Nicholas Bromund had been a Level 1 sommelier for five months when he applied for a job at Gallatin River Lodge.
"I knew when I arrived for my interview that I really wanted it, he says.
Bromund has been in hospitality for 17 years, starting as a dishwasher at the age of 15. He has played many roles since, thriving on his main passion outside of wine: people.
"I'm fascinated by people," he says. "I want to sit down at a table and hear their stories and learn why they're here, whether it's a graduation or date night. What drives me is the people, their stories, and their celebrations. Wine is just the bridge that helps create those moments."
After a stint as general manager of restaurants like Old Chicago, Applebee's, and Chili's, Bromund decided that the corporate world wasn't for him.
"I wanted to try something new," he says, "so I decided to become a sommelier. I did the Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1, slapped it on my resume and said, 'Let's see what happens.'"
He interviewed with Kathryn Bartlett, the general manager of Gallatin River Lodge, and was hired on the spot.
"Kathryn asked me if I had any questions, and I said, 'When can I start?'. She said, 'Are you free in two days?'" Bromund laughs. "The rest is history."
"The first thing that I did was assess the wine menu," he says. "I wanted to give it a little love, care, and pizzazz. I saw untapped potential, something I could mold with the skillsets and vision that I have." With Bartlett's permission, he spent the next 10 months selling out their wine stock and ordering new wines to replace it.
As a Level 1 sommelier, it was his first time creating a wine menu. During his training, he'd learned that the first step was to pick wines he enjoyed, and the rest would fall into place.
"That's where the storytelling began," he says. "I started just picking wines that I really liked, and building relationships with my vendors, tasting wines so I could have a better palate and could better express myself to both my employees and guests. It became this beautiful dance between everyone involved."
Bromund then decided to take the next step and submit his wine list for review by Wine Spectator.
Wine Spectator is a leading American wine magazine and website that provides wine information, reviews, and ratings. Its reviewers are composed of sommeliers, wine directors and restaurant directors who grade, analyze, and put out an assessment of a submitted wine menu, including its highly sought after Wine Spectator Awards. These awards are prestigious achievements, recognized by restaurateurs and private wine connoisseurs around the world.
"The submission process was in-depth," Bromund says, "which I appreciated, because it got me to parse through the wine list, giving even more attention to how I was pairing my selections with the menu, and discussing how everything fit together with our executive chef, Tray Mathis."
Chef Tray Mathis has been in the culinary world for over 25 years, with an international resume that includes Australia, the Carolinas, and Louisiana. His cooking philosophy is simple: follow the dirt.
"Every region's dirt tells a story," he says. "Whenever we're planning a menu, I study what is being done in that region, and incorporate it into our meals. I also like to bring southern flair to whatever dish I'm serving, which keeps our menu fresh and unique."
When it comes to pairing wines, Mathis and Bromund work together to find consistency and accuracy between ingredients and varietals.
"It's a team effort," Mathis says. "Nicholas definitely came in and blew our wine program away, and it has been fun to see how creative we can get and hear the positive feedback from our guests."
Once the wine list was refined, Bromund submitted his application and waited. A little over two months later, he received word: Gallatin River Lodge had won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
"This national recognition affirms what diners and travelers have known for years—that the Lodge is not only a place of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, but also a destination for serious wine lovers," says Bartlett. "This award brings legitimacy to the growing food scene in Bozeman, and shows that Montana can contend on the national culinary stage."
Bromund agrees. "The more institutions with accolades in Bozeman, the more the food scene here has the ability to grow. The culinary landscape of this area is evolving. It shows that there's more to Montana than just Yellowstone."
As for the future?
"Winning one award is just the beginning," Bromund says. "I want to continue growing by refining the wine list, hosting wine dinners, and aiming for even higher recognition each year."
Learn more about Gallatin River Lodge's wine program at grlodge.com.
"I want to sit down at a table and hear [peoples'] stories and learn why they're here, whether it's a graduation or date night. What drives me is the people, their stories, and their celebrations. Wine is just the bridge that helps create those moments."