Authorized Certifications from recognized collectives area  a great way to show prospective employers and peers of your general level of knowledge. It's definitly no replacement for experience. In my case, I had many years of experience in restaurants before ever attempting any kind of certification or formal education, being a learner from travel and experience. But, I've learned its great to have both, and the goals you set to study and pass the various levels of exams discipline you to focus and learn beyond your box.
After passing the Intro level (1 of 4) several years ago through the Court of Master Sommeliers ( http://www.mastersommeliers.org/ ), and the Certified Beer Server through the Cicerone Certification (1 of 3, http://www.cicerone.org ), I'm excited about continuing my education and certification levels, next up being the first step of the USBG (United States Bartenders Guild, http://www.usbg.org of which I'm a proud member) Master Mixology Certfication, which is a 3-step process, from Certified Sprits Professional, onto Advanced, finishing with Master Mixologist. Put together from a wealth of the industry's elite and experienced, this promises to be a new standard for knowledge and testing in the field.  This is one of the newer Food and Beverage certification programs, and one of the most exciting to me, since I've worked as a bartender and mixologist since 1997, and it continues to be my favorite profession, no matter where I've worked around the country, in the restaurant and resort industry. I recently purchased the first level test, but have not taken it yet. I'm giving myself a couple weeks, as I'm currently enjoying the encyclopedic "The Ultimate Guide to Spirits and Cocktails" from Andre Domine, Ken Burns' 6-hour documentary Prohibition, and maybe a couple of additional distillery visits.
Following this, I've decided to take the leap into my Certified (2 of 4) Sommelier test, a 1-day, 3-part series of exams focusing on wine and service from the most recognized authority, aforementioned. I'm looking at August for the exam, probably in Omaha, NE or Southern California somewhere, based on money and time. I'm long overdue on this, wish me the best!
Lastly, but certainly not least, there's Sake. This is  a beverage I've long enjoyed, in particular with Sushi, but have only recently ventured into the formal education and certification world. It seems there are multiple options, and I'm exploring the best route. Stay tuned...

Bill

I'm thrilled today to be sharing a link I came upon today that shares the 2 Billion dollar victory from Brazilian farmers against the evil empire of Monsanto. As a person who values clean, natural food and farmers, it has destroyed me over the years to witness the greed and irresponsibility of these people. I encourage everyone to fight as I have against the company that has brought us DDT, Agent Orange, Round-Up and GMO food (among other sins) and always tries to convince is of its safety every time it tries to poison us and alter and control our food and family farmers. I've been saddened to learned also that Whole Foods and Organic Valley have given in to Monstanto and are in bed with them, which means I will never, ever support them again. Whole Foods of all people, has had so much influence in the Nation buying organic, and instead of using that power positively, has half-assed it over the years by only partially stocking organic produce and local products, and now to learn of their new partner...shamed...In the name of God, fight the good fight!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Christian-Witness/message/30881

After several years of hearing phrases like "it's out of the way, but if you ever get up to Etna, you should visit Etna Brewing", today was the day. As Lynn and I travelled back from Ashland to Napa, we veered over to Hwy 3, skirting the remote, rugged and stunning Marble Mountain, Russian, and Trinity Alps wilderness areas. Etna is a small town of 737 nestled amidst mountains and grazing cows, and the middle of the standard shops and occasional motel sits the small but charming, award-winning Etna Brewing. As is my custom at a new brewery, I ordered the hearty sampler and shot a 2 minute video of the tasting in both 1080 HD (top) and 720 HD (bottom) Cheers!

As Lynn and I head to Ashland, Oregon for 2-3 days, I'm thinking of our previous trip through in February. As a native Oregonian, I was embarrassed I had never really spent time in this destination town. The discovery of the arts, food and brewery scene there, the walking around, the cute stores-all reminding me of the familiar that I've one to love over my years of travel and working in so many destination and tourist areas. Yet it's also unique and and it's own. So as we head back for a re-visit, I excite about exploring and profiling what we missed the first time: The famous Shakespeare Festival, boutique hotels, restaurants and artisan cocktails that seem highly in abundance in a town so small (like my old haunt Healdsburg). And a revisit to the Ashland food co-op and the 2 fabulous breweries is in high order. And if all goes well, an organic distillery, the famous Rogue Creamery, organic artisan bakeries and..well, did I mention there's a lot of cool stuff here..? Stay tuned, a full report and videos to come..

