Meet Shelford Trotman. Shelford has achieved diverse accomplishments over the span of his 40 year career; combined with having grown up in Trinidad, and traveling extensively throughout South America, Europe, and the United States. This has given him a unique and unparalleled knowledge of food and wine. This global perspective enables him to pair wine and food with a broad and informed palette, that is rarely matched.
Creativity, passion and leadership are the hallmarks of Shelford’s career. Shelford started out as a Modern Dancer. He received a BFA degree in Dance Education from the University of the West Indies, and a performance degree from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, New York City. While studying dance, Shelford also studied the Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of Trinidad and Tobago, where he graduated with a Management Degree in Food and Beverage, specializing in Restaurant Management. It was during this that a guest speaker at the Institute, a winemaker from the Goldener Oktober Winery of Germany, recognized Shelford’s discerning palate and recommended that he study wine. Thus was launched a passion and study of wine that has been ongoing.
Shelford combines his extensive experience with credentials from the Culinary Institute of Trinidad and Tobago (Management Degree in Food and Beverage, specializing in Restaurant Management) and has also received the Higher Certificate in Wine from the International School of Wines of London, based in New York City. A Certified Advanced Sommelier, a Certified Master Sommelier from the Master Court of Sommeliers (MCS), and member of the American Sommelier Association (ASA). He has the the distinction of being amongst an elite few, having less than 60 such Master Sommeliers in the USA.
If you have a desire to enjoy wines? If you love wine? If you have questions about wine that you have been dying to ask? If you like to have fun, and would like to learn more about wine and also discover new wines? Then Shelford, our very own, local, Master Sommelier, Is the man for the job. Shelford’s friendly professionalism, and passion to share his love and knowledge of wine with the gifts has made him a natural born teacher of fine dining, and accoutrements that go along with this. This is his passion, and he has chosen to make his talents available to all. And though he has spent most of his career abroad, we are now fortunate to have him, in his native land, with us.
Shelford brings a rich and diverse history in both the culinary arts and service industries. Locally he has held various positions at Galleria Market as Wine Director, Sam’s Wines and Spirits, and has also managed the Taste, Juicy Wine Stinky Cheese Store. In New York Shelford held positions at Tavern on the Green, and in Virginia Beach managed the Bodega Restaurant and PJ Baggan Wines and Cigar Company.
