How 2015 alumna Tiffany Tobey built a career in hospitality and fine dining — and launched her own wine label
From her first hospitality job at age 15 — long before she became a sommelier or entrepreneur — Tiffany Tobey was captivated by the art of creating memorable guest experiences.
“I knew I wanted to be involved with fine dining and creating something magical for any guest or event I encountered,” Tobey said.
That early interest led her to Texas Tech University, where she found both her professional direction and a community that left a lasting impression.
Tobey, who graduated in 2015, describes Texas Tech and the Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management (RHIM) program as a place that “imprints itself on anyone who attends,” adding that it stays with students long after they leave.
The most influential part of her education was not a single class or textbook, but repeated interview practice.
“Professor Adams had us do so many mock interviews that to this day I rarely get nervous,” she said. “Whether I’m applying for a big role or sitting on the other side hiring my own staff, that confidence has carried me.”
Though she said she once complained about the repetition, Tobey now considers it one of the most valuable parts of her RHIM experience — preparation she believes many graduates in other fields do not receive at the same level.
Today, Tobey works in fine dining while building and promoting her own luxury wine projects.
“I love that I have been persistent with my side projects while still working a fine-dining position,” Tobey said. “I’ve intertwined my passion for wine, education, luxury dining, and events, and I get to do them all at once.”
She said the hospitality industry’s pace, creativity, and relationship-driven culture continue to energize her, emphasizing the importance of professional connections.
“Hospitality connections run deep,” she said. “You want to stand for your work ethic and be someone others look to as an inspiration — someone they’d want to work with or work for.”
Her advice to students and young professionals is straightforward: every interaction matters. In an industry where roles and cities change quickly, today’s co-worker could be tomorrow’s hiring manager.
“That person you work with today and aren’t so nice to could be the hiring manager at the place of your dreams five years from now,” she said.
Another milestone in Tobey’s career came last fall when she officially launched her own line of wines from the South of France, an achievement she described as both challenging and rewarding.
Her brand, Signature Sommelier, Tiffany Tobey, features fresh blends crafted in the Languedoc region. After tariff-related delays, the wines are now entering the Texas market.
“It has been an amazing journey,” Tobey said. “I’m thrilled to finally be out here launching them.”
For Tobey, hospitality is more than a job. She describes it as a craft and a community — and now, a signature label — reflecting a career built on persistence, passion, and connection.