Young Blood Sommelier: Bernard Joseph Lemoyne

In the third of our twenty-fourth Young Blood Sommelier series (it’s astonishing really), we interview some of the most talented up-and-coming sommeliers in Ontario and beyond.

A few years back Many years ago, I was flicking through the pages of a locally published periodical and noticed that, when it came to sommeliers, the same names seemed to pop up over and over again. I was also gradually becoming cognisant of the fact that we more established wine folks were well and truly “losing our edge” to these young blood sommeliers. Being well aware of the depth of new talent that was out there, I finally decided to get together with a couple of fellow Toronto sommeliers, “Old Guard” (Anton Potvin and Peter Boyd) to assemble a line of questioning that would give us an entertaining insight into the minds of these rising and often underexposed stars.

This week we sit down for an extended banter with Bernard Joseph Lemoyne, an utterly terrific chap I met for the very first time at VieVinum in Vienna earlier this year.

 

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Good Food Revolution: So, Bernard, what is it that you are doing these days? 

Bernard Joseph Lemoyne: There is no short answer to this question! Primarily, I am the General Manager and Head Sommelier at Atelier in Ottawa. I am also a consultant focusing on beverage program curation and operations management training. I am an instructor with Cepages Somm Academy (Ottawa’s 1^st certified CAPS program) and provide seminars at Chef’s Paradise (a local high end homewares and restaurant supply store with a badass Experience Centre inside the store) centred around wine and food

GFR: Please describe a regular workday. What does a normal day entail for you? Is there a normal day?

BJL: My days, as packed as they can be, are pretty standard. Depending on the work load, I start my day in the early afternoon. Coffee is essential! I check the reservations for the day, make any phone calls related to the day’s bookings which is pretty quick as the majority of calls are made the day before.

Next up is setting the floor plan, section assignments for servers and confirming any menu changes with the kitchen. This is followed by the wine side of things. Checking closing inventory of the wines we offer on the pairings and making changes and updates as needed. We never deal with large amounts of any single wine so the pairing is constantly changing, which is great fun for the wine team!

Menu printing is next with personalized and dated ones for anyone celebrating a special occasion. A quick team brief of the day’s flow and menu changes with the front-of-house team and lo and behold its 5pm, time for staff meal!

The previous day’s sales, labour reports and invoices are next followed by more phone calls and emails pertaining to the next day’s bookings. At 5:30 I get a brief reprieve which is usually spent working on my other projects if needed or simply having coffee number 3 as I mentally prepare for the service ahead.

Fully dressed and ready for service by 5:45-5:50 and 6pm, the first guests arrive. Service usually runs until midnight-ish and we are fully closed by 1am, sometimes as late as 2am… hence my nickname Mr. 2am haha!

Thankfully, this heavy schedule is only 4 days a week

GFR: Thankfully, we are on the other side of this pandemic. How did the pandemic impact your professional life? And how have you bounced back?

BJL: Professionally it was extremely challenging. The great unknown of the first few months was the hardest. What was projected as a 2 week closure stretched to 3 months. Hardest 3 months of my life mentally. Being a fine dining establishment, once we were allowed to re-open, with limited indoor capacity to outdoor dining only to take-out only lockdown after lockdown, we were forced to become extremely creative and agile. Don’t get me started on the 24hr flipflops by the Ontario government that saw us cancel reservations one minute and calling everyone back the next to let them know that in fact we are going to be open. Frustrating to say the least!

I love that we stayed true to our baseline of fine dining while still maintaining a creative edge and keeping the business afloat. For example: we managed to pull off a 7-course “drive-thru” concept that saw guests line up outside, grab their first course and go off to enjoy it on the grass across the street or in their cars, then circling back for the next course and so on. All accompanied by non-alcoholic pairings. We also did a 26-course take-out collaboration with Chef Briana Kim of Alice called The Alphabet Menu where the teams from both restaurants took 13 letters of the alphabet each and created a dish centred around the individual letters. An Instagram competition involving take-out featured the finished components of the meal and had guests “plate like the chef” and the winner got a free dinner the next time around. When restricted to outdoor dining only, we were fortunate enough to have our neighbours Morning Owl Coffee shop open up their parking lot to us, allowing for a 6-course “Garden Menu” with up to 30 seats

GFR: You had to deal with all those damn truckers up there, didn’t you?

