Wine Pairing Dinners
Multi-course dinners where each glass carries the story of a region.
Sensorial · Educational · Cultural
Designingunforgettablehospitality throughflavor, culture,and experience.
Bilingual sommelier, cook, and hospitality leader with 25+ years of international experience — creating wine, tequila, mezcal, whisky, and culinary experiences rooted in knowledge, emotion, and guest connection.
MBA · IE MadridMaster · Mexican CuisineProfessional SommelierWSET II · DistinctionMaster · Artificial Intelligence25+ Years International
Currently
Sommelier — Barrel Room, Hotel Paso del Norte
— 01 · Profile
A life built through food, wine, culture, and service.
Antonio Gonzalez is a bilingual sommelier, cook, hospitality leader, and creator of premium gastronomic experiences with more than 25 years of international experience across wine, spirits, restaurants, private events, culinary storytelling, and guest-centered service.
His work brings together technical beverage knowledge, Mexican culinary heritage, business education, and emotional hospitality — creating experiences guests remember and recommend.
Antonio combines an MBA from Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, a Master in Mexican Cuisine, formal sommelier training, WSET education, and hands-on leadership in wine bars, tasting rooms, private dining, and premium hospitality environments.
4.86 / 5
OpenTable Rating
25
Five-Star Reviews
25+
Years International
10+
Countries Tasting Experience
— 02 · Path
Professional Experience
Twenty-five years of restaurants, tasting rooms, wine bars, private events, and international programming — from Mendoza, Argentina to California.
Current
Manager — Sommelier
The Barrel Room · Hotel Paso del Norte · El Paso, Texas
- Curates premium tasting experiences across wine, tequila, mezcal, whisky, and bourbon.
- Designs guest journeys through storytelling, education, pairings, and elevated service.
- Recognized in OpenTable reviews for warmth, professionalism, knowledge, and memorable guest experiences.
Ongoing
Founder · Private Chef · Sommelier
Tinto de Verano — private events & pairing experiences
- Designs and executes private events, catering, pairing dinners, and personalized culinary experiences.
- Creates menus and hospitality concepts across seafood, grill, tacos, paella, charcuterie, tamales, and Mexican cuisine.
Prior
Owner · Sommelier · General Manager
Vina Morita Restaurant Wine Bar
- Led restaurant and wine bar operations, wine service, guest experience, team coordination, and event programming.
Ongoing
Wine Shows · Tastings · Gastronomic Events
Independent programming
- Wine tastings, tequila and mezcal shows, opera gala wine events, pairing dinners, and beverage education experiences.
International
Wine · Cooking · Mixology Experience
France · Spain · Belgium · Ireland · Argentina · Chile · Peru · Canada · Mexico · United States
— 03 · Portfolio
Gastronomic Categories
Fifteen bodies of work — spanning fire, sea, agave, and heritage. Each category is a doorway into an experience Antonio designs, plates, pours, and hosts.
16
Coming soon
Specialty Coffee
Curated coffee experiences, brewing techniques, and pairings — coming soon.
— 04 · Signature
Signature Experiences
Curated formats Antonio programs for hotels, private clubs, wine dinners, and premium events — each built around a memorable pairing between story and palate.
Tequila Cultural Tastings
Blanco to añejo, terroir to family history — agave as heritage.
Storytelling · Bilingual · Elevated
Mezcal Journeys
Guided tastings through Oaxaca traditions, smoke, and craft.
Ancestral · Intimate · Emotional
Whisky & Bourbon Flights
Curated flights with technical depth and refined service.
Analytical · Refined · Memorable
Barrel Room Signature Tastings
Personalized guest journeys at Hotel Paso del Norte's Barrel Room.
Signature · Guided · Warm
Private Chef Experiences
Seafood, grill, paella, charcuterie, and Mexican menus in intimate settings.
Personalized · Culinary · Convivial
Mexican Culinary Heritage Events
Tamales, tlapiques, tacos and family recipes made ceremonial.
Heritage · Ceremonial · Rooted
— 05 · Guest Impact
Guests remember Antonio by name.
Verified OpenTable reviews show Antonio's direct impact on guest experience at The Barrel Room. Guests consistently describe him as knowledgeable, welcoming, fun, professional, informative, and memorable — repeatedly mentioning Antonio by name and highlighting his ability to transform tequila, mezcal, wine, and spirits tastings into educational, joyful, and culturally meaningful experiences.
4.86
Overall / 5
4.93
Service / 5
4.90
Ambience / 5
4.83
Value / 5
29
Reviews Analyzed
25
Five-Star Reviews
“Antonio was amazing.”
Verified OpenTable Review · The Barrel Room
— 06 · Craft
Education & Credentials
Two decades of formal study across business, culinary heritage, sommelier training, WSET, and emerging tools — grounding every experience in expertise.
- 2026
Master in Artificial Intelligence
BIG School
- 2024
Master in Mexican Cuisine
Culinary Art School
- —
WSET Level 2 Intermediate Certificate in Wines and Spirits
Pass with Distinction
- 2001
MBA
Instituto de Empresa · Madrid, Spain
- 1998
BBA
UNAM · Mexico City
- 1997
Professional Sommelier
Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana · Mexico City
AI & Digital Innovation
Master in Artificial Intelligence
Certificate of Completion · BIG School · 2026
Strengthens Antonio's ability to integrate AI tools into hospitality innovation, content creation, guest experience design, marketing strategy, operational planning, digital storytelling, and modern food and beverage business development.
Scan to verify
credential authenticity
Certifications Appendix
Compliance · Safety · Craft
TABC Seller Training Certification
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Compliance for premium beverage service in Texas.
First Aid & CPR Certification
Certified Provider
Guest safety readiness in hospitality environments.
CONOCER Certification
Mexican Traditional Gastronomy
Official recognition of Mexican culinary craft.
ServSafe Food Protection Manager
National Restaurant Association
Food safety leadership for professional kitchens.
OAG Hotel Training Certificate
OAG Hospitality
Advanced hotel operations and guest experience.
WSET Certificate
Wine & Spirit Education Trust
International standard for wine & spirits education.
Master in Artificial Intelligence
BIG School · 2026
AI applied to hospitality innovation & guest experience.
— 07 · Résumé
Executive CV
Download Antonio Gonzalez's executive résumé for hospitality leadership, sommelier roles, culinary experience design, premium guest service, and food and beverage management opportunities.
Scan · Save · Share
Instant access to the executive résumé.
Point your camera to open the PDF on any device — ideal for interviews, tastings, and industry introductions.
— 08 · Together
Let's create the next memorable experience.
MUTED · TAP 🔊Almita Electrónica