Favorite Wine Regions:

I never would have thought it possible, but I am truly obsessed with all things Italian. I love it
all – North, South, East, West, Nebbiolo, Aglianico, Nero d'Avola, et al!

Philosophy on Wine:

There is a wine for everyone, every place and every time.

What I Do When I'm Not Working:

I explore other restaurants. I look at the entire restaurant realm as my personal wine cellar. I have always felt that it is way more fun to enjoy a great bottle alongside great food, served by people that are excited, and in a place where I don't have to wash the Riedel afterward!

Wine vs. Cocktails?:

I am on a crusade to fill every wine glass on all of the tables in restaurants. I am a firm believer that most people who drink cocktails instead of wine throughout the course of an amazing meal do so because:

• They have never been turned on to the wine of their dreams by a smart and creative sommelier.
• There is a perception that wine is rarely a good deal in restaurants.

At the restaurants where I direct the beverage programs I make every effort to combat these two factors.

A Little More About Belinda:

Star sommelier Belinda Chang is known in the wine industry for creating wine programs and wine lists that elevate the process of ordering wine from something often stereotyped as formal or even intimidating to an experience of enjoyment. Belinda's effervescent personality and wine expertise has graced the dining rooms of Fifth Floor in San Francisco as well as Charlie Trotter's in Chicago. In 2004, she received the James Beard Foundation's nomination for Outstanding Wine Service. Belinda has been the opening Wine and Service Director for Chef Rick Tramonto's last five restaurants in Chicago: Osteria Via Stato, Osteria di Tramonto, Tramonto's Steak and Seafood, RT Lounge & Gale's Coffee Bar. She is now joining famed restaurateur Danny Meyer as the Wine Director of The Modern in New York's Museum of Modern Art.