Eddie Osterland

America’s First Master Sommelier, Business Coach

Topics: Business, Business Growth, Business Leadership, Sales, Entertainment, Leadership, Branding & Marketing, Customer Experience

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Biography

Originally from New Jersey, Eddie first tapped into his natural salesman abilities while attending graduate school in Honolulu, Hawaii. With no food or beverage industry experience he landed a waiter position on the top floor of the Ilikai luxury hotel. While working as a waiter at night, and attending graduate school during the day, Eddie found the time to become a airplane pilot so as to better enjoy traveling throughout Hawaii’s beautiful islands. Occasionally, he traveled in the company of his pet monkey!

One evening, he was asked to substitute for the restaurant’s sommelier. Upon realizing how enjoyable and lucrative being a sommelier was, Eddie eventually decided to go to France where he earned his degree in Professional Tasting (D.U.A.D-Diplôme Universitaire D’Aptitude A la Dégustation Des Vins) at the University of Bordeaux.

While living in France he worked as the head Sommelier at the Hôtel de la Poste, Beaune France. Eventually he went to London where he became the first American to pass the Master Sommelier Diploma in London in 1973.

Realizing that to be successful in the food and beverage industry he needed to live where his expertise was in demand, and, ready for more adventure, Eddie moved to New York City in 1982. While living and working in New York, Eddie served as the director of trade education for the International Wine Center. He traveled to 25 cities a year teaching client retention strategies on behalf of organizations such as the National Restaurant Association, the Italian Trade Center, and American Express.

After living in New York City for five years, Eddie decided to move to San Diego, California, and pursue speaking events where he can contribute his unique expertise of food and wine combined with sales psychology to create memorable events for clients and others. He has coached leaders from Citibank, General Mills, IBM and Proctor & Gamble on how to create memorable client dinners and experiences. He also taught during multiple corporate entertaining events at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Eddie resides in San Diego, California with his wife. He enjoys creating unique and lively evenings of entertainment for friends and family, and enjoys spending time with his daughter. He speaks at corporate events around the country, showing his audience how fine wine and food can be enjoyed without pretension and how to create a dining experience that will help you acquire clients. He is the author of the book Power Entertaining: Secrets to Building Lasting Relationships, Hosting Unforgettable Events, and Closing Big Deals from America’s 1st Master Sommelier. He continues to maintain his instrument pilot rating.

Contact us for Eddie Osterland fees and availability

Videos

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Power Entertaining with Food and Wine

Who better than the man who wrote the book… Power Entertaining: Secrets to Building Lasting Relationships, Hosting Unforgettable Events, and Closing Big Deals from America’s 1st Master Sommelier.

“Eat No Mor Chikn!” All too often people seem to adhere to a strict set of rules when it comes to Dinner events. Boring Rubber chicken and Filet Mignon dinners are what we’ve all seen. Food and beverage is often the weakest component to any meeting. It doesn’t have to be that way. It’s time to do it differently.

Your business and sales functions will transform into memorable social events unlike any your clients have ever seen, that people will want to attend again and again.

Gone are those boring business dinners where tables of 8 or 10 sit, eat and leave, having never once looked at or conversed with the stranger sitting next to them. This is a highly entertaining event…with an explosive start-up, followed by humorous anecdotes and true stories. Osterland uses pairs of amazing wines combined with a custom designed dinner he’s created with your chef. Soon the room is filled with excitement as your guests begin to interact while he shares with them with his “Power Entertaining Tips” and guides them into their next wine and food pairing.

Your guests learn Osterland’s new operating system:

- How to use Power Entertaining as a powerful business development and client relations strategy. It’s not just about “boozing and schmoozing!”
- How to Close Big Deals using Food and Wine with ease, knowledge and confidence.
- Become a “Center of Influence.” Learn to brand yourself and your company with others by creating memorable and enjoyable social events that people will long remember and always associate with you.
- Use Food and Wine as “The International currency for connection to attract High Net Worth Clients.”

