Full Name
Lucas Paya
Job Title
Owner
Company
LUCASPAYA, LLC
Speaker Bio
Having worked with some of the most respected international figures in gastronomy, Lucas has earned global recognition as a sommelier, beverage director and libations specialist. For five years, Lucas served as head sommelier and wine buyer for acclaimed chef Ferran Adrià’s highly esteemed restaurant elBulli, in Catalonia, Spain. In this capacity, he was responsible for managing the restaurant’s wine business as well as for the restaurant’s associated hotel in Sevilla, Spain. With a wine inventory of over 35,000 distinguished bottles, elBulli’s wine list was highly regarded as one of the best in the world. During his tenure at elBulli, Lucas served as a coordinator of the wine course of the “Cátedra Ferran Adrià” at the Camilo José Cela University in Madrid. Additionally, he consulted for elBulli management assignments to partner companies such as Diageo, NH Hotels, Damm Beer, Fast Good and elBullicatering.

Most recently, Lucas worked as the wine & beverage director for José Andrés´ ThinkFoodGroup (TFG), where he oversaw the wine and beverage programs for all TFG restaurants in the Washington area, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Puerto Rico. In collaboration with chef José Andrés, Lucas was responsible for designing and executing the wine and beverage programs for new and existing concepts, as well as maintaining the quality standards across all 15 locations.

Prior to coming to the U.S., Lucas worked as wine buyer and head sommelier for the celebrated Spoon + concept by chef Alain Ducasse in London. He is a member of the prestigious L’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne and a Certified Sherry Educator by the Consejo Regulador de Jerez.
Lucas Paya