Victoria James is the Director of Beverage and Partner at Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steakhouse in NYC as well as their new Miami location, she recently received for the second year in a row a James Beard nomination for “Outstanding Wine Program.” She has worked in restaurants since she was thirteen, fell in love with wine and when she was twenty-one became certified as a sommelier, the youngest in America. Victoria’s name has appeared on many notable lists: Forbes “30 Under 30,” Food & Wine’s “2018 Sommelier of the Year,” Zagat’s “30 Under 30,” Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Under 40,” and “2020 Sommelier of the Year.” She is the author of Drink Pink, A Celebration of Rosé (HarperCollins) and her most recent memoir became an instant international bestseller, Wine Girl, The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America’s Youngest Sommelier (Ecco/HarperCollins). She is a contributing columnist to Forbes Magazine and has written for Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Eater, and Bon Appétit. She also co-founded Wine Empowered, a 501c3 non-profit that diversifies the hospitality industry by offering tuition-free wine classes to women and BIPOC.
