The Art of Storytelling
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
A new course from Beverageintelligence University to help your teams transform from order takers to memory makers.
Picture this. A guest settles into their chair after a long day on Safari. The sun has set, and dinner is about to be served. The campfire flickers warmly. Your waiter approaches with a bottle of wine and says: " Can I interest you in a Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch?"
Accurate? Yes. Memorable? Not quite!
Now imagine the same moment, but this time the waiter warmly says: " This wine comes from a family who left everything behind to chase a dream in the rolling hills of Stellenbosch. The grandmother still walks the vineyards every morning. She says the vines are like old people - the older they get, the more interesting their stories become. I have a Chenin Blanc for you from their vineyard."
Same wine. Completely different experience. That is the power of storytelling, and it is the reason we have built our newest course in the Beverageintelligence University: The Art of Storytelling.
Here is something our CEO Allister Kreft learned early in his career. He had spent years building his winemaking knowledge, working alongside his father at Belfield, studying fermentation, terroir, and viticulture. And then somebody told him something that changed everything: nobody cares about your wine knowledge. They care about the stories behind the wine.
It sounds blunt, but it is profoundly true. Guests do not come to a lodge in the Masai Mara, or a boutique hotel on the Seychelles, to hear about malolactic fermentation, or the flavour of the wine. They come for the experience. They come to be transported. And the most powerful vehicle for that transportation is a well-told story.
Introducing the TPPP Model: Your Storytelling Framework
At the heart of the course is a practical framework we call the TPPP Model: Theme, People, Place, Product. This is the structure your team will use to craft and practise compelling stories for every wine on your list.
The key insight? We flip the traditional approach. Instead of starting with the product and rattling off tasting notes, we start with the story and finish with the wine. By the time the Guest takes their first sip, they already have an emotional connection to what is in their glass. This course builds on the strong foundations laid in Wine, Bar and Service 101, and the Winery Masterclasses, and joins the Wine Advisor Course in Level 3 of the Beverageintelligence University.
What Makes a Great Storyteller?
It is no surprise that some of the best winemakers are also remarkable storytellers. The course unpacks the skills that separate a good storyteller from a great one.
Read your Guests and listen. Be interested rather than interesting. Our job is to observe first. Is the businessman at table four deep in a contract negotiation? Perhaps this is not the moment. Are the young couple on holiday eagerly asking for suggestions? Now is your time to shine.
Timing. A great story told at the wrong moment falls flat. The course teaches your team to read the room and find the perfect window.
Communication. Tone of voice, body language, eye contact – these are the tools that bring a story to life. The course also teaches the power of analogy: comparing an old vine to an old person, full of character and wisdom, is far more engaging than bombarding Guests with technical facts.
And above all: Proper Practice Prevents Poor Performance. The 5 Ps. Preparation is everything, and the course includes practical exercises and our Fundi powered Game of Wine to help your team build their storytelling muscles.
Ready to Transform Your Team?
The Art of Storytelling is launching in Term 2 of 2026 in the Beverageintelligence University. If your property is already part of the Under the Influence family, speak to your Education Coach about enrolling your team. If you are not yet working with us but want to bring this level of training and development to your operation, we would love to hear from you.
Pre-register for the next Term: https://forms.gle/wURXPaG9LhiacZuW6
Learn more about our Learning Journey: https://www.undertheinfluence.co.za/single-post/the-beverageintelligence-learning-journey
Go Deeper: Supporting Content
We are passionate about this subject and have built a collection of supporting content to help you and your teams explore the art of storytelling further.
Podcast – Somm Corner with Penny: A conversation about storytelling in the context of sommelier service and Guest engagement. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEU1ydCJFKE
Coaching your teams for better Storytelling with Fundi: Discover how our AI tutor, Fundi, can help your team practise and refine their storytelling skills. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfg30xU17G8
Creating the ultimate pairing and storytelling with your wine list and Fundi: Learn how to pair stories with wines using your own wine list as a canvas. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTvQDXPuReY
Somm Corner with Joseph Dhafana – The Art of Storytelling: Joseph shares his journey from storytelling at the table to building brands. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4YKsXHHWpo
Because every glass has a story. Your team just needs to learn how to tell it.
