Feature: IHTTI Wine, Bar & Sommelier Lecturer Mr. Tzvetan Mihaylov

The Wine, Bar & Sommelier Lecturer is known across campus for his passion, enthusiasm and talent for wine and champagne. His classes are attended eagerly and he is creating a real impact on his students as many have gone on as budding talents in the industry.

In the past few years Mr. Mihaylov has been recognised as "Meilleur Formateur en vin de Champagne" 2010 and 2011, Swiss Ambassador of Champagne 2011 and is a member of the jury for the European Contest of Ambassadors of Champagne. With a clear buzz about this lecturer, we decided it was time to sit down with Mr. Mihaylov and learn more about how he developed his talent for the industry and landed in a teaching position at IHTTI.

SEG: What was the journey that led you to become a teacher at IHTTI?
Mr. Mihaylov: Growing up in Bulgaria, it was compulsory to choose our career path at the young age of 13! I chose to go to music school and studied to become a professional musician. However, I always regretted not having more professional opportunities so when I moved to Switzerland 15 years ago I decided to pursue my longtime passion of wine. The first thing I did was read 40 different books! I completed many tastings and took every step I could to work professionally with wine including taking the London Wine and Spirit Education Test.

SEG: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Mr. Mihaylov: The best part of my job is to be able to share my passion with the students. I cannot express in words the feeling I get when a student reaches out to me to tell me that they discovered their own passion for wine thanks to my teachings. To be able to share your passion with others is a real happiness.

SEG: What is your approach to teaching wine with the students?
Mr. Mihaylov: Beyond the classroom I started a Wine Club for IHTTI students who are interested in continuing their studies after Year 1. We explore different wines through semi-blind tastings and discuss the students’ tasting experiences. The different cultural backgrounds influence their individual palettes in the beginning and it is very interesting to watch their tastes change over time.

I have had the opportunity to do a lot of travelling and explore many different wine regions around the world. Based on the networks I have built, I organize a series of workshops that are delivered to students in the evenings. The topics include champagne, cognac, cigars, chocolate, cheese, whiskey and different wine regions.

SEG: What would be your advice to someone interested in pursuing a career in wine?
Mr. Mihaylov: A diploma or certificate is very important as it is a way to demonstrate your level of knowledge and benchmark where you are. But more importantly if you are interested in pursuing this career, it is essential you find a way to share your passion and connect with others that can help lead you to success. For example when I first began to appreciate champagne I had only first discovered the region. 2 years later I won a competition against top sommeliers and teachers around the world. Jumping in headfirst I created a small company and now 3 years later I work directly with some of the very best in Switzerland.

SEG: Can you recommend a Bulgarian wine to us?
Mr. Mihaylov: If you find yourself in Montreux there is a Bulgarian restaurant called Four Seasons that is run by Hotel Institute Montreux graduates. They sell Katarzyna wine that is delicious and reasonably priced.

Mr. Mihaylov will be presenting his "Wine, Food & All the Rest – A Sommelier’s Advice" Roundtable at the upcoming International Recruitment Forum on Tuesday, March 10^th, 2015.