The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta provides a premier platform for professional development through its Educational Trade Seminars, designed specifically for industry professionals—including restaurant staff, sommeliers, and hospitality leaders. These sessions offer in-depth, hands-on learning with leading wine educators, covering global regions, tasting techniques, and service skills that enhance both individual careers and the overall quality of Santa Fe’s dining scene.

Each year, the Fiesta curates a dynamic lineup of seminars tailored to the trade. Recent offerings have included Hidden Portugal: Untold Stories from the Islands, Terroirs, and Traditions, exploring lesser-known Portuguese wine regions; Il Poggione: Benchmarking Brunello di Montalcino, highlighting one of Tuscany’s most celebrated producers; and Burgundy Speaks German!, a deep dive into German Pinot Noir led by a Master Sommelier.

This year, trade professionals can expect the same high level of expert instruction, guided tastings, and insider insights—an opportunity to expand their knowledge, elevate service standards, and stay at the forefront of the wine industry, both locally and beyond.

For many years, the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta has supported the professional growth of wine and hospitality professionals by investing in certification preparation through the Court of Master Sommeliers—one of the world’s most prestigious and demanding wine education organizations.

Through this initiative, the Fiesta provides funding for preparatory courses that help candidates pursue the Court’s rigorous certification pathway, which evaluates advanced knowledge of wine theory, tasting, and service. These courses allow aspiring sommeliers and beverage professionals to learn directly from Master Sommeliers while preparing for examinations that are recognized across the global wine and hospitality industry.

While rooted in Santa Fe, this investment expands the educational reach of the Fiesta well beyond the local community. By supporting candidates from across the region and the broader hospitality industry, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta helps cultivate a wider network of highly trained wine professionals whose expertise extends far beyond the city itself.

To date, the Fiesta has invested over $200,000 in these educational initiatives. The result is a growing community of certified professionals who bring elevated wine knowledge, service standards, and global perspective to restaurants, wine programs, and hospitality venues throughout Santa Fe and beyond.

Over the last 17 years, Santa Fe Wine & Chile’s Live Auction has raised more than $380,000 in support of Cooking with Kids, a Santa Fe nonprofit dedicated to educating and empowering children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on nutrition education using fresh, affordable ingredients.

For more than a decade, Santa Fe’s world-class chefs have rolled up their sleeves as volunteer Superchefs, partnering with Cooking with Kids to teach public school students about the joy of cooking—and eating—real food. Today, with more than 30 participating local chefs, the Superchefs program has become an integral part of Cooking with Kids, an organization that, since 1995, has nurtured generations of students through rich, engaging, hands-on nutrition education.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Carmen Benson, Cooking with Kids continues to expand its impact in classrooms and communities across Santa Fe.
In addition to volunteering in classrooms, Superchefs also donate their time and talent to support the growing efforts of public-school cafeterias to incorporate locally sourced ingredients and cook more meals from scratch.

Santa Fe’s hospitality community thrives when wine is served with knowledge, precision, and care. The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta advances this standard through its Wine Service Training programs, offering hands-on experiences that teach the art and technique of presenting wine at its best. Participants learn everything from proper glassware and decanting to pouring, temperature control, and table-side service etiquette—skills that transform everyday service into memorable guest experiences.

Tailored for hospitality professionals, attendees practice the nuances of professional service, refine their approach to hospitality, and gain insight into how thoughtful, precise wine presentation enhances every dining experience.

Through the program, participants gain the ability to deliver polished, thoughtful service, elevate the guest experience, and distinguish themselves in the hospitality industry. The training cultivates precision, professionalism, and attention to detail—qualities that make every meal more memorable and reinforce Santa Fe’s reputation as a city with world-class food and wine experiences.