BJL: Yes indeed. That was a very trying time for the City of Ottawa. Downtown did not feel safe at all and getting around was difficult. Living and working downtown was not pleasant at all and it made us appreciate our quiet little Capital all that much more

GFR: How aware of wine were you while growing up? Were you around wine from an early age? 

BJL: I was always surrounded by wine so the idea of it was never foreign, although my household definitely leaned more towards spirits and beer

GFR: Can you remember your first taste of wine? What’s the wine scene in Zambia like?

BJL: My parents introduced me to wine at a very young age. A sip here and there when I would innocently ask if I could have “whatever it was they were drinking” so I suppose I developed a taste for it quite early. A different time indeed. My dad would pluck an avocado from the tree outside our kitchen, half it, remove the seed and in the well pour white wine topped with freshly cracked black pepper. A delicacy in my home!

The wine scene in Zambia is dominated by South African wines with French, Spanish and Chilean wines well represented as well. Specialty wine stores started to pop up a few years ago so the future of wine in Zambia is bright but still in its infancy

 

 

GFR: When do you feel children should be introduced to the wonderful world of wine?

BJL: I believe it is never too early to start having conversations around wine. Beyond being a fermented beverage, the world of wine intersects with the worlds of geography, history, culture, religion, business etc. Basically, there is a way to relate to wine at every level of existence and learning about these overlaps and intersections early can do nothing but good

GFR: So who or what gave you your very first insight into the world of wine? Did you have a wine epiphany?

BJL: Socially, my cousin Vincent. A lover of all things Burgundy and Champagne, he introduced me to some of the greatest producers. I feel very fortunate to have had this as my intro as we have enjoyed some epic bottles together. My epiphany came from a bottle of 2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon he was generous enough to share with me. Professionally, it was my former boss Anish Mehra, GM of East India Company Restaurants. He planted the seed of formalizing my wine knowledge  

GFR: Please tell us a little about your “Sommelier history”. What kind of experience and training, wine-wise did you have before doing what you are doing today? And looking back, if you could, would you have made different decisions?

BJL: I enrolled in the sommelier program at Algonquin College in 2013. It was a great intro to the formalized world of wine but I still wasn’t sure about making wine my life. Until the final module of the program when I had the legend Steve Robinson as my instructor. He introduced me to the Court of Master Sommeliers (he was preparing to take his CMS Advanced exam at the time). Listening to him speak and experiencing his encyclopaedic knowledge first hand with the most humble of deliveries devoid of pretention had me hooked instantly. Then I witnessed his flawless service style and attention to detail and becoming a sommelier was etched forever into my soul. The only thing I’d have done differently is begin my journey earlier

GFR: When did you first decide that you would actually like a career in wine?  … and was it with a view to being a Sommelier? 

BJL: After meeting Steve and yes absolutely

GFR: Tell us a little about how you find the food and wine scene in the nation’s capital, Ottawa? Is it as sleepy a town as some would have us believe?

BJL: I’ve had the benefit of being part of the Ottawa scene for 19 years now and witnessing its growth has been an absolute thrill. Anyone that says Ottawa is sleepy or boring either visited once 20 years ago or is simply a hater. About 10 years ago, the boomers started to retire and the millennials found themselves with high paying tech and government jobs, thereby creating a demand for more interesting restaurants and bars outside of classic French and steak & potatoes.

We Ottawans thrive on being underdogs so the quality, variety and level of service experienced here is on par with, if not better than, the bigger cities of Montreal and Toronto. Dare I include New York and San Francisco? Absolutely! And all this at a fraction of the price in comparison to those other metropolises. And this applies to the Outaouais region as a whole because the Quebec side of the river has some of the best restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing

GFR: Please give me a little insight into the wine program at Atelier. 

