Two Years In a Nutshell

I'm back for 2014...well, the later parts of 2014 anyway. I've been away from this blog for some time, but I have about 15 unpublished posts from 2013. Looking back on them now lead me to a revelation about myself, and ultimately a confession which i'll get to later. For now, let's catch you guys up on what the heck has been going on with me.

So the last you guys heard, I was starting my professional Sommelier career at a wine bar called "Vino At Trios". I was their full time sommelier and wine director for about a year and a half. I'm really glad that I was able to start here rather than some fancy restaurant or overly hip downtown wine bar...for a few reasons:
     - Learning: I learned so much from the people around me. The GM and owner of the wine bar both trained me, pushed me, and emphasized the importance of guest interaction and satisfaction. I also learned so much from every guest that walked into the bar. Everything from answering obscure wine questions, to learning how to deal with some rather...unsavory...situations.
    - Friendship: I've been fortunate enough to meet some great people in my time at Vino, and was able to cultivate real friendships out of something that could have just been a single glass of wine.
   - Humility: Nobody will believe this, but no matter where I go or who I meet, I'll never forget where I came from, and that my job is to serve and take care of my guests. I can get cocky (We all know that), but I will always take care of my guests, putting their needs first.

 

 

Just so you guys know that I'm the real deal, here I am serving some happy, white people

I was very happy here, but I knew that I had to leave because of what I wanted to accomplish. I had dreams and visions of fine dining establishments, James Beard Awards, Food & Wine Magazine Awards, Michelin Stars and so on. On a whim, I signed up for the CMS Certified Sommelier Exam.

I passed the Exam in March 2014, it was a nerve racking experience which i'll get into in another post. Suffice to say, after taking the theory and blind tasting portion of the exam,  I was looking at their examination schedule so I can sign up for a retake. But I passed, so take that!

Jesus Evangelista, CS

After I passed the exam, I wanted to get an idea of where I could end up. Looking at my personality and knowing the type of atmosphere in which I wanted to be immersed, there was only one place...Beverly Hills. I had a few nice meals at Hakkasan, and they were fairly new to town, so they were at the top of the list. I was also interested in a few other restaurants in the area, but I won't mention them because I don't want them to feel bad about not getting me.

It was a bittersweet moment, the day I left Vino. I remember my last solo shift, sitting in the dark bar after the last guest had left and the stools had been put up. I walked around the bar, the darkness of the room only faintly interrupted by the dull glow of the VinoTemp. I sat and soaked in a year and a half's worth of emotions and memories. I thought about everything I've learned, and about how all of my future opportunities will be thanks to this little wine bar.

Goodnight, Old Friend...

I started at Hakkasan in April, 2014. It was a really different atmosphere, requiring a whole new skillset, and a radically different approach to service. Triple the nightly covers, double the amount of wines on the menu, a whole new set of price points to get used to, a huge team to get to know...the list goes on. There were a LOT more moving parts in this restaurant than at Vino. SO MANY MORE, in addition to its' corporate politics. I'll dive more into those things once we get out of this nutshell.

It was a really hard job to get used to doing...and I'll be the first to admit that I was not able to do it stone-cold-sober. I needed my pre-shift martini to calm my nerves.

I have now been with Hakkasan for 5 months, and I was recently promoted to Lead Sommelier. I also offer services to Vino At Trios wine bar, still selecting their wines and helping with their menus, but my actual goal is to prepare them to win the Wine Spectator Wine Excellence Award in 2015. I also pick up a few floor shifts every now and then. I suppose I can start posting my Vino appearances to keep my adoring public updated.

So my name is now on TWO wine menus, in TWO restaurants in the SoCal area. It feels pretty good to see.

SO...That's where I am now. Lead Sommelier at Hakkasan Beverly Hills, Wine Director at Vino at Trios. CMS Certified Sommelier, studying for Advanced exam and WSET program in 2015.

WHEW...that was a short two years, but what a ride. More to come, catch you guys later!