Disclaimer: Some show spoilers ahead.
“I can handle it, chef.”
In the latest season of Emmy Award-winning FX on Hulu show, The Bear, we return to the very chaotic operations of River North restaurant “The Bear” — this time in its fine dining era. Head chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (played by Jeremy Allen White) continues to lead with intense perfectionism, determined to earn the restaurant its first Michelin star.
But first, “The Bear” has to get through its first full month of service.
Two years ago at the conclusion of season one, The TRiiBE reported on how the show spotlighted the Black culinary creativity of Chef Marcus (played by Lionel Boyce) and Chef Sydney (played by Ayo Edebiri). In season three, however, we get a glimpse into another example of Black creativity within the restaurant space — and that’s the work of a sommelier.
Sommelier, which is French for “wine steward,” is someone who, next to the chef, plays a critical role in restaurant service. Somms can be responsible for designing the beverage program, determining the best pairings with the menu selections, and serving as liaison between the front and back of house. Found within different types of restaurants — from fine dining to fast casual to bars — and with various levels of expertise, somms enhance the dining experience for guests to discover what they enjoy.
“Beverage is such an integral part of a restaurant’s viability,” Chicago-based sommelier and entrepreneur Derrick C. Westbrook said. “As sommeliers, our job is to captivate an audience with a new experience. The wine list ultimately becomes the space to educate and empower guests.”
Westbrook has not only worked the floors of award-winning Chicago restaurants such as the Alinea Group’s NEXT Restaurant and now-closed Michelin-starred Elizabeth, but he has also owned and operated a wine bar and retail shop, and currently develops beverage programs for some of the city’s top restaurants and bars.
This season, Gary “Sweeps” Woods (played by Chicago native Corey Hendrix) takes on the role of head sommelier for “The Bear”— a role that is daunting for the novice wine connoisseur. In episode two, Sweeps shares that he will be attending wine school. At this moment, Richie (played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach) gives him a copy of Richard Betts’ The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to becoming a Wine Expert.
“Wait a minute, is this a scratch and sniff book?” Sweeps asks.
This is important because it demonstrates that there is no wrong way to begin learning on a wine journey. (And if Sweeps is building up his wine book library, we’d highly recommend Wine Convo Generator as his next essential read.)
“I resonated a lot with Sweeps watching season three,” said Francisco Joseph, sommelier at Logan Square wine bar Easy Does It. “Inheriting a lot of responsibility and doing your due diligence to meet new expectations is an exciting but nerve-wracking experience.”
Joseph, whose wine career started in sales, desired to experience the industry at every level. He has worked a harvest, within tasting rooms, on the restaurant floor, and now he serves at a wine bar. Each level offers a different experience into how the wine industry operates, and how to best support the consumer.
THE ART OF BUILDING A WINE LIST
While we have yet to see exactly how Sweeps will rise to the occasion, he has been thrusted early into the high-energy of a dinner service. In episode three, Sweeps nervously breaks the cork on a bottle of wine when trying to open it — an absolute no-no when it comes to wine service. But experience is always the best teacher.
Certified Sommelier Vernon Jackson, who practices the craft at Chef José Andres’ establishments The Bazaar and Bar Mar, believes a wine list must complement the food of the space.
“One of the beautiful things about the wine list at Bar Mar and Bazaar is that most major wine regions were present,” Jackson said. “For our team, it was important to find wines guests may expect but from a different region, allowing us to create personalized experiences.”
With the menu at “The Bear” changing every day, this might prove a challenge for Sweeps. When building a wine list, Joseph advises Sweeps to start small and grow by necessity.
“Everything doesn’t need to be extremely specific, but define your values early and it will make decisions easier down the line,” Joseph said. Additionally, Joseph recommends organizing the list in a digestible way for all guests.
“A wine list does not need to be a dictionary,” he said. “If the menu is concise, a wine list that matches that offering will give a better experience to its guests.”
LESSONS LEARNED
As Sweeps continues to develop his palate, it’ll be crucial for him to build community outside of his place of employment.
“The biggest lesson that I’ve learned is that this is an industry built on having a network of support,” Jackson said. “If I could tell baby sommelier Vernon one thing, it would be to keep an organized wine journal of notes: people, places, books, and restaurants. I’m sorting through all of it now and it’s a journey!”
Westbrook agrees. “I would advise myself to search for my voice and document everything you’re tasting. The best experience is learning what you love and using that as a platform to explore.”
Joseph said he would pay closer attention to interactions happening at the table, and use language that makes the wine easy to understand.
“If you start talking about rain shadows and altitude at the table, guests might check-out,” he said. “While it’s great to have high-level wine information in your backpocket, keep the focus on the guest and how good their meal has been. Less is always more.”
The post These Black Chicago sommeliers share wine wisdom for The Bear’s head wine steward appeared first on The TRiiBE.
