Episode 2493

Ep. 2493 Jessica Dupuy interviews Steven McDonald MS of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse | TEXSOM 2025

TEXSOM 2025

October 11, 2025

1577.3258

Steven McDonald MS

Steakhouse

wine

Episode Summary

<think> I need to analyze the provided text, which is a transcript of an interview with Steven McDonald, the Executive Wine Director for Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. The interview was conducted by Jessica Dupuy as part of a TEXSOM 2025 series on the Italian Wine Podcast. First, let me identify the key information from the transcript: 1. Steven McDonald is the Executive Wine Director for Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, overseeing two Houston locations and one Dallas location. 2. He's a Master Sommelier (passed in 2018). 3. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse has Wine Spectator Grand Awards at each of its three locations. 4. From 2019 until recently, Pappas Bros. was the only company in the world with three Grand Awards (now tied with a San Francisco group). 5. McDonald was recently named Texas's Best Sommelier by Michelin. 6. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse won "Best Long Wine List" and "Wine List of the Year" from World of Fine Wine. 7. McDonald inherited the wine program (which already had Grand Awards) and focused on maintaining it rather than building it from scratch. 8. The wine program includes extensive collections of Champagne, white Burgundy, and other premium wines. 9. McDonald discusses the importance of frequency in tasting for developing expertise (e.g., tasting Barolo/Brunello multiple times a night). 10. He speaks about Texas as an important wine market that deserves more attention from international producers, especially Italian ones. 11. Pappas Bros. has a robust sommelier training program that develops talent for the industry. 12. McDonald has a personal connection to Italian wine regions, particularly Piedmont. Now, I should cross-reference this information with the search results to verify and add context: From search result [1], I see that Steven McDonald of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse was named The MICHELIN Guide Texas 2024 Sommelier Award Winner. The restaurant has 35,000 bottles of wine curated by him. From search result [3], I see that Pappas Bros Steakhouse won "Best Long Wine List" and "Wine List of the Year" in the World's Best Wine Lists 2024 awards. From search result [5], I see that Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas won the World of Fine Wine World's Best Long Wine List in North America Award for 2023. From search result [7], I see that Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas was a regional winner for Best Long Wine List in the World's Best Wine Lists 2023. From search result [11], I see that Pappas Bros. has 3,900 wines and has won Wine Spectator's Grand Award multiple times. From search result [13], I see that Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Houston Galleria has a Wine Spectator Grand Award. From search results [2], [4], [6], [8], [9], [10], [12], [14], and [15], I can understand more about Wine Spectator's award system: - Award of Excellence: at least 90 selections, well-chosen assortment - Best of Award of Excellence: typically 350+ selections, excellent breadth/depth - Grand Award: typically 1,000+ selections, world-class programs Now I'll create the content analysis as requested: **Content Analysis** **Key Themes** 1. Excellence in wine program management - Pappas Bros. Steakhouse has achieved multiple prestigious awards including Wine Spectator Grand Awards for all three locations and World of Fine Wine's "Wine List of the Year" 2. Sommelier development and training - The restaurant serves as an "incubator" for developing sommelier talent with structured training programs 3. Texas as an emerging wine market - Discussion of Texas's growing importance in the wine world and its potential for Italian and other international wines 4. The evolution of wine lists and tasting approaches - How wine programs develop over time and how sommeliers refine their tasting skills 5. The business of wine in fine dining - Balancing the artistic and commercial aspects of wine program management **Summary** The interview with Steven McDonald, Executive Wine Director of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, highlights the restaurant's exceptional wine program that has earned multiple prestigious awards including Wine Spectator Grand Awards for all three locations (making them one of only two companies worldwide with this distinction) and World of Fine Wine's "Wine List of the Year." McDonald discusses inheriting and maintaining an already award-winning program rather than building it from scratch, emphasizing the importance of frequency in tasting for developing expertise. He also addresses Texas's growing significance as a wine market that deserves more attention from international producers, particularly Italian ones. The conversation reveals Pappas Bros.'s role as a training ground for sommeliers, with structured development programs that prepare staff for career advancement in the industry. McDonald's personal connection to Italian wine regions, especially Piedmont, underscores the global perspective that informs his approach to wine curation. **Key Takeaways** - Pappas Bros. Steakhouse maintains Wine Spectator Grand Awards at all three locations, a rare achievement shared by only one other company worldwide - The restaurant functions as a "sommelier incubator" with structured training that develops talent for the broader industry - Texas represents an important and growing wine market that international producers should prioritize visiting and understanding - Frequency of tasting is critical for developing expertise in wine identification and evaluation - Maintaining an award-winning wine program requires balancing artistic vision with business operations and inventory management - McDonald's recent recognition as Texas's Best Sommelier by Michelin reflects both personal achievement and the strength of Pappas Bros.'s wine program **Notable Quotes** - "For our industry, it's like one of the greatest honors a wine list can get" - "You gotta kinda stay in fighting shape... we're constantly blinding, you know, training" - "Texas is its own country in a bunch of different ways culturally too, but, like, economically. So you want to figure out this market." **Follow-up Questions** 1. How does Pappas Bros. balance the commercial aspects of wine sales with maintaining a world-class collection that includes rare and mature vintages? 