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Sébastien Verrier
Palme d’Or Maitre D' and Head Sommelier

Sébastien Verrier, Palme d’Or Maitre D' and Head Sommelier, joined the Biltmore team in the fall of 1999. He is in charge of the wine lists at Palme d'Or and Fontana, as well as wine pairings for all the hotel's winemaker-theme dinners. Verrier oversees the smooth delivery of exceptional service and assists guests in pairing delectable dishes with outstanding wines.

Paris-born Verrier has garnered a stellar reputation as a sommelier, one who relishes in the mantra "always learning, always tasting, always working on the palate" associated with his profession. At he early age of 15, Verrier entered the profession as a sommelier's assistant at Paris's Michelin-star restaurant Le Clos Longchamps. Verrier balanced his career while earning a bachelor degree in wine stewardship.

Having embarked on the path to master wine, Verrier became equally determined to learn English. After two years as second sommelier at the famed Michelin-star Le Jardin restaurant at the Hotel Royal Monceau in Paris, he headed for London where he held the position of captain/sommelier at Mon Plaisir restaurant. Wanderlust, which often accompanies wine expertise because of its global nature, had set in by 1998. Verrier set his sights on New York City, where he spent a year as a captain at Les Trois Jeans before taking off for Australia and an exploration of its viniculture.
 
In addition to his position at the Biltmore, Verrier is also an instructor with the United States Sommelier Association Wine School at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miramar, Florida.