Julia Hofsass

With over a decade of experience spanning both front and back-of-house, fine dining, and wine expertise, Julia Hofsass is currently a sommelier at Marea, the recipient of the 2010 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, three stars from The New York Times, was named Best New Restaurant by Bon Appetit, Esquire, and GQ Magazines and was also named NYC’s Best Italian Restaurant by Zagat..

Julia’s culinary journey began as a line cook while studying at the Culinary Institute of America. It was during a Food & Beverage internship at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee that Julia discovered her love for wine and its ability to elevate the dining experience through thoughtful pairings. The tutelage from the Sommelier team at Blackberry has played a huge role in Julia's career and she emphasizes giving back that same guidance to eager young wine aficionados whether they are on her team or on the other side of the table as a guest. 

Her service and wine knowledge flourished at Cafe Boulud in the Blantyre Hotel, where she served as Assistant General Manager and Head Sommelier. In this role, she not only managed the wine program but also led the front-of-house team. Julia further honed her skills in New York City’s fine dining scene, serving as a Sommelier at Eric Ripert’s 3-Michelin starred Le Bernardin before becoming General Manager and Chef Sommelier at the acclaimed Aldo Sohm Wine Bar. 

Through her combined experience in so many different faces of a restaurant, Julia has found her passion in making wine approachable and exciting to anyone willing to keep an open mind and try something new!