Sarah Belanger, Asado – The Palace Downtown

About Sarah
Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Sarah Belanger worked as a restaurant manager for five years prior to joining The Palace Downtown Dubai, as Sommelier of the property’s signature Argentinean restaurant, Asado. During her previous stint, Sarah was introduced to some of the most exquisite wines in the world, imprinting a passion to learn more about the various genres of wine and the ultimate pairings.
As a sommelier, Sarah strongly believes that her expertise helps to elevate a dining experience, bringing out a burst of flavours across all courses of a meal. Her vast knowledge of the subject and her ability to interact with visitors makes her one of the team’s most prized associates.

Above and beyond the call of duty…
One of the only South American restaurants in the UAE to be bestowed with Wine Spectator’s ‘Award of Excellence,’ for two consecutive years, Asado has thrived under Sarah’s guidance. In addition to being the only restaurant which carries the largest collection of Malbec Sarah has helped shape the offerings that Asado has in store based on the theme of the cuisine. She also helped expand the variety of wines available for visitors. With wine sales accontuning for approximately 70 per cent to Asado’s budget, Sarah’s vision helps contribute to 45 per cent of the restaurant’s profitability.
As the sommelier at Asado, Sarah’s responsibilities surpass selecting and pairing wines to training and developing the skillsets of her associates, inculcating an understanding of learning through a ‘hands-on’ approach. Through her trove of knowledge, Sarah has developed a training programme which involves associates from the food and beverage division across The Palace Downtown Dubai to enhance their knowledge and understanding of wines. In addition to linking the learning and development programme to food and beverage, Sarah is also responsible for creating and maintaining cross-department training programmes.
An integral player in The Palace’s wine appreciation classes, Sarah helps guide our patrons to appreciate the subtle nuances of wine pairing. Whether groups or individual, she provides enthusiasts with invaluable insights on the past and current trends in wine, teaching them every lesson across the spectrums – from the basics to the advanced. Sarah believes that knowing and learning about wine is an opportunity that every associate in the hotel should receive. In keeping with her belief, she began cross-training associates across all departments, providing them with basic knowledge of wines, which is important for the industry.
A team player and sportswoman, she is always ready to participate and help her colleagues in internal and external competitions, supporting them through their challenges.
A passionate and determined professional, Sarah continues to meet and surpass guests’ expectations, and aims for nothing less. A natural communicator, she builds and maintains strong rapports with regular visitors at Asado. She ensures that she executes her responsibilities with perfection and is always willing to go the extra mile whether it is for her visitors or her associates.

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Testimonials for Sarah
“Sarah is a dynamic trainer who excels in sharing her extensive wine knowledge with our associates. She truly lives our company value of ‘innovation’ in the way that she educates and inspires the team to share her passion for wine. When she speaks about wine; you want to listen. Her enthusiasm for wine is contagious and I have enjoyed working with her to teach and excite our associates about this fascinating topic.” Holly Graham, learning & development manager, The Palace Downtown Dubai.
“Sarah is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, and in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. She is responsible for the development of wine lists and for the delivery of wine service and training restaurant staff. Working with the culinary team, she pairs and suggests wines that will best complement each particular item on the menu. She also works on the floor of the restaurant and is in direct contact with restaurant patrons. Sarah is mandated with the responsibility to work within the taste preference and budget parameters of the patron. Sarah's role is broader than working only with wines, and encompasses of all aspects of the restaurant's service, with an emphasis on wines. She has a positive approach and always willing to go the extra mile. She assists us in making decisions where beverage portfolio is concerned and her recommendations always add value to our menus across the hotel. Her ability to sustain the Wine Spectator award has built up more faith in her.” Jeet Arora assistant director of F&B, The Palace Downtown Dubai.