John Slover

John has twelve years experience in the restaurant industry, including seven as a Wine Director/Sommelier. While serving tables in Boston in 1996, he became passionately interested in wine, a passion that propelled his move to New York City. After four years of intensive tasting and studying, and working in several Manhattan restaurants, John became the Wine Director at Blue Hill in March of 2000. He was responsible for all phases of the wine program including wine list purchases, design, staff education and service. He then became a Sommelier at Washington Park, which reopened as Cru in 2004. At the end of 2005 John’s responsibilities at Cru grew to include the full administration of the 4000-selection wine list. In 2007 John left Cru to launch Grand Cru Wine Consulting with partners Robert Bohr, Roy Welland and David Beckwith, a company providing collectors with rare wine concierge services. It offers a full portfolio of services including acquisitions, liquidation, cellar management, private events, gifts and travel planning.

In 2009, he became Wine Director at Bar Henry Bistro where he pioneered the half bottle approach, opening wines and serving half, and selling the rest of the bottle off by the glass. He took the same half bottle approach to Ciano in November 2010 opening as their Wine Director.