One of the more interesting culinary trends in recent years, consider the ascent of the chef-sommelier.
The time was, maybe a couple of decades ago, that kitchen and cellar only met table-side. Even now there’s barely a handful of certified sommelier chefs in B.C.
In Vancouver (and Surrey) you’ll find Vikram Vij and Dino Renaerts (the first certified sommelier chef in the country); and in Kelowna, Mark Filatow of Waterfront Bistro.
But the number of chef-sommeliers continues to grow along with their profile, which has just moved up another notch.
There was some seriously hot competition at Rogers Arena this past week. And it wasn’t on the ice. CAPS B.C. (more lengthily known as the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, B.C. chapter) held its annual competition to determine the best sommelier in the province.
In the finals, vying for top honours were Sean Nelson of Vij’s Restaurant (Vancouver), Shane Taylor of CinCin (Vancouver) and Alistair Veen from Tap Restaurant (Surrey).
This is one of the most arduous contests on the circuit. Competitors have to successfully identify wines poured blind, suggest appropriate wine and food pairings, execute correct table service (including opening and pouring), and identify errors on wine lists, among other tasks.
If it sounds easy, it’s not. The competition was so fierce that when the scores were in, only one point separated first and second places, said CAPS B.C. president Michelle Bouffard.
The big winner turned out to be Veen. Veen is owner, chef and certified sommelier at Tap. It was a major coup, not only for him but also for Surrey, as few (other than “insiders”) were aware of Veen or his restaurant until now.
CAPS B.C. vice-president and well-known wine educator D.J. Kearney sums it up:
“Alistair Veen’s triumph reminds us about the true spirit of competition: a level playing field where anyone can compete and win. It’s less about reputation (of restaurant, wine program, accomplishments), but what you bring to the table in a given moment, on a given day. Alistair won the day with service flair, theory scholarship, tasting proficiency and intuitive, mouthwatering food and wine pairings.”
In short, a big win for the chef-sommelier. Stay tuned to see how our man does in the nationals.
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My pick of the week:
Tollo Colle Secco Rubino Montepulciano 2011/12
This long-running favourite merits a place on most Italian wine lists, and for good reason. Pretty, medium ruby in the glass, with bright red berries and some anise on the nose, followed by a medium-bodied palate with good structure, acidity and easy tannins. Perfect for pasta (90 points, $16-$17).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
