MEET THE SOMM | Shirley Tan

19 February 2026

Appointed as Head Sommelier of our Singapore Club in October, Shirley recounts how she got where she is today – from growing up in a small town in Malaysia to night shifts on a hotel reception where she read wine books to stay awake…

I was born in a small town in the south of Malaysia called Muar, and it wasn’t until I went to university in Kuala Lumpur – to study International Hospitality Management – that I first tasted wine. I always knew I wanted to be in hospitality. It’s something that’s in my heart. That, and the fact that I can’t sit still for long. But it wasn’t until my university days that I began thinking about wine as a career. The only time when I was totally focused was the wine classes. I loved learning about the different grape varieties, their different DNA, how some have high tannins, some have low tannins, why some taste of red fruit and some taste of black fruit, and how they taste different according to where they’re grown. It was all absolutely fascinating to me. 

I did an internship in Singapore for six months in a boutique hotel, on the F&B side – by then, I knew I wanted to work in beverage industry. But after university, I had to go back to Malaysia for a period of time, and not many of the restaurants there had a wine focus. Even if they did, they would have one experienced sommelier, who had to be very knowledgeable – there were no junior sommelier positions. So I found a job in a hotel as a receptionist, and when I worked the night shift, I would read a wine book to make sure I stayed awake, and to keep learning. 

Thankfully, I got the job, and I was just in time. The pandemic had started, and during lockdown, once you entered Macau, you couldn’t leave. If you left, you couldn’t get back in. I landed in Singapore, and had to quarantine in a hotel for 24 hours. When I woke up the next morning, I saw that Hong Kong had grounded all flights in or out. I was very lucky.

I was part of the pre-opening team for the Club, and I couldn’t believe how big the list was. It kept getting bigger, too. Every day, I would spend an hour or two just scrolling through it to learn the new wines. We would be filling up the wine tower and there were so many labels that I’d never seen before. To be honest, I felt very insecure to begin with. The other challenge was that, even when we opened, there were some restrictions still in place from the pandemic, and we could only serve between certain hours, turning around service really quickly but with no barbacks, so when we weren’t dashing to the wine tower to collect wines, we were constantly polishing glasses. It was very challenging for four months, but we made it happen. And that kind of moment brings you all together, and is something you never forget. 

I’ve learned so much since, about so many different wines from different region. As for my personal tastes, I love bubbles from different parts of the world – grower Champagne, Franciacorta, even Sekt and New World fizz. I also have a real soft spot for Sicilian wines and aged Nebbiolo. And I really enjoy a nice, chilled whisky sour after a long shift. I love peaty whiskies, from Islay – Caol Ila and Lagavulin are my favourites. 

I’m also very interested in gemstones. I started collecting them when I was in Macau, during the pandemic. I like to learn about where they come from, the different colours and their function, and how they relate to your chakra. I find them very healing. I have around 100 different stones now, and I make them into a bracelet to wear each day, according to what mood or emotion I feel or want to project. 

Last October, I was made Head Sommelier. The announcement coincided with a trip to London for my first attempt at the MS Exam. I will re-sit the theory and tasting exams later this year in Hong Kong, so I’m studying a lot right now. The experience is fascinating, although it’s tough when you’re working long hours in an intense environment – no matter how tired, I will still have to wake up and study. I rarely get more than six hours a day of sleep right now. But I know it’s worth it. 

I remember when I was younger, many of my friends thought it was strange that I wanted to become a sommelier – but they were so happy for me as my career progressed. When I become Head Sommelier at 67, one of them texted me and said, ‘Wow, you really did it. I’m so proud of you. You fulfilled your dream.’