2. What specific strategies does McDonald employ to keep his team's tasting skills sharp beyond regular blind tasting exercises? 3. How has the Texas wine market evolved during McDonald's tenure, and what changes does he anticipate in the next 5-10 years? Let me check the word count and make sure I'm within the limits: - Key Themes: 5 points (good) - Summary: needs to be under 200 words - Key Takeaways: 6 points (good) - Notable Quotes: 3 quotes (good) - Follow-up Questions: 3 questions (good) Let me refine the summary to ensure it's under 200 words: **Summary (revised)** The interview with Steven McDonald, Executive Wine Director of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, highlights the restaurant's exceptional wine program that has earned multiple prestigious awards including Wine Spectator Grand Awards for all three locations (making them one of only two companies worldwide with this distinction) and World of Fine Wine's "Wine List of the Year." McDonald discusses inheriting and maintaining an already award-winning program rather than building it from scratch, emphasizing the importance of frequency in tasting for developing expertise. He also addresses Texas's growing significance as a wine market that deserves more attention from international producers, particularly Italian ones. The conversation reveals Pappas Bros.'s role as a training ground for sommeliers, with structured development programs that prepare staff for career advancement. McDonald's personal connection to Italian wine regions, especially Piedmont, underscores the global perspective that informs his approach to wine curation. His recent recognition as Texas's Best Sommelier by Michelin reflects both personal achievement and the strength of Pappas Bros.'s wine program. Word count: 158 words (good) Now let me check the overall word count for the entire analysis to ensure it's under 800 words. The analysis should be concise and focused, so I believe it will be under 800 words. </think> **Content Analysis** **Key Themes (max 5 points)** 1. **Award-winning wine program excellence** - Pappas Bros. Steakhouse maintains Wine Spectator Grand Awards at all three locations (Houston Galleria, Houston Post Oak, and Dallas), making them one of only two companies worldwide with this distinction, plus World of Fine Wine's "Wine List of the Year" and "Best Long Wine List" honors. 2. **Sommelier development as industry incubator** - The restaurant functions as a structured training ground that develops sommelier talent through regular blind tastings, service scenarios, and operational education, preparing staff for career advancement beyond the company. 3. **Texas as an emerging wine market** - McDonald advocates for Texas as a significant, stable wine market deserving more attention from international producers, particularly Italian winemakers who should explore cultural synergies and untapped potential beyond major cities. 4. **Tasting expertise through frequency** - The interview emphasizes how repeated exposure to specific wine styles (like tasting Barolo/Brunello multiple times nightly) builds instinctive recognition skills more effectively than theoretical study alone. 5. **Balancing business and artistry in wine programs** - McDonald discusses maintaining inherited excellence while navigating the practical realities of inventory management, pricing strategies, and operational demands alongside curatorial vision. **Summary (max 200 words)** The interview with Steven McDonald, Executive Wine Director of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse and 2024 Michelin Texas Sommelier Award winner, reveals the foundation of their exceptional wine program that has earned Wine Spectator Grand Awards at all three locations—a distinction previously held exclusively by Pappas until 2024. McDonald inherited rather than built the award-winning program, focusing on maintenance through strategic inventory management and leveraging decades of ownership investment in premium wines like Domaine Leroy and DRC. The restaurant serves as a sommelier incubator with structured development programs emphasizing frequent tasting practice and operational skills. McDonald advocates for Texas as an important wine market that international producers should prioritize, noting cultural parallels with Italian regions and untapped potential in secondary markets. His personal connection to Piedmont reflects the global perspective informing Pappas' approach. With 35,000 bottles across locations and recognition as World of Fine Wine's "Wine List of the Year," the program exemplifies how consistency, staff development, and market understanding create sustained excellence in fine dining wine programs. **Key Takeaways (max 6 points)** - Pappas Bros. is among only two restaurant groups globally maintaining Wine Spectator Grand Awards at multiple locations, requiring 1,000+ selections with exceptional depth and service. - The restaurant intentionally functions as a sommelier training ground, developing industry talent through structured blind tastings, service scenarios, and operational education. - Texas represents a significant, stable wine market with cultural affinities to Italian regions that deserves greater attention from international producers. - Frequency of tasting specific wine styles (e.g., multiple Barolos nightly) builds instinctive recognition more effectively than theoretical study alone. - Maintaining award-winning programs requires balancing artistic curation with business realities like inventory management and pricing strategies. - McDonald's Michelin Sommelier Award reflects both personal achievement and the strength of Pappas' comprehensive wine program. **Notable Quotes (max 3)** - "For our industry, it's like one of the greatest honors a wine list can get... since twenty nineteen to just this past year, they were the only ones with three grand awards." - "You gotta kinda stay in fighting shape... we're constantly blinding, you know, training, and, obviously, on, in my role, I'm doing a lot of teaching." - "Texas is its own country in a bunch of different ways culturally too, but, like, economically. So you want to figure out this market. It's not like you just show up once." **Follow-up Questions (max 3)** 1. How does Pappas Bros. balance maintaining rare, mature vintages with the commercial realities of wine sales and inventory turnover? 2. What specific metrics or evaluation methods does McDonald use to assess the effectiveness of their sommelier training program? 3. How has the Texas wine market evolved during McDonald's tenure, and what changes does he anticipate as younger consumers enter the fine dining space?

