Sarah Horvitz
Sommelier | formerly of Oyster Oyster | Washington D.C.
March 2022
Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, Sarah Horvitz got her first taste of the industry as a line cook at Grange Kitchen & Bar during her years studying business at the University of Michigan. The intimate restaurant was Horvitz’s first foray into farm-to-table and nose-to-tail cooking and it lit a fire in her. After finishing her business degree, she immediately enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, New York where she was determined to study every facet of the industry. She dabbled in both front and back of house, externing at Momofuku Má Pêche and managing for Hillstone Restaurant Group and Sweetgreen.
A Jack of all trades, Horvitz jumped behind the bar at Ithaca Coffee Company and took a tasting representative role for Ithaca Beer Co. to immerse herself in the area’s craft beer scene. While there, she ran into her childhood neighbor, Restaurateur and Sommelier Max Kuller, who recruited her to be his assistant general manager at the Vietnamese Doi Moi in Washington, D.C. Kuller became her mentor, teaching her everything he knew about wine. She thrived, soaking up the vast world of wine production and distribution. When Kuller told Horvitz about his new project, Chef Rob Rubba’s hyper-seasonal, almost-vegetarian Oyster Oyster, she jumped on board. While the concept was under construction, she worked as a sommelier and bartender for wine bar Maxwell Park, expanding her knowledge of obscure varietals and developing her talent for storytelling. Horvitz launched Oyster Oyster’s wine menu in 2021, where her well-rounded resume, thoughtful pairings, and zeal for highlighting sustainable, responsible producers have been on full display as beverage director.
