about

For over a decade I've had the privilege of working as a sommelier, restaurant manager, and cultural director for a collection of luxury resorts where I get to indulge high profile guests, club members, and residents. I love the work. My roles have largely involved coaching on the finer elements of service and wine, though most importantly, it has been engaging and forming genuine connections with our staff and guests. Through my work I have had the opportunity to connect with people from a wide range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Most are great people, of not exceptional. Though I have come to recognize that good behavior and basic etiquette are not a given, and that some people, no matter their background, are simply unpleasant to be around. To combat the occasional bad behavior, and moreover optimize my interactions with guests and colleagues, I became obsessive in the pursuit of better etiquette practices to blend into our work culture. The result of my obsession is this blog, The Avant Life, inspired by hundreds of hours of research, refinement, and practical application of modern etiquette techniques. My colleagues and I have since committed to daily etiquette practice, and each of us have witnessed dramatic improvements in our work and personal lives. Through this blog I wanted to share these techniques in hope that others could successfully apply them to their own personal and professional endeavors. I wish you the best towards your adventures in modern etiquette. Alex Latorre, Etiquette Coach

Adventures in Modern Etiquette

For over a decade I've had the privilege of working as a sommelier, restaurant manager, and cultural director for a collection of luxury resorts where I get to indulge high profile guests, club members, and residents. I love the work. My roles have largely involved coaching on the finer elements of service and wine, though most importantly, it has been engaging and forming genuine connections with our staff and guests. Through my work I have had the opportunity to connect with people from a wide range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Most are great people, of not exceptional. Though I have come to recognize that good behavior and basic etiquette are not a given, and that some people, no matter their background, are simply unpleasant to be around. To combat the occasional bad behavior, and moreover optimize my interactions with guests and colleagues, I became obsessive in the pursuit of better etiquette practices to blend into our work culture. The result of my obsession is The Avant Life, a blog inspired by hundreds of hours of research, refinement, and practical application of modern etiquette techniques. My colleagues and I have since committed to daily etiquette practice, and each of us have witnessed dramatic improvements in our work and personal lives. Through this blog I wanted to share these techniques in hope that others could successfully apply them to their own personal and professional endeavors. I wish you the best towards your adventures in modern etiquette. Alex Latorre, Etiquette Coach

For over fifteen years I have specialized in the luxury hospitality industry. I’ve had the privilege to work as a sommelier, manage a Michelin-starred restaurant, and now as a cultural director for an ultra-luxury resort. I love the work.

Expectations are high in this space, and quality product aside, the experience is created mostly through the service of etiquette. Staying true to indulge high profile guests while working well within a team is demanding work, yet etiquette can make it look easy. Driven to constantly improve our guest and team member experience, I became obsessive in the pursuit of better etiquette practice to blend into our service standards and work culture.

The result of this obsession is The Avant Life, a consulting agency and blog inspired by hundreds of hours of research, refinement, and practical application of modern etiquette techniques.

Starting in 2019 I took on my first consulting role where I was asked to share insights and recommendations into business and service etiquette. The positive feedback I received from management and staff was astounding. I have since taken on more consulting roles and integrated training programs based on my experience in working with modern behavioral science tools, like Predictive Index, in combination with traditional etiquette practice to optimize team and guest experience.

My goal now is to continue perfecting the art of social and professional business etiquette, while developing best practices in hopes others may successfully apply them to their own endeavors.

I wish you the best towards your adventures in modern etiquette.

Alex Latorre, Program Consultant