Romuald Toulon,
Sommelier, Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
A native of the Loire Valley, Rom grew up amongst some of the world's
premiere vineyards. The impression made by his easy charm and delicious French
accent is only surpassed by that of his astounding breadth of knowledge of all
things wine.
The perpetual smile on his face belies his pure enjoyment of his job and his
delight in being able to spend all of his time absorbed in the wondrous world of
wine. When not creating custom food pairings for guests of Seasons restaurant or
designing innovative wine flights, he is out among the grapes, exploring the
growing nearby wine regions of Napa, Sonoma, Central Coast, Oregon and
Washington.
Rom's extensive experience began at the age of nine with his first taste of
wine. He was hooked instantly and went on to excel at the Centre de Formation
pour Apprentis where he received his Mention de Sommelier. In 1996, he won the
acclaimed Jeune Sommelier of the Loire Valley and was a semi-finalist in the
Jeune Sommelier de France competition the following year.
Rom worked at numerous Relais et Chateaux, Michelin Star restaurants
including the renowned Sheen Falls Lodge in Ireland. His Four Seasons career
began in Toronto, continued in London at the Inn on the Park and in Paris at the
Georges V, before bringing him to his current post in the beautiful city by the
bay.