Beverage Director
Thomas Kakalios
Beverage Service Professional
- Discipline
- Beverage Director
- Based in
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
i. Biography
Lead Sommelier work is floor work: reading the room, pacing the pour, and keeping the list legible without turning service into a lecture. At Asador Bastian in Chicago, Thomas Kakalios runs that work with a calm, attentive rhythm, shaping the guest experience from the first look at the wine list to the final glass. As beverage director overseeing three Eat Well Hospitality restaurants, he extends the same structure across multiple dining rooms, keeping the emphasis on clarity, hospitality, and precision.
The Path
A practical run through Chicago service roles gave Thomas Kakalios the kind of base that shows up in the room, not just on a resume. He started as barback at downtown Chicago basement bar in Chicago, then moved into wine list and staff education at Daisies in Chicago, where the work centered on how a team talks about wine and how that knowledge lands at the table. From there, the scope widened at NEXT (Alinea Group) in Chicago, where he joined the wine program team. That role added another layer to his approach, tying list-building more tightly to service and the overall dining experience. He later worked as sommelier at Yugen in Chicago, then as sommelier at Smyth and The Loyalist in Chicago, continuing to refine the balance between technical knowledge and the pace of the dining room. Today, Thomas is wine program lead and Lead Sommelier of Asador Bastian (since 2023), and beverage director overseeing three Eat Well Hospitality restaurants of Eat Well Hospitality. The throughline is accumulation: each step added more fluency in the room and more control over how wine service supports the meal.
The Work Today
At Asador Bastian, Kakalios leads a wine program built to remove friction before it reaches the guest. The work depends on sequencing, explanation, and timing, so the list feels usable rather than intimidating. In a dining room, that kind of control is often what makes service feel clean. He also serves as beverage director overseeing three Eat Well Hospitality restaurants in Chicago, which requires a wider view of service without losing the specific demands of each room. The title of Lead Sommelier points to the practical side of the job: cellar knowledge on one side, table-side translation on the other. Kakalios’s role is to make the list readable, the choices clear, and the pour fit the meal.
Signature
Thomas Kakalios is associated with wine program leadership.
In Their Words “My job is often to translate a list into terms they can understand.”
Acclaim
Thomas's honors include Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service semifinalist (2025).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Thomas
What is Thomas Kakalios's current role?
Thomas Kakalios is Lead Sommelier.
Where did Thomas Kakalios work before?
Earlier in their career, Thomas Kakalios worked at downtown Chicago basement bar, Daisies, and NEXT (Alinea Group).
What recognition has Thomas Kakalios received?
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service semifinalist (2025).
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