Power Entertaining….a Virtual Wine-Tasting Experience Hosted by America’s 1st Master Sommelier, Eddie Osterland

Fasten your seat belts for a one hour version of Osterland’s book Power Entertaining. In the first minute you will be asked to taste 2 wines in a side-by-side format and choose which one you like best. Then, Osterland will train you why you chose the wine you did. Just like your fingerprints, your palate is equally different. You need to learn what your personal taste thresholds are and how to log your impressions in a systematic fashion.

You will learn to use his Wine Evaluation Form so that you develop confidence in describing a wine’s quality. As you enjoy the wines (4) he will teach you how wine expresses itself in 3 waves of flavor (Attack, Evolution & Finish), how real tasters learn to breathe backwards (Retro-Nasal canal) to amplify a wine’s flavor. As well, you will learn 7 Power Entertaining tips that you must learn to entertain people better than anyone else.

He will explain that in order to properly pair food & wine, each must amplify each other’s assets ( 1 + 1 = 3). In all wine tasting events, you must strive to teach people something rather than take them up to altitude with alcohol like everybody else does. Osterland will show you what you need to teach them which will endear them to you and want to come back for more.

Testimonials

Eddie Osterland is not only America’s First Master Sommelier, he is a brilliant business- man who understands the principles of how to make occasions special. He can show you how to make any meeting or event a more memorable and impactful event. His mastery is matching the elements to the intended results. He has toured the world training senior executives in the finer touches of leadership and gracious business practices. Let him show you how to make your busi- ness dealings more fun and more creative. I learn from him and admire him. You will too!

– Jim Cathcart, Author, Relationship Selling Past President of the National Speaker’s Association

We had Eddie do his Power Entertaining reception for Questmont this year...bottom line: Nearly one-third of the attendees were non-clients (Attorneys and CPAs) who have referred us numerous high net-worth clients with whom we are following up on. As well, we landed one direct client at the event whose contribution covered the expense of the entire event.

– Taylor Ranker, CEO Questmont Strategic Wealth Advisors

It was such a pleasure working with you. It is always a challenge entertaining this global and very sophisticated crowd and you were just the ticket. Having you available to us in the planning stages for the evening's menus and wine selection was a huge help to me. We received several compliments from our participants about your availability at the reception and the opportunity they had to chat with you personally. Thanks for making me look so good.

– Nancy Blair Durden, Director of Corporate Events, Citigroup Inc.

You brought the life back to a week of long meetings and late nights. Our creativity and synergy were off the charts the following day after your presentation. We will use Power Entertaining as a relationship builder with our customers in 2017.

– Kurt T. Minko, President/CEO, RTS Retro-Tech Systems

[Eddie's] attention to detail and ability to seamlessly interact with the Bank's best CEOs, CFOs, and COOs was remarkable. We have not only asked him to return again but have also enlisted his expertise for this year's Annual Client Event. We have worked with other sommeliers in the past but have found Mr. Osterland's ability far superior to anyone else. He is very easy to work with when coordinating important client events and typically exceeds the expectations of our clients and bank personnel. If you want to create a magical event for your highly valued clients I would highly recommend Mr. Osterland and his staff.

– Bruce Breslau, Senior Vice President, Market Manager, Union Bank

If you're looking for a new way to entertain clients or develop business, [I] highly recommend using Eddie Osterland, America's first Master Sommelier. His Power Entertaining dinner is something we have used to attract new clients. His event is highly entertaining as well as offering guests great take-a-way home entertaining strategies.

– Joseph G. Romano III, President, COO, Founding Partner, Fortem Financial

Our guests are all senior-level executives who do a lot of entertaining at home. Many of them told us they couldn't wait to apply their new knowledge. We've held wine tastings before but this event was truly unique. You really engaged the audience...you made everyone feel as if they had been invited into your home. By the end of the evening, our guests were more educated about wines and truly uplifted by your style and personality. I loved your final words..."life doesn't get any better than it is right now."

– Nicole Mader, Manager, Event Planning, General Mills

Your presentation was the event that our leadership and their guests enjoyed the most. I even saw people carrying your book to read on the plane as they were heading back to the airport. You are impactful in your ability to convey the art of your skills. We truly enjoyed your tips and tricks on how to make guests walk away feeling truly special.

– Laurie A. Randall, Growth and Development Officer, Sullivan, Cotter and Associates, Inc.