Sommelier Training

Are you a wine and spirits enthusiast? Would you like to pursue a career in this industry? Immerse yourself in this fascinating world today!

Overview

This intensive program is intended for graduates or professionals in the food and beverage services industry who want to acquire a solid foundation in sommellerie.

Key elements of the program

• Exclusive training at the ITHQ leading to an AVS in sommellerie in 5 months
• Visits to microbreweries, distilleries and vineyards
• Hands-on learning at the Restaurant de l’ITHQ
• Access to the ITHQ sensory analysis laboratory
• Master classes with wine experts
• Participation in competitions and major industry events
• Experienced and passionate instructors

Quench your thirst for knowledge!

What you will learn
Tasting, analyzing, advising

• Tasting and organoleptic analysis techniques
• Development of your gustatory and olfactory faculties
• Wine and spirits production processes and their influence on the product
• Wine and food pairing
• Wine and beverage service
• Wine list design
• Wine cellar management
• Customer advising

Partners

Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers

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Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers

• Students who successfully complete this program will earn “accredited sommelier” status as a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) of the Québec chapter, as long as they meet the following requirements: at least 6 months of full-time or 12 months of part-time experience in restaurant sommellerie.
• In addition, they will be granted the first year of membership free of charge provided they register online on the ACSP-Québec website.
• Finally, their names will be published on the website and added to the individual members section.

SAQ

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SAQ

Through the Fonds SAQ and the Fondation de l’ITHQ, the SAQ provides financial support for the enrichment activities of this program, including visits to vineyards and microbreweries in Québec. 

Program structure and courses

Duration and schedule

• Program starting in the fall and winter of each year 
• Spread over 5 months on a full-time basis (ministerial program totalling 450 h)
• Daytime courses and practical applications in the evening

Hands-on experience

Practical applications:

• Practical courses at the Restaurant de l’ITHQ
• Participation in sommelier competitions and a gastronomic banquet

Diploma

• Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS) in Sommellerie from the Ministère de l’Éducation
• ITHQ Signature certificate in Sommellerie
• Recognition by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers

Admission

Admission application periods

Admission requirements

To be eligible for this program, you must: 

• Hold a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Food and Beverage Services or have received equivalent training, OR
• Have a combination of sufficient training and at least 1,200 hours of relevant and recent work experience in restaurant service.     

You must also:

• Demonstrate proficiency in both oral and written French. Refer to the Required Language proficiency page for more details.

Required documents

Admission application procedure

• Applicants must ensure that they meet the program’s admission requirements before submitting their application.      
• Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.       
• For your admission file to be considered complete, it must contain a copy of all the official documents required by the ITHQ in accordance with your status, as listed above.
• These documents must be legible and saved in PDF format. Documents in a language other than French or English must also be accompanied by a certified translation into French or English.            
• Some documents required by the ITHQ may not be requested automatically on the admission platform. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that all the documents on the list in accordance with your status have been uploaded to your file before submitting your application.  

Costs and financial aid

Program fees

Use the program fee calculator to find out about the costs of this program.

Financial aid and scholarships

Looking for financial support for your study project? Find out about the different options available to you.  

Learn more

Future prospects

A short program with big rewards!

Training in sommellerie is a definite asset for anyone working in the food and beverage services industry. With this diploma, you’ll not only be able to give better advice to your customers, but you’ll also have access to better positions in a wide range of establishments, as well as being able to explore new job prospects in the advising or sales fields.