Ep. 2760 Winning the Restaurant Floor: Training, Education & Italian Wine with Sylvester Inda of Ci Siamo | Masterclass US Wine Market

Welcome to Episode 2760 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Marissa Muoio is in conversation with Sylvester Inda, wine director at Ci Siamo, a renowned Italian restaurant in New York City. Together, they explore training, education and Italian wine in the context of hospitality. Key Takeaways: How top wine directors train busy floor staff. The power of hidden gems, why American diners are looking beyond classic regions. Empowering the floor: practical ways Italian producers can format their educational materials & organize their US visits. More about the guest: Sylvester "Sly" Inda is a professional wine director and sommelier in New York City. He is best known as the wine director at Ci Siamo, an Italian restaurant in New York.  He began his career in 2013 as a wine/cellar assistant at Keens Steakhouse, later working up to assistant wine director. Post pandemic, he served in key floor and sommelier roles at high-end dining spots including Daniel Boulud’s Le Pavillon and Gramercy Tavern, where he became head sommelier. He was appointed wine director at Ci Siamo in November 2025, curating a heavily Italian-focused wine list. Connect: Website: https://www.cisiamo.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running_vines/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvester-inda-a3499563/  More about the host: Equal parts wine geek and storyteller, Marissa Muoio turns up the volume on the Italian Wine Podcast as a host of the Masterclass US Wine Market series! Marissa’s love affair with Italian wine started with a simple realization: behind every bottle of Nebbiolo, Brunello, or Fiano is a wild story of ancient history, passionate families, and incredible food pairings. But getting those stories onto American tables takes strategy. On the Masterclass US Wine Market, Marissa bridges the gap between Italian cellars and the American trade. She brings high energy, sharp questions, and plenty of laughs while chatting with top industry insiders, sommeliers, and importers on the East Coast. When she’s not in front of the mic geeking out over volcanic soils and forgotten appellations, you’ll usually find Marissa on the hunt for the perfect plate of pasta, road-testing new wine bars, or swirling something new with friends. Her ultimate motto? No acqua, solo vino. Connect: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissamuoio/ LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/marissa-muoio/ Website: http://linktr.ee/marissamuoio More interviews on US Wine Market: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/episodes_category/masterclass-us-wine-market/  _______________________________ Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mammajumboshrimp    If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/  Until next time, Cin Cin!