Alpana Singh
Alpana Singh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Need valid birth date: year, month, day Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Master Sommelier, entrepreneur, television personality |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | Youngest woman to earn Master Sommelier title (2003), host of Check, Please!, founder of The Boarding House and Terra & Vine |
Alpana Singh (born November 1976) is a distinguished American Master Sommelier, entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, and a well-known local television personality based in Chicago, Illinois.
Early life
Born and raised in Monterey, California, Singh is the daughter of Indo-Fijian immigrants who relocated from Fiji. Her family operated an ethnic grocery store, while her father had a three-decade career as a chef.
Career
Singh's initial experience in the restaurant field beyond her family’s business was working as a server at Bakers Square. After an unsuccessful attempt to enlist in the US Air Force, she shifted her focus to fine dining but recognized the need to deepen her knowledge of wine. Through self-directed learning, she secured employment at Nielsen Bros. Market in Carmel, California, where she enhanced her wine expertise.
At just 21 years old, Singh passed the advanced certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, becoming the youngest woman to earn the Master Sommelier distinction in 2003—a credential with an approximate 3% success rate. Beginning at age 23, she worked as a sommelier at Chicago’s Everest and subsequently took on the role of Director of Wine and Spirits for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a prominent restaurant group headquartered in Chicago.
Singh rose to wider public recognition as the host of PBS station WTTW’s restaurant review program Check, Please! from 2003 until 2013, returning for a two-year contract starting in 2018. Additionally, she was a frequent contributor on Chicago Tonight through the "Ask Alpana" segment.
In 2006, Singh published her book Alpana Pours: About Being a Woman, Loving Wine, and Having Great Relationships and contributed a wine column to RedEye.
December 2012 saw Singh open The Boarding House, a wine-centric dining establishment located in Chicago’s River North district. This four-story venue received national accolades from outlets such as Forbes Travel Guide and Food & Wine, including being named among the "100 Best Wine Restaurants" by Wine Enthusiast. The Boarding House ceased operations in July 2018 after Singh divested her ownership interest.
She also launched Seven Lions, an American-style restaurant on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, before selling her stake in October 2017 while considering a campaign for Cook County commissioner—a political endeavor she ultimately decided not to pursue. Singh remains proprietor of Terra & Vine in nearby Evanston, Illinois.
Between 2014 and 2015, Singh served as a judge on Food Network’s competition series Food Truck Face Off.
In late 2020, following revelations about sexual misconduct within the Court of Master Sommeliers, Singh voluntarily relinquished her Master Sommelier title to stand in solidarity with the women who reported harassment.
Personal life
Singh married novelist Charles Blackstone in 2006; their marriage ended in divorce in 2014.
Honors and accolades
- Named Wine & Spirits Professional of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine in 2006
- Awarded Best Sommelier in America by Wine and Spirits magazine
- Featured on Crain's Chicago Business 40 Under 40 list
- Included in Food & Wine's 35 Under 35
- Recognized as Best Sommelier (2004) by Chicago magazine
- Selected for the 30 Under 30 list (2006) by Jane magazine