BJL: Steve built the program and I’ve spent the last 7 years attempting to fill some pretty massive shoes. We have a wine list with around 200 labels, extensive Champagne and Bordeaux sections with a great range of countries, regions and styles featured. In addition to this we offer a wine pairing. 8 wines paired across 40 courses (served over 6 flights). We intentionally order small amounts of each and try to keep the styles and producers featured fun and interesting not only for our guests but for the somm team as well. We do our very best to feature Canadian wines and are proud to offer labels from Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and BC. At the core of our wine philosophy is responsibly made with a human story behind it

GFR: The Sommelier world is notoriously full of pretentious arseholes, and after seeing that film Somm a few years ago, I still worry about the emergence of a new Wine Bro culture… Also, I have picked up on a LOT of that vibe from some of the usual suspects in the mixology crowd—full-on Jordan Peterson fans and all that stuff. Believe it or not, I saw one of the usual suspects defend Andrew Tate recently. What the hell is going on there? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

BJL: I hate that film. It represents everything that is wrong with the wine business. We have entered an era where the titles of sommelier and mixologist are regarded and held at a pretty high level. The knowledge and skill required for these professions is finally getting some recognition as being legitimate careers (a good thing!) and not just poor students trying to put themselves through school after which they go off to get “real jobs”.

This shift has inevitably boosted a lot of egos and created a God Complex which is tragic. Additionally, a power dynamic with heavy patriarchal overtones inevitably took hold resulting in a lot of restauranteurs getting Me Too’d and rightfully so. We seem to have forgotten than we are in the business of hospitality and at its very core, our jobs are to create programs and experiences that benefit the guests we serve and leave them with memories that make them want to come back. Not to stand on a soapbox looking for the masses to kiss our feet and praise our names.

With great skill and talent, you typically have greater management responsibility attached and it is on us to create a work culture where our colleagues, especially he marginalized, feel safe and are treated with respect

GFR: Speaking of which, we are having some really important conversations right now about the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace, and what can be done to eradicate it from the culture. 

I’d be interested to hear your take on the topic, and perhaps what you have witnessed yourself during your time in the restaurant world… big question, I know, but I feel it’s a topic that deserves discussion.

BJL: I’ve had the misfortune of witnessing some pretty despicable behaviour in my day. Sadly, this culture of abuse still reigns and rings true to this day for too many. I am happy, however, to also be part of the wave of change that us as an industry are going through. Restaurants now are being opened, managed, owned and operated by a new generation of folks that are aware of, and have experienced, this abuse first hand. And we know its not right. As with most things that are righteous, they take time to become the norm.

There is no easy or short answer to this question but I am full of optimism knowing that I am surrounded by innovators who are committed to changing this narrative. Representation also matters so seeing more and more women as owners and in positions of decision making and power will inevitably lead to positive change

 

 

GFR: You identify as Black; how often have you experienced racial prejudice in your years as a sommelier? Are things getting better in the wine world, or do we still have a long way to go and much to work upon?

BJL: Yes. Racism and prejudice are prevalent. I have been on the receiving end of some pretty vicious and vitriolic rancour. I don’t necessarily enjoy talking about it because I can get pretty heated as I have no patience for it. Anything from being undermined by guests not believing I’m “the wine guy” and asking for the “real sommelier” to being called a “brown piece of shit” by a guest that was unhappy being cut off for being a drunken punk to fellow industry folks feeling it was OK to shag my hair like a dog messing up my perfectly manicured high top to being casually called the N-word because they thought they had a “pass.” I’ll leave it there.

Things are changing though. A long way to go indeed but change is afoot. I have attempted to be a voice for the racially marginalized in this industry, giving my perspective and sharing my professional and personal experiences as a Black man with those entering the industry. It is quite epic to see people like Christopher Sealy achieve all he has and continue to do so, as I aspire to do the same. And hopefully that translates to those following us. I think the restaurant world needs to realize that we are here and we are not going anywhere. Deal with it!

GFR: So, natural wine is basically the new normal in many places, perhaps in Ottawa?… I’m pretty choosy when it comes to my personal forays into that world. What’s your take?

