Affiliation : AUT University, Auckland
Location : Waitakere City, AKL, New Zealand

 

Cameron Douglas was New Zealand’s first Master Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide.

His experience in the Hospitality Industry spans more than 25 years and includes positions with some of the best known establishments in the country. Cameron began his wine career in the 80’s in the kitchen of one of Auckland’s most renowned restaurants, before moving to the front-of-house when he realised his true calling was working with wine and beverages; and his passion was sharing these with New Zealand’s wining and dining public. He went on to work as Sommelier for the 5-Star Sheraton Hotel as well as for another leading Auckland restaurant, for a total of more than fifteen years.

His own quest for formal qualifications led him 12 years ago to become a Lecturer at AUT University, New Zealand’s premier Hotel and Tourism School. Cameron currently spends much of his time involved in education – academically in his position as Senior Lecturer in charge of the Wine and Beverage Programme at AUT University, and ‘out in the field’ through the company he runs with his wife, consulting for the Hospitality Industry and the interested public. He counts among his clients some of the top restaurants and hotels in the Auckland region.

Cameron is the resident wine writer for Hospitality Magazine; a senior wine judge for Cuisine Magazine; a Judge for National and International Wine Award Shows (he also held the Chief Judge Front of House position for the National Culinary Fare for three years). He is the Convenor for the New Zealand Sommelier of the Year, and Chief Judge for Apprentice of the Year for the Hospitality Standards Institute of New Zealand. He writes independently for other national and international publications and is in demand as a Speaker and Conference Presenter on many wine and Hospitality-related issues.

His passion for wine and beverages requires Cameron to travel extensively within New Zealand, as well as the USA, Australasia and Europe. In 2005 he travelled to Burgundy to make wine with Premier Cru Vigneron Jean-Luc Joillot (who is also the Chair of the Confrérie Des Chevaliers Du Tastevin of Clos Vougeot fame). In 2006 and 2007 he worked as a Consulting Sommelier for the exclusive Yellowstone Club in Montana.

Cameron is determined to make the Sommelier profession as recognised and respected in New Zealand as it is elsewhere around the world, and to that end has been instrumental in the establishment of the Guild of Sommeliers in New Zealand. Steps have been made as well towards the formal establishment of the Master Sommelier qualification in New Zealand, with Level One Courses, and Level Two Certified Sommelier Certification. being held in 2006 and 2008. He is also working with the Court to introduce the qualification into Australia, with Courses held in 2008 and 2009.

Cameron calls Auckland home, residing there with his wife, though he is regularly overseas as part of his education regime - much of his ‘study time’ being in the USA, in the San Francisco area, where he is proud to support his friends and colleagues with mentoring on New Zealand wines.