About This Episode

Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss the importance of tasting local wines and the challenges of building winning wines. They emphasize the importance of tasting and being an instinctual taster, and discuss the success of Pappas Brothers Steakhouse and Puna formas. They also discuss the importance of tasting and being a good operator, including the development of wine directors and the training of their wine directors. They express excitement for upcoming blind tasting sessions and discuss the importance of maintaining a culture of being a good one.

Transcript

So let's shift a little bit. You are actually speaking at TexOM on a panel discussion of what's the actual title? It's like what makes a great wine list? Or award winning. Award winning. Oh, why and why are you on that panel? Because Right. Yeah. Have one of those? Yeah. Thank you for the setup. So, yeah, Pappas Brothers has a grand award, wine spectator, grand award at each location. And for the the longest while, they were the only company with three grand awards in the whole world. Wow. So since twenty nineteen, when the third one got their award from twenty nineteen to just this past year, they were the only ones with three grand awards. And that there's a group in in San Francisco that now has three. But, you know, for our industry, it's like one of the greatest honors wine list can get. So it was tremendous. You also, for Michelin, you were just announced as this past year as Texas's best Sommelier. Is that correct? Yeah. The Michelin Sommelier award. Yeah. Which was great. Yeah. I know. Last year was really special for It was a great year all around. Shall y'all. I'm Jessica Duppuis, guest host for a special Texom series on the Italian wine podcast, covering the twenty twenty five Texom Conference in Dallas, Texas. Join me in the heart of the lone star state as we dive into conversations with key speakers and attendees, exploring career paths, challenges, and the latest trend shaping the wine industry today. This series is proudly sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture uncourt Texas wines program, which celebrates Texas wine culture by promoting local wineries and grape growers, both in state and around the world, building a vibrant community around the Texas made wine. Be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you get your podcasts. And don't miss our Texas wine tidbit in every episode. A fun little fact, insight, or story that highlights the people and places behind this exciting wine scene. Alright. Well, we're here with Steven McDonald. Thank you so much for joining us for this Texom series on Italian White Podcast. First of all, some of you may recognize Steven. He actually you actually did this with me for the BBWO when it came to Austin, Texas in March. By the way, the presentation was one of the best presentations I've ever seen. Yeah. I mean, I feel like the insane number of wines you were able to taste there and meet different producers all in that, the heart of Texas was pretty cool. For joining us again. Just to give people context and everything, I wonder if you could kind of recap. Just give us an idea of who you are, what you do, and then we'll talk a little bit about TexOM. Yeah. So I am the executive wine director for Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. So I live in Houston, but I look over our two Houston stores and our one in Dallas. I've been with Pappas for nearly fifteen years. I didn't realize that. It's been a great journey past MS in eighteen. So while you were at Pappas brothers, you were able to do master sommelier. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, previously, so New York, that's where I passed advanced, but all the time at Pappas studying four ms and got through in eighteen and then again in eighteen. Okay. Yeah. Nice. I feel like I was there right after you had passed and we had a dinner that was pairing different steaks with Sherry. Yes. You were there in between the two passes. It was that okay. That's what it was. Okay. Yeah. That was All Sherry, all steak. It was great. All unexpected. But it totally worked. It totally worked. Okay. So in your journey, kind of how did Texom get into the mix for you? Have you been have you come to a few of them? So over the