BJL: Ah yes, the question du jour! It is impossible to avoid natural wine in any market these days. Personally, I am a fan of the general philosophy guiding natural wine, i.e. Terroir and sustainable farming. However, I am not a fan of the lazy winemaking approach of dogmatic “nothing added, nothing taken away.” While in theory this sounds great, it more often than not makes for a product that is out of balance with bottle variation and instability up to wazoo. I cannot stand the passing off of faults with a simple shrug and “its supposed to smell/taste like that,” No, its not! That said, natural wines made with care and precision are truly a joy to experience (although you may have to drink fast before they turn to peanut juice)

GFR: How would you say that your palate has evolved over the years? 

For example, I went through an old vine Zinfandel phase. I revisited such wines last year… Hmmmm… interesting, but really not for me any more. Although, saying that, I’ve been quite enjoying some of them again recently!

BJL: Like most people of my generation, in my youth, sweet wine was the way to go. The more life experience I got under my belt, the more my palate craved complexity. Fruit without sweetness, texture and tertiary aromas and flavours. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a good Moscato d’Asti every now and then but I am currently leaning heavily into light and medium bodied reds. Nerello Mascalese is at the top of that list, followed by my forever wine, Beaujolais. Champagne has been a constant on this journey, with a short stint obsessing over Cab Sauv and Bordeaux blends

GFR: How do you feel about Canadian wines? 

BJL: Love them! We have a great winemaking scene here that is killing it and the industry is still in its infancy. We have finally figured out what wines speak true to our climate and moved away from trying to be Burgundy and Napa. Sky’s the limit!

GFR: What do you think we do well here in Canada?

BJL: Canada is a beacon of diversity. World class wines can be found from coast to coast. For example, traditional method sparkling in Nova Scotia, hybrids in Quebec, Pinot Noir and Cab Franc in Prince Edward County, Riesling, Chardonnay and Gamay in Niagara, Pinot Noir from the North Okanagan and Bordeaux blends from the South Okanagan. And that’s the short list

GFR: And what do you feel we should really give up on?

BJL: 86 Baco Noir

GFR: How do you feel about Canadian support for our local wine industry? 

BJL: Could be better. There is still this sentiment of Canadian wine being lesser than the more established wines of the world. Price:Quality comes up often in these discussions, but when you understand our climate and what the vignerons and vineyard managers have to go through to produce wines here, they should probably be charging more for the higher quality wines.

GFR: Just as there is everywhere in the world, there is quite a lot of dreadful wine coming from Canada (BC, Quebec, Ontario, et al.). How do you feel about the issue of people simply promoting something because it is local and not because of its quality?

BJL: I’m a believer of supporting local but yes, price cannot surpass quality, even if it is for a worthy cause. I think every market, regardless of size and prestige, has to contend with subpar products. That is the reality of business. Volume is an economic driver and accompanying volume is usually a healthy amount of mediocrity. It is why we see single producers making various cuvees of the same wine at different price points, which hopefully reflect corresponding quality. The lower end of the price scale is the cash cow that allows for higher-end wines to be made and marketed

GFR: Does your work allow you to travel much? 

That’s one thing that I really missed through the pandemic: going on wine trips.

We recently spent some time together in Austria tasting wines there. What did you learn on that trip, and what excited you the most?

BJL: Work travel is a very recent phenomenon for me. The pandemic certainly did me no favours but the last 12 months have been a real joy, seeing me explore various regions.

Meeting you and Dick Snyder was a highlight that is tough to top! Austria was only my 2^nd ever trade trip. Meeting fellow Canadian industry folks that I’ve only heard of by name or chatted with via Instagram DMs was a lot of fun. I discovered some amazing wines and producers, but sharing that experience with the warm folks I met was the true highlight for me.

GFR: Is there anywhere you would really like to visit? And why?

BJL: Even though I’ve never been, Champagne and Burgundy are where my heart lives. The variety and complexity crammed into such a tiny geographical space has intrigued me from the jump

 

 

GFR: Which wine regions have you had the opportunity to visit over the years?

BJL: Stellenbosch, Swartland, Niagara, PEC, Annapolis Valley, Eastern Townships of Quebec, Finger Lakes and Rioja. Does our jaunt to Wien count?!

GFR: Have you ever made your own wine?

BJL: I have not

GFR: And where would you like to make wine (in a pipe dream)?

BJL: I respect what winemakers do way too much and know the limitations of my talent so I would never. But if, by some miracle, the opportunity presented itself, Champagne

GFR: What have been your career highs and lows?

