A young black sommelier has encouraged young South Africans to pursue careers that are out of the ordinary. Katlego Mathobela, 25 years old, grew up in Seshego, Polokwane. Today she is a wine specialist at a restaurant in Sandton, north of Johannesburg.
She says a curiosity about wine pushed her to become a sommelier. She is one of the few black women in a career dominated by older white males.
Mathobela explains what being a sommelier means.
“So basically being a wine sommelier you are kind of a wine specialist in a way. So basically this entails wine service, knowing your wine list, compiling your wine list. Being able to recommend different wines to different customers and also being able to read your customer as to what they can afford and what they can enjoy. And just knowing your history in terms of wine background,” explains Mathobela.
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