Elli Benchimol, third level advanced sommelier and mixologist hybrid, and brings more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

She first developed an interest in wine while working at the Fifth Floor in San Francisco under the reign of Raj Parr and Laurent Gras. She is the Lead Sommelier at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab in Washington,D.C., and has had previous sommelier positions with the beverage team at Range and Aggio by Bryan Voltaggio in DC and Baltimore, Frank Ruta’s Grille Room at the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown, and lead sommelier at Adour by Alain Ducasse in DC’s St. Regis Hotel. Elli has also developed corporate beverage programs for multiple restaurant groups, Chef Geoff’s five Restaurants and Stir Food Groups’ four Restaurants.

Elli’s first sommelier position in DC was at Rasika Penn Quarter with a short year in Miami opening Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak. Originally from San Francisco, Elli loves teaching about wine, spirits and food, both privately and publicly, through her consulting LLC,