In an industry often defined by accolades, what is the real work? We sat down with Caleb McArthur, Lead Sommelier of the Grand Award-winning Selby's, to talk about a journey that proves the path to the top is rarely a straight line.

Caleb's story begins not with a deep wine cellar, but in a university psychology program. It's a path that took him from a family-owned Chinese restaurant to the high-stakes corporate world of The Ritz-Carlton, and eventually into the intense, character-building "dojo" of 3-Michelin-star Benu. He shares raw, honest lessons about embracing discomfort, surviving a chaotic Napa harvest, and understanding that the ultimate goal of hospitality is simple: bringing comfort to others.

This is a conversation about the relentless commitment to craft, the resilience required to truly grow, and the humanity at the heart of service.

Timestamp Navigation:

01:09 - An Unlikely Start: The Psychology Path

03:20 - The First Spark: Lessons from a Family Restaurant

05:26 - The Corporate Leap: Discipline at the Ritz Carlton

11:21 - Inside the "Dojo": An Eye-Opening Stint at 3-Michelin-Star Benu

12:26 - Trial by Fire: Surviving the "Blade Runner" Sky of the 2020 Harvest

22:08 - The David Bowie Method for Embracing Career Discomfort

44:48 - Getting the Call: How Hospitality Legends Recruit Talent

50:46 - More Than a Trophy: The Real Strategy Behind a Grand Award

57:42 - A Sommelier's Take: The Right (and Wrong) Way to Do Corkage

1:03:37 - Finding the 'Why': How Service Connects Everything