An Artistic Approach to Wine

Arthur Hon shares his creative perspective at New York museum restaurant the Modern

- KRISTEN BIELER

Arthur Hon approaches the curation of his guests’ wine experiences as a multidimensional canvas for his creativity. Born in Taipei, Hon moved to the San Francisco Bay Area with his family as a teenager. Rebelling against the competitive academic track his parents sought for him, Hon secured a coveted spot at the Art Institute of Chicago and pursued a degree as a graphic artist. Yet, part-time restaurant jobs ignited Hon’s passion for wine, setting him on a different path. After he graduated, he went on to become the beverage director at Chicago’s Sepia restaurant and then Proxi.

Hon moved to New York in 2017 for the opportunity to work at Union Square Hospitality Group’s (USHG) Union Square Café. Next, he spent two years as beverage director at David Chang’s Momofuku Ko, where he helped the team reimagine their business model during the pandemic closure. Last year, Hon returned to USHG, taking the helm as beverage director at one of the group’s crown jewels: the Modern, a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner located in the Museum of Modern Art—a fitting location for the artist-turned-sommelier. Hon spoke to senior editor Kristen Bieler about the connections between art and wine, managing dramatically different wine programs and his favorite value regions.

Wine Spectator: After studying to become a graphic artist, what drew you to a career in wine?