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Raj Vaidya
Sommelier
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
The Route
Dining-room wine work is built service by service: listening, cellar recall, pairing judgment, and the ability to make a bottle useful at the table rather than merely correct on paper. In San Francisco, Raj Vaidya developed that register at Gary Danko, where fine-dining service required precise movement between guest preference, kitchen rhythm, and the wine program. A sommelier’s range is tested by changing rooms and markets. The move to Seeger's in Atlanta placed Raj Vaidya in another service context, extending the same core work: palate discipline, producer knowledge, and the practical reading of food-and-wine fit in a dining room. New York fine dining tightened the frame further. At Per Se and then Cru, Raj Vaidya worked in rooms where wine service depends on detail, pacing, and command of classic references. Since 2009, the Head Sommelier role at Restaurant Daniel has put that craft into a long-running French-influenced dining setting, with the list and service expected to meet the room’s standard without excess explanation.
The Work Today
Private wine consulting turns restaurant sommelier work toward buying, cellaring, and advising outside the dining room. Through Raj Wine Consulting, Raj Vaidya applies that knowledge for clients while maintaining a clear through-line in French wine. At Restaurant Daniel, the wine list is described through that same orientation: French classics, selected and presented for a high-level dining context.
Accolades
Recognition in wine service tends to come from consistency rather than spectacle: lists that hold depth, pairings that serve the food, and a floor presence that gives guests confidence without taking over the meal. Raj Vaidya’s work at Restaurant Daniel and across Gary Danko, Seeger's, Per Se, and Cru has been noted in that professional frame, especially for French wine knowledge and the construction of accessible, serious wine programs.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Raj
What role does Raj Vaidya hold?
Raj Vaidya is sommelier, co-founder of Heku.
Where did Raj Vaidya work before?
Earlier in their career, Raj Vaidya worked at Gary Danko, Seeger's, and Per Se.
What is Raj Vaidya known for?
French classics.
