Near and Dear
A pair of industry leaders join forces to provide an elevated dining experience at Dear Restaurant and Butchery Written by Matthew Millett / Photography by Andrew Kung Austin Heidt, sommelier and owner of Dear Restaurant and Butchery, developed a passion for wine based on family experiences as a youth. “I always associated wine with family and special occasions, like being around the dinner table with friends,” he explained. Heidt’s ember of interest in the ‘art of the sommelier’ grew into a flame during a stint at Pigall’s early in his career. “The sommelier was that added layer of hospitality that I felt rounded out the restaurant experience,” he said. Fanning the flames as a student at the Culinary Institute of America at The Greystone Academy in Saint Helena Napa, 22 slmag.net
California, Heidt’s passion and understanding of wine and hospitality was further solidified. He worked as an assistant winemaker at the Notre Vin winery in the Chalk Hill area of Sonoma, California, and rounded out his knowledge base by participating in seven harvests across five different countries. A certified wine educator, Heidt has passed two out of three tests for the Master of Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and is in year one of the Master of Wine program. This wealth of experience translates into an elevated guest experience at Dear Restaurant and Butchery.
