A Passion for Sake and Wine: Elyse Wilson's Journey in Houston's Beverage Scene
Join us this month at Houston's finest Japanese retaurants for the celebration of Sake imported from Japan. To learn more about Sake and join our celebration, CLICK HERE.
In the heart of Houston’s bustling culinary landscape, Elyse Wilson stands out as a key figure in the world of wine and Sake. As the General Manager and Wine Director at Camerata at Paulie’s in Houston, Texas, Elyse’s journey from chef to sommelier has been fueled by a deep passion for beverages and a love for connecting them to food. In this interview, she shares her story, the growth of Japanese cuisine in Houston, and a dream that keeps her inspired.
From Sushi to Sake
Elyse’s connection to sake began during her time as the beverage manager at one of Houston's premier sushi restaurants. “The sake program there really piqued my interest,” she says. “I started getting really excited about another beverage that's so unique.” Her fascination with Sake didn’t stop there. Elyse pursued her first level of sake education in Miami and later went on to earn a Level 2 Sake certification, which took her all the way to Japan for advanced training.
Her commitment to understanding Sake is clear. “After spending the time and money to pursue it, I took it upon myself to push Sake education in Houston as much as I could,” she explains. Elyse has made it a mission to share her knowledge with other beverage professionals, raising awareness about this unique drink.
A Sommelier’s Path
Elyse’s love for wine began at an early age. “I've been studying wine since I was 17,” she recalls. She attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where she was immersed in an intensive wine education program. “I fell in love with wine pairings and the way wine can accentuate food, and elevate a meal.”
But after a decade of working as a chef, Elyse faced the reality that her hands couldn’t keep up with the physical demands of long kitchen hours. Wine offered a new way to stay in the industry she loved, allowing her to channel her passion for food and drink into pairings that enhance the dining experience.
Houston’s Flourishing Japanese Cuisine Scene
With her deep roots in the beverage world, Elyse has also been a keen observer of Houston’s booming Japanese restaurant scene. “Houston has a huge restaurant scene for Japanese cuisine. There are over 1,200 restaurants when you include the Woodlands and Sugar Land,” she says. In the last three years alone, there has been a 150% growth in Japanese dining, with the Omakase style becoming especially popular.
Elyse believes that Houston's diversity has played a big role in this growth. “Everybody loves the fact that you can be in Houston and get almost any cuisine from around the world,” she notes. For her, the explosion of Japanese food in the city is a dream come true, and sushi remains one of her personal favorites.
A Dream for the Future
Though Elyse has already achieved much in her career, she still harbors a big dream. During her sake training in Japan, she met a couple from Berlin who were running the city’s only sake bottle shop and tasting bar. “There’s definitely part of me that was like, man, that sounds so amazing,” she shares. “I would love for Houston to get to a place where something like that could be supported and successful.”
While it may seem like a far-off goal, Elyse remains hopeful. “It's a crazy idea, but it could happen one day,” she says, envisioning a future where sake takes center stage in the Houston beverage scene.
With her dedication to sake education and her love for wine, Elyse Wilson is helping to shape Houston’s ever-evolving food and drink culture, one glass at a time.