BJL: The uncertainty of the pandemic is a glaring low, something I still struggle with to this day. Highs abound. I’ve been very lucky to have maintained exponential growth in this industry to this point. A recent standout is from last October when I had the honour and privilege to be on the technical committee as a judge for the Best Sommelier of Canada Competition in Halifax alongside Veronique Rivest, Michelle Bouffard and Jonathan Bauer-Monneret. What an all star team to be a part of! I love what I do so also hearing how my guests enjoyed their experience night after night is a recurring high for me

GFR: Who is, in your mind, a real role model for Sommeliers?

BJL: Quite a few names to mention. First, Veronique Rivest. Her generosity in sharing her knowledge and experience is unquantifiable. Christopher Sealy is the true definition of humility and class. His approach to wine is so different from the norm that hearing him speak has given me a different perspective on my own love of wine that I was previously unaware of. Lastly, Carlton McCoy MS. His journey has been incredible and truly inspiring. To go from wanting to be in the kitchen and training at one of the world’s greatest culinary schools, the CIA, to one of the youngest Master Sommeliers in the world to CEO of one of the most dynamic wine groups of our time is mind blowing. I feel fortunate to have the ear of all of these great minds

GFR: And for Wine Agents/Importers? 

BJL: Mark Jacoby of Context, Bernard Stramwasser of Le Sommelier and Debbie Shing of Quve are some of my favourite humans. Seeing as I’m not in Toronto, the centre of the universe, I also have to shoutout the local reps that make it happen for me in Ottawa. Andrew Rasta of Lifford, David Foran of Cru/Stratus, Evan Keaschuk of Vintage Selector and Cosecha, Aaron Shaw of many a portfolio, Sheena Neel of Halpern, to name a few. Jeez I buy a lot of wine! All these guys bring in wines that they can stand behind without hesitation and their portfolios truly speak to their personalities and love of the business

GFR: Do you have nightmares about working with wine? I do it regularly, and it usually involves being unable to find bottles in a cellar. And the clock is ticking away. I have them all the time, and I haven’t been in the role for over 14 bloody years!!!

BJL: Oh yes! A recurring one is attempting to open a bottle of cava tableside and the bloody foil slipped off the bottle due to condensation, leaving me holding said foil and the bottle bouncing off the floor, spraying deliciousness all over my guests and their table. This actually happened

GFR: Wine folks famously have their Sundays off… What’s your idea of a perfect Sunday? 

BJL: Sleep and television

GFR: Where are your favourite places to dine and drink locally these days… perhaps tell us a personal hidden treasure of yours. 

BJL: Alex at Arlo has one of my favourite wine lists, period. The champagne list at Fauna has zero competition. Soif probably has the deepest cellar in the region and is lots of fun because they get all the unicorn wines we never see in Ontario. Bar Lupulus has the best beer list in the area but an insane amount of wine too. Stolen Goods and Bar Guapo for cocktails

 

 

GFR: Do you like to cook yourself? What’s your favourite dish to cook these days?

BJL: I do! Admittedly not as much as I would like to but I am currently trying to perfect my risotto game. I love to bake too

GFR: And have you had any cooking disasters recently?

BJL:  Cornbread. The taste of failure is dry and mealy I can tell you that

GFR: Do you feel that there is a good Sommelier community in Ontario?
 
BJL: Yes! I think we can do a better job of including those in the smaller markets, like Kingston for example but for the most part, what I’ve experienced is comradery and somms here are quite welcoming

GFR: Do you hang out often with other Sommeliers? And if you do, do you only shoot the shit about wine?

BJL: I am a social butterfly and having been at this game for some time now, I have quite a few somms in my circle. Some of my best friends are sommeliers and while nerding out over wine is what brought us together, we have unearthed a bond that allows us to share all of life’s peaks and vales

GFR: Do you have many non-industry friends… How do they feel about what you do for a living?

BJL: Back to being a social butterfly, indeed, I do. My closest circle of friends are majority non-industry, from engineers to bankers to government professionals at all levels

GFR: What do you feel you would be doing if you were not doing what you are doing today? You studied criminology… What did you plan to do with that line of study?

