19, Alpana pursued a path in the business with a job as a wine sales clerk at Nielsen Bros. Market in Carmel, California. By 23, she had landed the sommelier position at the world-renowned Everest Restaurant in Chicago. Just three years later at the age of 26, she earned the title Master Sommelier.

This distinguished accomplishment, along with her effervescence, experience and energy, was magnetic, and it wasn’t long before Alpana Singh found herself in the local spotlight. For ten seasons, she served as the host of the three-time Emmy Award-winning restaurant review television show, Check, Please!, on Chicago’s PBS station, and returned in 2018 after a five-year absence. In 2014, she also appeared as a featured judge on Food Network’s Food Truck Face Off.

In 2006, Alpana released her first book, Alpana Pours, a unique lifestyle book that shares her social observations of wine, contemporary women, and relationships. A humorous and real look at the sometimes absurd interactions between men and women plays out in an entertaining book of tips for hosting and entertaining.

In December 2012, Alpana opened her first restaurant, The Boarding House, a wine-driven concept in the River North neighborhood. In February 2015, she opened her second restaurant, Seven Lions, on Chicago’s iconic Michigan Avenue, and then in 2016, she opened her third restaurant venture, Terra & Vine, in Evanston, Illinois.

Alpana has been recognized for her various achievements and contributions to both her industry and community. In 2001, Alpana was included as a Crain’s “40 Under 40” honoree in Chicago at the age of 24, Bon Appetit named her “Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year” in 2006, and she received the “Sommelier of the Year” Wine Star Award from Wine Enthusiast magazine. She has also been featured in numerous publications, including Newsweek, Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, Chicago Tribune, and The New York Times.

A prominent member of the community, Alpana is a member of the Choose Chicago Board of Directors and on the Advisory Council for the Illinois Restaurant Association. She played a significant role in bringing the James Beard Foundation Awards to the city of Chicago in 2015 and is an avid supporter of Deborah’s Place, an organization that assists and empowers women facing homelessness.