L.A. Perkel
Wine Director

L.A.'s Wine Picks
updated 02.18.08

They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For L.A. Perkel, the first step on her thousand-mile wine journey was arriving in the United States from the Philippines in late 1999.

Before long, L.A. had pursued her passion for wine to New York City, where she began her career in the hospitality industry. Soon, L.A. had a position at Inside, Anne Rosenzweig and Charlene Badman's West Village restaurant. She also entered the wine retailing world to create relationships within the New York City wine community.

From that base, L.A. earned her Sommelier's Certificate in 2002 from the Sommelier Society of America. L.A. went on to receive her Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits, with merit, from the International Wine Center (WSET) in 2004.

After a time in management training at the Tribeca Grill, she joined Michael's New York in February 2004 as Assistant Wine Director and Sommelier. It didn't take long for L.A.'s colleagues and customers alike to discover that despite her relative youth, L.A. possessed a true oenophile's soul. L.A. brings to the table a unique combination of unparalleled wine knowledge, unbridled enthusiasm for all aspects of the wine business, and uncompromising customer service.

In recognition of her skills and success as a sommelier, L.A. was named Wine Director of Michael's New York in June 2005. Since then, she has been making the wine program her own, much to the delight of our customers. We hope you will meet her the next time you dine and let her guide you to a fabulous wine pairing with your meal.