BJL: Criminology was something I intended to use as a vehicle to get into law school. A year in, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. My parents sacrificed a lot for me to come to Canada to study so giving up was not an option. Through clenched teeth, I saw out my program, all the while working in a restaurant. I discovered that theory is not my bag and that is the first 3 years of any social science program. I was miserable, allegory of the cave much? (I felt like those poor souls staring at a wall, misguided by shadowy illusions that are mistaken for real life.)

GFR: Do you have a favourite food/wine-related scene in a film/movie or show?

 

 

BJL: A couple. Mr. Bean celebrating his birthday at a fancy restaurant not having enough money and only being able to afford the tartare not knowing what it is. Proceeds to hide it in every nook and cranny of the table and the tables beside him for fear of upsetting the waiter.

 

 

This Hour Has 22 Minutes has a fantastic skit called Captain Philips II: Sommelier Pirates and Fawlty Towers when Basil has to open a bottle of 1965 Burgundy (?) which the guest returns saying it is corked much to Basil’s frustration. Some of my favourites

 

 

GFR: What are your thoughts on blind-tasting wine?

BJL: Love it. The most humbling and competitive thing we have as sommeliers. I look at it as the “athletic” portion of the profession

GFR: Are you a better blind taster with or without a bad hangover? I’m definitely the former…

BJL: Believe it or not, I have a terrible sense of taste and smell. It has taken me a very long time to hone my ability to identify specific aromas and flavours and qualify their different states. So, well rested, fed, hydrated and sober are what work best for me

GFR: Some of the best tasters I know are heavy smokers… What are your thoughts there?

BJL: Some of the best golfers were too until Tiger Woods made it a physical game. The new wave of blind tasting somms have elevated the sport by being aware of the benefits of a healthy body and mind to be the best of the best. I mean, we already put our bodies through the ringer working as much and as hard as we do.

GFR: In your mind, what is “hot” in the world of wine right now? And why?

BJL: Fresher styles of wine seem to be on the rise. We saw it a few years ago with the chilled red revolution. Heavily oaked wines are on the decline with a higher demand for these lighter styles. I think with climate change we are seeing wines that were historically lower in alcohol seeing more percentage points added to abv so fresh and lean are sought after now as a counter. Lesser known regions also seem to be a thing now, like the Balkans

GFR: Aside from these fashions in wine drinking, what’s your current favourite wine style/region? And why?

BJL: Sicilian reds are big for me right now. I love that they are true to their climate and soils while still open to interpretation depending on producer. They have a depth and concentration I’m really enjoying. Bairrada is also up there for me for similar reasons

GFR: And what’s not so hot? What has fallen out of favour? Why do you feel that way?

BJL: Sweet and fortified wines (except vermouth, which seems to also be trending) which is a symptom of our palates shifting, I believe. Similar to when we all wanted the highest IBU rating in every IPA because we decided bitter was in

GFR: When it comes to wine, is there anything that you feel is terribly overrated? And why?

BJL: Natural wine. What sounds like a down-to-earth hippy-dippy holistic way of producing and consuming has become a status symbol for holier than thou hipsters who claim to hate everything “establishment” yet have become elitist snobs themselves. Ah to become what you detested the most is tragically poetic. Don’t get me started on “allergies to sulphites”

GFR: What is your favourite wine pairing right now—something nice and seasonal?

BJL: I’m unconventional in the sense that I don’t really subscribe to the seasonality of things. Manipulate any ingredient out of season and you can have a masterpiece. The right sea salt can fix anything. So my all time favourite go-to pairing is vin jaune alongside a ribeye seasoned heavily with whatever spice mix my ancestors dictate to me that day & Worcestershire marinade grilled on charcoal, kale Caesar salad on the side

GFR: What is your least favourite part of your job as a Sommelier? For me it was the f****** inventory. Oh, and breaking down boxes… and the resultant papercuts (I have such soft hands!)

BJL: INVENTORY! I can’t stand it

GFR: What is your weapon of choice when it comes to a corkscrew? And why?

