Blake Morton
Nashville
Summary
Experienced Sommelier and Restaurant Manager specializing in high-end beverage program development and profit margin optimization. Enhanced guest experiences through strategic wine list curation and cellar management. Secured rare wine allocations and received accolades from Wine Spectator. Expertise in supplier negotiations and staff mentorship, fostering revenue growth and building effective hospitality teams.
Overview
1
1
Certification
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Sommelier/Wine Buyer
Urban Grub
Nashville
01.2025 - Current
- Curated world-class wine list, showcasing all nine crus of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti to enhance guest experience.
- Scaled wine program from 80 to 290 producers, increasing cellar capacity to 2,200 bottles.
- Cultivated strategic partnerships with premium distributors, resulting in 10% increase in wine sales.
- Authored and submitted beverage program, earning Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
- Mentored floor staff, fostering culture of education and enabling one server to achieve WSET Level 2 certification.
Restaurant Manager / Sommelier
Urban Wren
Greenville
03.2024 - 01.2025
- Directed daily front-of-house operations for premier restaurant, ensuring seamless service execution under luxury standards.
- Managed beverage inventories, optimizing stock levels and minimizing variance through strong supplier relationships.
- Engaged guests with tailored wine pairings, enhancing beverage sales and elevating average check sizes.
- Established feedback loops with patrons to refine menu offerings and improve service flow.
Floor Manager / Sommelier
Halls Chophouse
Greenville
02.2022 - 02.2024
- Curated an award-winning wine list, aligning cellar inventory with guest preferences to enhance profitability.
- Curated award-winning wine list, aligning cellar inventory with guest preferences to drive profitability.
- Led and mentored cross-functional team of over 50 service professionals, fostering a high-performance culture.
- Mapped nightly floor plans and guest seating layouts to optimize table turnover and increase revenue.
- Resolved complex guest issues swiftly, turning negative experiences into loyal repeat business.
Server
Ruth Chris Steakhouse
Greenville
04.2020 - 01.2022
- Enhanced guest dining experiences by leveraging extensive knowledge of premium cuts and wine pairings.
- Delivered attentive fine-dining service in high-volume steakhouse, contributing to top guest satisfaction scores.
- Managed complex orders and billing accurately under tight deadlines using advanced POS systems.
Server Assistan
Ruth Chris Steakhouse
Columbia
09.2018 - 03.2020
- Anticipated guest and server needs to uphold a pristine atmosphere during peak hours.
- Anticipated guest and server needs to maintain a welcoming atmosphere during peak hours.
- Managed table maintenance pacing and food/beverage delivery to enhance dining experience.
- Ensured cleanliness of dining area and organized table settings for optimal guest experience.
- Restocked supplies and organized utensils to support kitchen operations efficiently.
Education
High School Diploma -
Belton-Honea Path High Scool
Honea Path, SC05-2018
Skills
- wine selection
- food pairing
- Wine education
- mentoring staff
- stock optimization
- Wine events
- guests engagement
- Wine service
Certification
- Court of Master Sommelier
- Servsafe
Timeline
Sommelier/Wine Buyer
Urban Grub
01.2025 - Current
Restaurant Manager / Sommelier
Urban Wren
03.2024 - 01.2025
Floor Manager / Sommelier
Halls Chophouse
02.2022 - 02.2024
Server
Ruth Chris Steakhouse
04.2020 - 01.2022
Server Assistan
Ruth Chris Steakhouse
09.2018 - 03.2020
High School Diploma -
Belton-Honea Path High Scool