Brian Nyamara

It goes without saying that a day in the life of a sommelier requires lots of liquid consumption: coffee and caffeine to stay awake, water to stay hydrated, and wine to stay educated.

Brian Nyamara took 2nd place in the 2019 Distell Inter Hotel Challenge Wine Steward category
Brian represented The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg in the competition

When I was younger I would never have imagined my life the way it turned out; working at one of the world’s leading hotels!

My career started working at Nino’s coffee shop where I worked for five years. I got my qualification as a Barista through and accreditation with Ciro Coffee Academy. After my journey at Nino’s I knew that life wanted more from me and I was ready to venture forward and learn more, experience new things and grow not only in a professional environment but personally as well. I then got a rare opportunity at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg,, where I started as a Barman but soon moved to our fine dining restaurant, Grei, where I joined the sommelier team led by Lloyd Jusa.

At the age of 29 I feel like I have so much more to learn and give. My career is just getting started and I cannot wait for the opportunities that arise.