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:

1. 
   

   01:09  - An Unlikely Start: The Psychology Path

   
   


2. 
   

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

   
   


3. 
   

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

   
   


4. 
   

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

   
   


5. 
   

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

   
   


6. 
   

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

   
   


7. 
   

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

   
   


8. 
   

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

   
   


9. 
   

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

   
   


10. 
    

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