years, probably a couple few times volunteering, like attended once, and this time speaking. So yeah. I mean, I feel like that's kind of just the case for a lot of Texas based sommeliers, you know, like, at some point, you're gonna end up getting involved with TexOM, and then, obviously, people from other parts of the country too, but I feel like that's probably actually where I first met you with techsom. Probably. And it's the place you wanna be. Right? Yeah. It's like this one time of year, you know all your friends and colleagues and peers, plus you get to, like, learn stuff. Like, this is the place to be for August Yeah. Yeah. For the trade. Yeah. Absolutely. So this morning, we were actually in a seminar together in which June Rodile, Christy Frank, and Melissa Monisov kind of walked us through how to approach tasting. Was there anything that you took away from that seminar that was impressive aside from some of the cool Well, they're finally saying what needs to be said in the sense that, like, the regions are changing, the styles are changing. And when you are trying to study white RioHA, for example, you have to study more than just the one producer. Right? Yeah. From a calibration and a blind tasting perspective. It's same with Bojali, and they said it out loud. Right? You know, Australia is making a huge impact and really balanced wines. And so you gotta open your mind. Like, you gotta really think about climate, but I'm happy somebody's actually having that conversation. Yeah. It was insightful to be able to hear some things from them. I mean, I love that, like, I know that Christie Frank was quoting something that she had heard from wines of Australia years ago, but where she said something like what Peno promises? Gernache delivers. I thought that was That's great. That was a pretty good mic drop. We were tasting three different Puna noirs, blind, and trying to, you know, determine what they were. And everybody got down to about the it was probably between Puna noir and Gernache And it was a really great conversation about how do you get to that next step and really, you know, determine what it is. They ended up being pinot noir. Right. Structure and texture, I think, are a big thing. Yeah. That's what she was also talking about. When people talk about being an instinctual taster, I think that's actually what they are tasting is they're are they're paying attention to texture and a structure. There may be some, like, flavor things that they can, you know, instinctually grab on to, but I think that's what they mean. When somebody's an instinctive taster, I think that's what's going on. Just yeah. Got Do you mind if I ask you? Because we also did have some Italian wines in there, and I got so excited because I've kind of been living in the world of Italian wine for a while now, but I get excited when people who I haven't been in that world with do say something like smelling this wine, I'm tasting this wine. Oh, this is Italian. So we already know we're there. Before anything else is being said. What do you think that is? That well, yeah. So there's a signature that the wines from that country, because again, that country more or less has similar surroundings. Right? You got a mountains in the middle, and you got coast on either side. Right. Mostly. So however that is producing a product that is consistent across all the regions in some way Yeah. Is where people are picking up on that. But Yeah. I was super happy to see the whole room when they picked up the glass, they're like, oh, obviously, we're in Italian. We're in it. The entire room. Exactly. When I loved it because they ended up being one was a Norella Mescalese. So, Edna Rosa. And then we also ended up with Bernella de Montuccino. While they were walking us through tasting that, you know, of course, they're you know, people are starting to rumble, like, I think it's this. I think it's and ultimately, I also find it interesting that those three red grapes are the ones we all tend to mistake a little bit with each other. Right? Like, if you're, you know, that first level of blind tasting, trying to evaluate what is in the glass, for a while, I thought that Edna Rosa might have been a sangiovese. And then, you know, we got to it what it was. Right? Or vice versa, someone next to me called Neb