While grape growing and winemaking were an integral part of Mariya Kovacheva’s family life, it wasn’t until she moved to the United States that her passion for wine truly took flight. Now head Sommelière at Café Boulud in Palm Beach, FL, Kovacheva was born and raised in a small town in Bulgaria’s Thracian Lowlands region. Never imagining that she was destined to become a wine professional, Mariya moved to the United States in 2000 to pursue her dream of graduating from an Ivy League MBA program. She soon began working in restaurants while applying for business school and accumulated experience in some of New England’s finest establishments. First at Rebecca’s and l’Escale in Greenwich, CT and later at The Pearl in Nantucket, she was well placed to learn from some of the best in the business. Following a summer season in Nantucket, she passed her first Sommelier Exam. Although her dream of being accepted to an MBA program had come true in 2005, by that time Kovacheva’s career path had taken off in a different direction. While she takes interest in wine making regions around the world, Kovacheva admits a preference for France, especially the Champagne, Northern Rhone and Burgundy regions. She particularly delights in tasting wines alongside chefs to develop menu pairing profiles for their cooking. Kovacheva is not only a Master Sommelier candidate but is also completing her diploma in wine and spirits. Most importantly, she oversees the wine and spirits program at Café Boulud Palm Beach, with a cellar of more than 500 selections and Wine Spectator Magazine “Best of Award of Excellence” awards since 2004. Kovacheva first joined Café Boulud in February 2008 and was promoted to head sommelier.