Josh Nadel, MS serves as Beverage Director for the NoHo Hospitality Group. In 2008, he co-founded the Oregon based winery, Gothic Wines. A decade later, he launched the wine category of Thrive Market, a million plus member online grocer founded with the mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone.
From 2001-2008, Josh served as Head Sommelier at Veritas & Cru restaurants, earning eight consecutive Wine Spectator Grand Awards. In 2004, the team at Veritas was awarded the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service.
Nadel joined Chef Andrew Carmellini in 2009 to engineer the opening beverage program for their award-winning Locanda Verde restaurant in The Greenwich Hotel. Fifteen years later, Josh continues to create and oversee the beverage programs at all NoHo’s locations, including partnerships with the Montage hotel group, the Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit, Howard Hughes, Vornado, the Related Group, and the W Hotel.
Josh has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and is a guest instructor at the International Center of Culinary Education. In 2015 and 2017, he served as US Ambassador for Wines of Alsace. In 2015, he co-starred in the Esquire network documentary ‘Uncorked’, which chronicled six sommeliers training for the Master Sommelier diploma exam. He currently serves as Chef Sommelier for Antonio Galloni & Vinous Media’s ‘Festa del Barolo’.
Josh received a B.F.A in Lithography & Drawing from S.U.N.Y Purchase in 1999. When not traveling, gardening or scuba diving, he, his wife Jo, and Australian Labradoodle, Disco, reside between Battery Park and the North Fork of Long Island, eagerly anticipating the first New York Rangers Stanley Cup since 1994.
Where are you working currently and how has being a MS supported you in your current role?
Beverage Director, NoHo Hospitality. In this role, being an MS has helped foster a culture of curiosity and education.
Where were you working when you passed?
I was working at NoHo Hospitality when I passed; there were many balloons and much rejoicing – as they had followed along the process for 8 years!!
What made you want to become an MS?
This is a question for which I’ve never really had an acute answer. There is a Lebowski achiever in me, and I saw this as the pinnacle of a field… and I just went for it. I didn’t know much about the CMS when I started. In fact, when I went to take the Advanced Exam, I literally had no idea what to expect until the week before.
What advice do you give those who are pursuing certification?
Advice: the longer your process, the more rewarding it will be
What is your desert island wine, or what wines/beverages are you currently excited about?
Ripe, unoaked, flavorful white wines from Assyrtiko to Austrian Smaragd- all things Nebbiolo, Cote Rotie, excellent Cru Beaujolais
