Scott Ota is a lecturing instructor of Hospitality and Service Management at CIA San Antonio, where he teaches beverage strategy, hospitality leadership, and the role of beverage programs in building successful restaurant businesses. An Advanced Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Ota is recognized nationally for his expertise in beverage leadership and wine education.
With more than two decades of hospitality leadership experience, Ota brings to the classroom a deep understanding of beverage program development, wine education, and restaurant operations. Throughout his career, he has learned that the best leaders create environments where people can perform at their natural best. As he advanced through leadership roles, he became known for building systems, designing training programs, streamlining operations, controlling costs, and developing talent—all while ensuring teams felt valued, supported, and empowered to use their strengths.
Ota has held leadership positions at acclaimed restaurants and hospitality groups across Texas, including general manager at Supper at Hotel Emma; manager and beverage lead at Botika; manager and beverage lead at Pharm Table; and general manager and beverage director at High Street Wine Co., all in San Antonio. In Austin, he served as manager and beverage lead at ELM Restaurant Group’s Arro and Italic, and as sommelier and wine captain at The Driskill Hotel, where he helped develop award‑winning wine programs and beverage experiences.
His accomplishments include winning the Texas Best Sommelier competition at TexSom—the largest educational conference and gathering of Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine in the United States—and the Somms Under Fire Food & Wine Pairing Competition. He was also named one of the nation’s “Best New Sommeliers” by Wine & Spirits magazine.
Ota earned a bachelor’s degree in Business with an emphasis in Marketing from Texas State University.
Outside the classroom, he remains active in the community. His volunteer work includes serving as lead chair of the culinary committee for Visit San Antonio, as a leadership volunteer for TexSom, as lead sommelier for Meals on Wheels’ annual Savor fundraiser, and as tasting group leader for Austin and San Antonio Sommeliers, a community of aspiring sommeliers pursuing advanced wine certifications.
Guiding all of his work is a personal mission: to continually progress in hospitality and beverage, to be a great service professional, and to be a better teammate. He also enjoys cooking, reading, gathering with friends, spending time with his girlfriend Lindsey, and watching English Premier League football. COYS!