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Kevin Zraly
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Kevin Zraly’s career reads like a classic hospitality ascent: from the dining room to the classroom, and then into one of the most storied wine posts in New York City. He began working in wine and hospitality at The DePuy Canal House in High Falls in 1970, where the rhythm of service and the discipline of the floor formed the practical foundation of his approach. The following year, he taught his first wine class, a first step that would come to define the rest of his career. From the outset, the arc was clear, even if the destination was still taking shape: restaurant floor, first classroom, then a major New York City wine role.
The Climb
Early in their career, Kevin worked as wine director at Windows on the World in New York, New York, USA (1976–2001), a post that placed him at the center of an influential dining room with an audience as varied as the city itself. The title carried more than authority; it implied stewardship, translation, and the ability to make wine feel approachable without diminishing its complexity. In 2016, he returned to the Windows on the World name again as founder and teacher at Windows on the World Wine School in New York, New York, USA (from 2016), extending the educational mission that had shadowed his career from the beginning. The continuity between those chapters is unmistakable: the same voice that once guided guests through bottles at the table now helped shape the classroom experience.
Today
His specialty is wine education. That focus has long been the thread running through his work, linking service, instruction, and the larger pleasure of helping people understand what is in the glass. Wine education, in his case, is not simply a subject; it is the form his career has taken, from those first lessons after The DePuy Canal House in High Falls to the enduring influence of Windows on the World in New York, New York, USA.
Signature
Kevin's signature dishes include Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, Wine & Cheese 101, Wine History, and Types & Production. Each title reflects a teacherly instinct: to organize, clarify, and open up wine’s world in ways that feel welcoming rather than forbidding. There is a practical elegance to that lineup, and it mirrors the broader shape of his career. The course material may vary, but the aim remains consistent — to bring structure to a subject often treated as mysterious, and to do so with the confidence of someone who has spent decades at the intersection of hospitality and instruction.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Kevin
What is Kevin Zraly's current role?
As of 2026, Kevin Zraly is Wine Director.
Where did Kevin Zraly work before?
Kevin Zraly's earlier career included Windows on the World and Windows on the World Wine School.
What recognition has Kevin Zraly received?
Lifetime Achievement Award (2011).