Thomas Keller is one of the world's most famous Chefs, and his reputation is known throughout the foodie and culinary stratosphere. In Napa Valley, his name is synonymous with the now-legendary Yountville restaurant culture. With his purchasing  of The French Laundry in 1994, he ushered in a new wave of dining in the sleepy wine country town (that was most known for it's large Veteran's Home and not much else) that is now home to the highest concentration of Michelin Stars per capita in the country.
Since TFL, Keller has opened the 1 Michelin Star Bouchon (1998) and a few years later, it's companion Bakery next door. In September of 2006, he opened Ad Hoc, orginally meant to be a temporary community restaurant that magically transformed into a popular permanent restaurant where, every night, a different 4 course meal is served family style for $52, with optional wine pairings for $34, and usually an optional additional 5th course addition.
Before yesterday, I had only been into Ad Hoc for drinks, and after dining at The French Laundry in 2009, Bouchon and it's Bakery several times over the last couple years (mostly while bartending at Yountville's now-gone Cantinetta Piero), Ad Hoc had been high on my list of restaurants to dine at for some time.
Last night felt like the night to do just that, and I had no better person to dine with than my lovely partner Lynn, and as it was a spontaneous trip, did not have reservations (which are highly recommended, especially this time of year). The good news is that  they managed to fit us in onto a nice patio seat just before sunset after a nice sit at the bar for a starter glass of wine. Sporting a diverse and accessible wine list, choices were many, but with the nights menu (vegetarian option for us), I felt the dinner would be matched best by some floral white wines. I opted for the Meulenhof Riesling Kabinett, an off-dry Mosel wine of peaches, nectarines, honey and good acidity that we enjoyed with my first course of chopped lettuces, pickled red onions, red beets, hard boiled hen egg, pea shoots and an orange vinaigrette that started the meal beautifully, as well as our second course, a flavorful and rich spring risotto with baby artichokes and english peas, acommpanied by a dish of butter beans and greens (note: this was not the normal entree course, but Ad Hoc does provide an unlisted vegetarian option every night-the normal menu entree for the night was a spiced beef hangar steak). Lynn had a glass of  dry, slightly effervescent Muralhas de Monaco Vinho Verde from the Minho region of Northern Portugal, made from native grapes such as Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Batoca, Loureiro, and Trajadura. 
After the hearty entrees, we moved on to the cheese course, presented with an Italian raw-milk Gorgonzola Dolce with peppered flatbread and blackberry jam. By this time, a beer sounded good, and I spotted a Bavarian Aying Dunkel Weizen, a classic style of the region (Lynn sensed a German theme in my drinking), amber colored, mild in alcohol and full of aromatics such as clove, banana, caramel and cinnamon.
Finishing the evening were a duo of desserts, as they were in the transition from 1 dessert to another, and so we got to enjoy both the Rocky Road Sundae with chocolate ice cream, roasted marcona almonds and marshmallow fluff (yummy!) and a bowl of coconut and strawberry sorbets with shorbread cookies (also yum!!).
With an excellent service staff that was attentive, fun and knowledgeable (led for us by our server Daniel, who was a pleasure to talk to), and taking classic dishes and styles and doing great wonders with them, I finished with a higher impression than I expected, and had wished I had dined here sooner. The seating outside was delightful, and we enjoyed great conversation with a U.K./Australian couple, bathed in the good weather, and enjoyed the most loverly of dates in a region that always offers up culinary and romantic delight, and proves that even with living and working in an area of such spoiling beauty, that you can always be surprised and have new experiences to revel in and get excited about. Cheers!