ATLANTA (GA) – The Art Institute of Atlanta has announced the addition of two new degree programs: an associate in arts degree in wine, spirits, and beverage management, and a bachelor of science degree in food and beverage management. Classes begin in July under the direction of lead faculty member Ophelia Santos.
“The introduction of these new degree programs is especially well-timed,”
Wine, Spirits, and Beverage Management
The associate in arts degree in wine, spirits, and beverage management is intended to meet the beverage management needs of the hospitality industry. Strong beverage sales are important for profitability for restaurants and hospitality establishments, and this fact has created a demand for qualified professionals who can effectively manage beverage operations, not only in restaurants, but also for wine bars, specialty coffee bars, niche restaurants, and specialty retail stores. Those who will be successful in this field need to have the skills to manage the beverage component of a business, with both an understanding of the business, and in-depth training in wines, spirits, and beverages.
Graduates of the wine, spirits, and beverage management degree program are ready to face contemporary challenges and opportunities in the food and beverage industry. Entry-level career positions include beverage/bar manager, assistant banquet manager, wine or coffee bar assistant manager, and many more.
Food and Beverage Management
The graduates of this bachelor’s degree program will go beyond beverage management alone to attain the skills to manage both the food and the beverage components of a business and achieve profitability. Students will study three crucial areas: the culinary arts, beverages, and management. This specialized education will produce graduates who can make an important contribution to any food and beverage operation, prepared to take on challenging roles in this fascinating and rapidly growing industry. The uniqueness of the program lies in its in-depth focus not only on managing food services, but also on wines, spirits, and other beverages, a new area of study that is generating interest from the hospitality industry.
Entry-level job opportunities include restaurant or dining room manager, banquet or catering manager, wine or coffee bar general manager, food and beverage director, food and beverage purchasing director, food and beverage consultant, food and beverage buyer, or food and beverage senior trainer.
Students in both programs must be age 21 at the time of matriculation.
About Ophelia Santos
Ophelia Santos, D.W.S., lead faculty, holds a Level IV Diploma with Merit in Wines & Spirits and a Level III Advanced Certificate with Distinction from London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). She is currently pursuing her master’s of wine certification from the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine in London. She is a member of the Society of Wine Educators and of the United Kingdom’s Institute of Wine & Spirits. She received a master’s degree (M.A.L.D.) in international business from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University), Medford (MA), and a B.A. (cum laude) in political science and French from Wellesley College, Wellesley (MA).
Santos is the founder/director of WineWise, an Approved Program Provider for WSET certification classes in Atlanta, one of a handful of centers in the country. She is both managing editor and wine, spirits, and beverage editor for “Flavors” Magazine. Her newest project is handling marketing and public relations for a major Chilean winery.
Santos began her career in the beverage industry working in brand management for the Procter & Gamble Company on Folgers Coffee in Cincinnati. She moved to Atlanta in the 1990s and opened two locations of Il Centro, an espresso bar. Since then, she has owned and operated Vino! Restaurant and Wine Bar and Ali-Oli, a Mediterranean restaurant in Buckhead.
For information on these new programs and others offered by The Art Institute of Atlanta in culinary arts, design, media arts, or fashion, call 770.394.8300 or 800.275.4242 or online at www.artinstitutes.edu/
About The Art Institute of Atlanta
The Art Institute of Atlanta, founded in 1949, is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu)
