John Peter Laloganes

John Peter Laloganes

Sommelier and Management Instructor, the International Culinary School

at the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago

John Peter Laloganes is an educator, author and sommelier who is willing to break down barriers of intimidation one beverage drinker at a time. He utilizes enthusiasm, humor and unbridled passion to convey the essence of whatever he teaches.

John has worked in the restaurant industry since the mid-1980s and works avidly with Midwest restaurants and related establishments in assisting them to become more successful. He has taken extensive coursework in Culinary Arts, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management (with a specialization in Food and Beverage Management as well as Training and Human Resource Development) from the University of Wisconsin–Stout and a Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. Currently, John is pursuing his Doctorate degree from Argosy University in Organizational Development.

John has traveled and tasted extensively throughout the major wine producing regions of Europe. "I teach about wine not for the romp of Burgundy and Bordeaux, but for the opportunity to explore the culture and relationships that exist around the evolution of food and drink."

Previously, John was an Associate Professor at Le Cordon Bleu of Chicago where he earned the "Educator of the Year" award in 2004 and the “Customer Service Award” from North American Le Cordon Bleu Schools in 2005. John also was awarded the distinctive Sommelier Diploma (level III) through the International Sommelier Guild (ISG) in 2007.

Fom 2007–2009, John trained wine fundamentals level I and II for industry professionals through the International Sommelier Guild. Currently, Mr. Laloganes is a sommelier/management instructor at the International Culinary School at the Illinois Institute of Art–Chicago and, in addition, teaches wine and beverage seminars for Kendall College and Robert Morris University. He conducts irregular four-week consumer wine training and tasting sessions “Wine Made Simple” at WineStyles Belmont. A sampling of John’s consulting and teaching clients include: The Grey Plume—awarded “America’s Greenest Restaurant in 2010”—Merrill Lynch, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, Pearson Education, Prentice Hall, Cellar Angels and others.

In the September 2011 issue of Bon Appétit, David Lynch, a James Beard Award

winning Sommelier and author of Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy recognized John’s beverage menu from the Grey Plume as one of his top 5 favorite condensed wine lists.

John has authored and contributed to four books and several beverage related articles. His first book was the Essentials of Wine with Food Pairing Techniques released in 2009. The Essentials of Wine is a definitive guide for the novice and intermediate wine drinker. The book is written in a straightforward approach to understanding wine and providing a framework for making intelligent food-pairing decisions. There was also a modified version of the book, “Food, Wine, Culture in California” that was released in 2010. John's latest book is titled the Beverage Manager's Guide to Wines, Beers and Spirits 3rd edition.

John is a current member of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE), the

International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Feel free to visit John’s web-site at www.johnlaloganes.com for wine and beverage friendly resources and more information about his services.