Court of Master Sommeliers - NY Times Article Statement
Since the release of the NY Times article highlighting numerous instances of predatory sexual conduct involving sommeliers, including certain members of the Court of Master Sommeliers (the “Court”) and GuildSomm, there have been a number of social media posts and blogs that have inaccurately sought to associate our company, SOMM Films, and our streaming network, SOMM TV, with the individuals and organizations covered by the Article. First and foremost, like everyone else, we are horrified by the conduct described in the Article and firmly believe that there is no place for sexually predatory conduct or sexual harassment of any sort in the wine or broader hospitality industry, or any other industry for that matter, and we are supportive of (and , in fact, have supported) the women who had the courage to go public with their stories in an effort to bring about change. We are hopeful that the organizations that support the sommelier community will learn from these stories and take appropriate action.
To clarify some of the inaccuracies that have been posted on social media about our company, we note as follows:
1.) SOMM Films is a private company, a substantial percentage of which is owned by women, that focuses on providing educational and entertaining content about the wine, food and, more generally, the hospitality and leisure sectors to our audience.
2.) Although we have featured Master Sommeliers in our content, including some of the individuals who are the subject of the NY Time Article, we have no business relationship with the Court or GuildSomm, the organizations whose members are the subject of the Article, or a business or other relationship with the individuals whose predatory conduct is portrayed in the Article.
3.) No member of the Court or GuildSomm have an ownership interest in our company.
4.) SOMM Films always has, and will continue to enforce strict ethical guidelines with respect to our business partners; the same guidelines that we expect our diverse and wonderful staff to live by, and we will sever ties with anyone that does not live up to those ethical guidelines.
Among the fundamental principles of our organization are the following:
1.) Inclusiveness. Our goal is to build a platform that is representative of our society at large, that features individuals from all genders and ethnic groups, that does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, sexual preference or identity or disability, and that provides a safe place to learn from, and be entertained by, our content.
2.) Equality: We believe all individuals are equal and should be afforded the same opportunities regardless of their color, creed, sexual orientation, gender, race or disability.
3.) Responsibility: We believe we have a responsibility to support each other and protect these beliefs in an effort to continue to create a more inclusive and progressive world.
Like everyone else, the team at SOMM Films is profoundly disturbed by the events portrayed in the Article. We, however, do not believe that conduct of the individuals portrayed in the Article are representative of the industry as a whole, although they are certainly reflective of institutional failures on a large scale that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. We are encouraged by some of the actions that have been taken to date. Nonetheless, we plan to continue to create a space in the world of food and wine that is both entertaining and educational, while representing the true diversity of the industry. The food and wine industry is comprised of a dedicated, thoughtful and talented group of people whose stories need to be told. We plan to continue to tell those stories.