Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Loris Jones-Randolph. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Loris, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I realized I was an imposter, and that was okay. I am not a white man. I am not from a wealthy family. I am not what someone pictures when they hear “she’s a sommelier.” In my industry, there’s no one at the top that looks like me; in fact there are only four black Master Sommeliers and they are all men. The 33 female Master Sommeliers I can, and do, look up to, are all white women. Realizing that my blackness adds to who I am as a sommelier and refusing to diminish that or try to soften it has been the biggest game changer for myself in the industry. I don’t try to please guests with verbose formalities unless it is something they’re looking for, and often find that by being more colloquial and jovial with wine tableside, guests relax sooner and walk away with new information rather than a jilted experience with a somm. I think realizing that my duty as a sommelier is to not only help people find their wines, but also help those with the hunger to do this work see how this work can be done without stripping yourself of your culture and background.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m Loris and i’m the Wine Fairy. I’m a sommelier who is currently studying for the Advanced certification for Court of Master Sommeliers. I love writing and talking about wine, and if you’ve visited me at work before, you’ve seen that love. Being a sommelier means that not only do I make sure the wines at different restaurants are stored and properly handled, it’s my job to make sure guests who come in are getting the perfect thing for their palate and budget. In addition to spreading my fairy dust around Helen’s Wines, I’m also working with South LA Cafe to create weekly wine events at their Natural History Museum location. While we work on that programming, you can always find a recommendation for wine or pro tips on proper wine service on my instagram @boozybushwick or my website www.boozybushwick.com
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Patience, perseverance, and pampering. 1. you’ve got to wait for the right time for certain things. Not everything is a race and sometimes the best is worth the wait. 2. Perseverance is always pushing past your own limits. It’s knowing that I need to stop and take a break from studying, working out, reading, and getting back to it 15 minutes later. 3. Pampering yourself is key. If you’re not going to fill up your tank how to you expect your engine to run properly? Treating yourself and letting yourself feel good is a healthy and important step in developing. Balancing your life is the biggest key to success, not moving too fast, giving up when things are hard, or being too hard on yourself.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Wow I often feel overwhelmed, and when I do, I take three really deep breaths. I focus on a color and I place my hand on my heart and stomach and allow myself to feel the breathe move through my body. After that I think of things I’ve already accomplished, do my best to break down the task(s) at hand into priority piles, and then I mentally sort through them for things I can do quickly. I tend to do two easy tasks then a harder task, an easy, a medium, two easy tasks then another hard task and repeat this until I’ve gotten a significant chunk of the list completed. Taking things one step at a time, one room at a time, one side at a time, is really the only way for me to work through some of the anxieties that I face.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.boozybushwick.com
- Instagram: @boozybushwick
Image Credits
@heatherhodder @southlawineclub
