Eddie Osterland

Eddie Osterland, America's first Master Sommelier, is an internationally acclaimed expert in the culinary arena of food and wine. For more than 25 years, he has performed his workshops and given educational and highly entertaining "during dinner" presentations on Power Entertaining with Food and Wine. Clients use Osterland's lifestyle coaching to strengthen customer relationships, design annual client-appreciation events and execute corporate events that go way beyond expectations. They realize how today, more than ever, you cannot afford to be naive about food and wines -- the international currency for connection.

Audiences everywhere know him as witty, approachable and non-intimidating. He gives them the knowledge and skill they need to enjoy wine, and gives them confidence to entertain.

Osterland's educational background evolved from a degree in behavioral psychology to graduating from L'Institut d'oenologie at Universite de Bordeaux with the D.U.A.D. degree (diplome d'aptitude a la deegustation des vins). He went on to become the first American to pass the grueling Master Sommelier Diploma in London in 1973. Upon returning to the United States, Osterland worked as Director of Trade Education at the International Wine Center in New York City. He was the wine editor for Restaurant Business magazine for a decade.

Over the course of his career, Osterland has worked with organizations and coached leaders from a wide range of prestigious companies, including Citibank, General Mills, Proctor & Gamble and IBM. In 2008 he participated in several major corporate entertaining events at the Beijing Olympics.