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Mia Van de Water MS

Master Sommelier and Head of Beverage Operations at Cote Korean Steakhouse, New York

Mia Van de Water is a restaurant industry veteran with a career spanning nearly two decades and was named one of as Food & Wine’s Sommeliers of the Year (2016). In 2017, she joined the sommelier team at the acclaimed Eleven Madison Park, Michelin 3-Star and 2017 World’s Best Restaurant (San Pellegrino World’s Fifty Best). She is now the Assistant General Manager at Cote Korean Steakhouse in Manhattan (Michelin 1-Star & James Beard Best New Restaurant 2018).  Mia passed the Court of Master Sommelier’s Advanced Exam in 2014 with the highest score of the year, earning her a Rudd Scholarship and the Johnston Medal, and passed the Master Sommelier exam (twice) in 2018. Alongside her operational experience, Mia is heavily involved in wine education, having created educational programming for the teams at both North End Grill and Eleven Madison Park, and teaching courses around the country for the Court of Master Sommeliers and Wines From Spain.

Mia is currently Head of Beverage Operations at Cote Korean Steakhouse.

Meet the other judges

John Maraffa

Corporate Beverage Manager, Morton's The Steakhouse | Strip House Steakhouse & Cocktail Lounge | Morton's Grille