HOUSTON BARAKAT
Wine director at Saint Peter, No.66 The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025
Houston Barakat has been working in hospitality since he was a teenager. His determination, flexibility and ambition have seen him work his way up through all levels of kitchen and bar work before becoming wine director at Sydney's Saint Peter.
Starting young
At the age of 15, Barakat would spend mornings before school washing dishes for his local bakery and after-school hours doing the same at a nearby care home. He then took on bar work during his studies, working as a waiter, bartender and manager in bars, nightclubs, hotels and restaurants across Melbourne.
Next steps
After 10 years on the circuit, he became junior sommelier at the Carlton Wine Room – a beacon for wine lovers in Melbourne. Just three years later, he was approached to become head sommelier for Saint Peter, a small 18-seat seafood counter in Sydney. Now in a new location, Barakat heads up the beverage team as wine director. He champions small, independent Australian vignerons, pairing their wines with the best creative seafood dishes chef Josh Niland has to offer.
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