Dominick Purnomo, the visionary owner of the Dominick Purnomo Restaurant Group—which includes renowned establishments like Yono’s, dp An American Brasserie, Day Line, Patrick Henry’s, James Newbury, and The Wire Event Center—has deep roots in the culinary world. Growing up in his family's restaurant, he worked alongside his parents from a young age, cultivating his passion for hospitality. He pursued a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management at the State University of New York at Morrisville, graduating in 2000.

After completing his studies, Dominick returned to Albany to take the reins of the family business, immersing himself in daily operations. It was during this time that he discovered a profound passion for wine. Inspired by experiences in some of the world’s finest dining establishments, such as Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and Lespinasse in New York, he aspired to establish a world-class wine program at Yono’s.

At just 25 years old, Purnomo made history by being elected the youngest President of the Greater Capital District of the New York State Restaurant Association, serving two consecutive two-year terms. His expertise in wine earned him the distinction of being a national finalist in the Best Young Sommelier Competition and garnering three James Beard Award nominations for his exceptional wine program. Since 2004, Wine Spectator has recognized his wine list with the Best of Award of Excellence and recently acknowledged it as one of the world’s top 300 wine lists, awarding it a 3-star rating from The World of Fine Wine. Under his leadership, Yono’s was honored as one of the Top 100 restaurants in America by OpenTable for two consecutive years.

Dominick's contributions have been widely recognized; he was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Albany Business Journal and celebrated by GQ Magazine as one of the #BestDressedSomms. He is also a proud member of his alma mater, Shaker High School's Hall of Fame.

A sought-after speaker, Mr. Purnomo has presented at prestigious events such as the Desmond American Wine Festival, Albany Wine & Dine for the Arts, Nantucket Wine Festival, and the Martha’s Vineyard Wine Festival. He has lectured at the esteemed Hotel Ezra Cornell at Cornell University’s renowned Hotel School and has collaborated with esteemed wine teams at the James Beard House and other notable events alongside America’s top sommeliers.

Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the New York State Restaurant Association, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and The Palace Performing Arts Center. He is a member of the Society of Fellows at the Culinary Institute of America, the American Sommelier Association, and the Chevalier du Tastevin, and he founded the Sommelier Society of Albany and the Albany Food & Wine Festival. In 2022, Purnomo was appointed to the Albany Convention Authority by Governor Kathy Hochul and most recently was voted unanimously to serve on the board of the Regional Foodbank of Northeastern New York.  

In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Dominick co-founded FEED ALBANY (https://www.feedalbany.com/), a vital initiative providing meals to those in need within the community, particularly hospitality workers. His dedication to service earned him recognition as a Local Hero by Capital Region Living Magazine, a Jefferson Awards finalist, and accolades as a CHANGEMAKER and Empire Health Hero by the Capital Region Business Journal. He also received the inaugural COVID-19 “Beyond the Call” award from the Albany County Legislature and was a finalist for Philanthropist of the Year from the United Way of the Greater Capital Region.

As an industry advocate, Dominick has worked tirelessly to lobby Congress for the RESTAURANTS Act, ensuring necessary relief for independent restaurants, and he successfully campaigned to eliminate Trump-era wine and spirits tariffs, as well as to make to-go alcohol sales permanent across New York State.

His expertise and influence have been featured in prominent publications such as Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, GQ, Oprah Magazine, and on networks like MSNBC and CBS New York. 

Dominick resides in Albany with his wife, Kate, and their three daughters, Gemma, Halle, and Blair.