A lot of times we view sommeliers as only working a restaurant floor but in the last few years/ decade, we have seen that role expand to other establishments. Many still have this conception that you have to work in fine dining but there are other avenues that sommeliers are expanding into. We saw a rise in unemployed sommeliers during Covid-19; furthermore, many sommeliers were the first to be let go when restaurants were faced with hard decisions. We will dive into the why, and what value sommeliers hold in a restaurant and other industry settings. Sommeliers adapted during this hard time, many having to find new avenues to navigate. This presentation will take a deep dive into the ever evolving role of the sommelier. We will talk about our profession pre and post covid, and where we see the future of our industry heading. Learning Objectives: How has the role of the sommelier changed? What value does hiring a sommelier bring to your business? How will the role of the Sommelier continue to adapt?