Sarah Foote oversees the wine program at Castle Hot Springs, a historic desert resort outside Phoenix, as the property’s director of wine & service.
Since joining the team in August 2020, she has selected each of the 5,300 bottles in the cellar, ranging from everyday favorites to rare verticals. At Harvest restaurant, she designed a wine list that earned both the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2022) and Best of Award of Excellence (2023, 2024, 2025). Before focusing full-time on wine, Sarah was a partner in Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Corrido Tequila.
What first got you into hospitality?
I started working in restaurants at 15 years old. I was so full of energy and my parents wanted to focus it.
What has your career path been like?
I have been in restaurants for [more than] 22 years. [I] started at my hometown pizza hut, worked at bars and restaurants in Chicago while going to college, moved to Arizona and worked at The House Brasserie and The Mission. [I] moved to California to study wine and became a wine buyer. After passing Level 2 exams, I moved up to Napa and worked at The French Laundry. I spent a harvest in New Zealand making wine, was a partner in a tequila company and have now been the director of wine & service at CHS for six years.
Who were some of your mentors when you were getting started?
The general manager of the first restaurant I worked in was kind but firm. I was also an athlete and some of my coaches were integral in instilling teamwork and determination.
How did those lessons help prepare you for a career in hospitality?
A restaurant is really just one big team. Everybody plays a role. Server. Chef. Dishwasher. Bartender. Manager. Host. Food Runner. We all have to work as one unit. A 'win' for us is a flawless service and happy guests.
What were some of the most important lessons you learned early in your career?
Ask for more responsibility if you want it and advocate for your growth. Opportunities come to those who put themselves in the right rooms, and favors those who are over prepared.
What attracted you to wine in particular?
I thought, at first, that wine was exclusive and convoluted. Once I started serving more of it, I got more interested. I was working at a restaurant group that offered to sponsor me for my Level 1 Sommelier pin. After that I was hooked. I moved to [California] to study with master sommeliers and passed my Level 2 exams. The more I learned, the more I realized how inclusive, hospitable and exciting wine is. It is the study of a lot of history, law, geography, agriculture and so much more.
What is the biggest professional challenge you’ve faced in your career? How did you overcome it?
Deciding to walk away from a business partnership. I realized I wasn't aligned with the direction of the company even though I was fully emotionally invested. I threw myself back into a new opportunity and now look back with fondness and appreciation for the business and the remaining partners.
What brought you to Castle Hot Springs?
The owners of Castle Hot Springs, Mike and Cindy Watts, were investors in the tequila company I was a partner in. When I left that company, I came to potentially just teach wine to the team at CHS. I was so moved by the property I asked if I could be part of it.
What did you learn from working in restaurants that has become useful for your role at Castle Hot Springs?
Staying calm under pressure. Things change constantly in hospitality, and you can't be shaken. Being proactive [versus] reactive helps with this. Also, that we are here for the guests. Their experience is why we are all here.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
Teaching classes that have passed 30+ students with their level-1 sommelier [certification]. I remember beginning my journey in wine and how excited I was. Seeing that in others is inspiring. … Every week we have a learning opportunity called Teach Me Tuesday where a wine distributor comes to property and teaches both the AM and PM Harvest teams. With CHS support, I have also taught two Court of Master Sommelier Level 1 courses.
What is the best part of your job?
Leading a team. While at times it is extremely difficult, I love managing people and experiences [and] exceeding guest expectations in a way that genuinely moves them.
What do you hope to be doing five years from now?
Being as happy as I am right now in my work.