A career in food, wine, and service can take all manners of twists and turns. And with the proper preparation you can even land on top.
Restauranteur Kevin O’Donnell got his start working as a teenage cook at Rhode Island’s humble Junction Pizzeria, but it wasn’t long before his talents led him to opportunities in New York City and Paris.
O’Donnell had back-of-house experience, but to open his own restaurant he’d need to be able to develop his own beverage program. To develop his expertise in wine, he enrolled in the Certificate Program in Wine Studies at Metropolitan College’s Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center. At Boston University, O’Donnell completed three levels of the program: in Level 1, he built a foundational understanding of wine studies; Level 2 saw him develop a more comprehensive body of wine knowledge; and Level 3 taught him what he’d need to know about wine’s many varietals.
Today, O’Donnell, a former James Beard Award semi-finalist, is co-owner of Newport’s Giusto. He’s also recently opened Mother Pizzeria, a high-end pie house that in some ways returns him to his roots.
Read more about this BU Certificate Program in Wine Studies alum’s career at the Boston Globe.