Chef Gerard Craft, five-time James Beard nominated Best Chef: Midwest finalist and chef/owner of Niche, Taste by Niche, Pastaria, and Brasserie by Niche announced the appointment of Aaron Sherman as beverage director and sommelier for the group’s four restaurants. Sherman joins the team after most recently working as the sommelier of Girl & the Goat, the acclaimed Chicago restaurant from James Beard award-winning chef Stephanie Izard.
With a professional career that began as a classical musician, Sherman “came into restaurants sideways,” but he went on to work at the city’s top wine restaurants. He served as Wine Steward at the former award-winning Avenues Restaurant at the Peninsula Chicago as well as oversaw the program at NoMI at Park Hyatt Chicago, at which time the wine list received the Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence.” At Girl & the Goat, he was charged with creating a fun, inviting 190-label list that could be successful at the high-volume, popular restaurant.
“I’ve run programs from 1,500 labels of super high-end wines to a jewel box list of 61 bottles. My philosophy is that there’s amazing wine to be had at $30 or $3,000. My goal with any wine program is to find wines that showcase a great value, beautiful craftsmanship, and wines that people frankly like to drink,” he says.
With a diploma from the International Sommelier Guild (ISG) and the rank of Certified Sommelier for the Court of Master Sommeliers, Sherman gets to share his passion for wine education with the guests at all of Chef Craft’s restaurants.
“I’ve already been welcomed to St. Louis with open arms, especially from the restaurant community, and my role at Gerard’s restaurants really gives me the opportunity to have some fun with all of my different wine obsessions. I geek out on budget-friendly French wines at Brasserie; go down my rabbit hole to Italy at Pastaria; and explore my fantasy list at Niche. It’s a sommelier’s dream,” he says.