BJL: Currently using a Code38 P Type Pro-X. I fell for the marketing but price aside, it is the best one I’ve used to date. If it was $300 cheaper, it’d be perfect and the crown cap opener kinda sucks. Pulltaps have the worst foil knife and Laguiole will maintain that fresh-out-of-box stiffness for a millenium

GFR: Due to us being around alcohol, many people in our industry often have quite the increased tolerance for wine/booze, or they develop issues. What is your limit, and how do you keep yourself in check?

BJL: Admittedly, I have a pretty high tolerance. With age I find that limit is steadily decreasing and I have to plan ahead for heavy nights of food and wine with the gang. A good detox now and then goes a long way but also remembering that not every day has to be a 3 bottles of wine dinner helps haha

GFR: There’s a lot of open discourse right now around the topic of both drug and alcohol abuse within the restaurant/wine world. Would you care to share a few of your thoughts about that side of the business? To be quite frank with you, the thing I miss the LEAST about working in that environment is the late nights of drinking and recreational pharmaceuticals. I don’t think my body could take it any longer anyway!

BJL: This business allows for a lot of potential to abuse both alcohol and drugs. We work ourselves to the bone and for some (a lot, if not most), taking the edge off is manifested via said abuse. It is an unfortunate consequence of the environment we work in, not only the ease of access to intoxicants, but the high pressure, high volume, overworked/underpaid nature of the world of hospitality. Mental health and work/life balance are finally becoming things we can openly discuss and I strongly believe this will only make us better as a community

GFR: Speaking of which, have you ever been “cut off”? If so, where and when was the most recent time? I think it happened to me back in Scotland once… hazy memories… at the City Café.

BJL: Oh boy yes I have. Most recently at my 37^th birthday bash where I naively invited the world stating price of admission was a shot of Jameson for the birthday boy. The world delivered and I didn’t live to see midnight. Took me a full week to recover

GFR: Which leads rather neatly into the next question…  do you happen to have a good hangover cure? None of the cures given to me by previous interviewees have really done the job for me… well, apart from the suggestion about CBD gummies.

BJL: I wish CBD or THC agreed with me but sadly I must go the route of spider’s legs and witches’ tears. A raw egg with a squeeze of lime usually jump starts my battery. Or the old fashioned hair of the dog and pray for the best. Nothing brings you closer to your God than a bad hangover

GFR: How many wines do you “taste” in a week these days?

BJL: Around 20-30, sometimes 50-60. I enjoy tasting with my reps and going to trade tastings. I view my job through many a lens, one of which is maintaining those relationships because trust me, when you need that emergency drop off of wine at the end of the week because you forgot to order it and missed the deadline, the rep you give facetime to is more likely to get you out of that jam than the rep you don’t. Most of them are also friends and it ends up being 20 mins of tasting and another 20 of catch up

GFR: When tasting with agents, do you choose to spit or swallow?

BJL: Spit. Always

GFR: What’s your “house” wine at home right now?

BJL: Jameson haha! Working my way through some Tarlant. Nothing like some affordable champers after a hard day

GFR: Most remembered glass of wine ever?

BJL:  A side-by-side of 1997 and 2011 Marquis d’Angerville Clos des Ducs. My all time favourite Burgundy producer

GFR: What is your perfect glass (or bottle) of wine at the end of a crazy day at work?

BJL: Whatever champagne off of the pairing that won’t live to see the next day

GFR: Coffee or tea?

BJL: Coffee

GFR: Lemon, horseradish, mignonette, or hot sauce?

BJL: Peaty Scotch. But lemon if unavailable

GFR: Vindaloo or Korma?

BJL: Vindaloo always. Korma is for the weak

GFR: Milk or dark? And preferred cocoa content?

BJL: Milk with nuts and raisins or nougat

GFR: Ketchup, mayonnaise, or salt & vinegar?

BJL: Salt & vinegar always

GFR: Blue, R, MR, M, MW, W, Charcoal?

BJL:Depends on the cut. T-bone medium. Ribeye MR. NY Strip rare. Filet MR. Also a big fan of bone-in ribeye Chicago style

GFR: Volatile acidity, brettanomyces, or mousiness? (Hehe…)

BJL: Both VA and Brett in controlled amounts, I don’t want to feel like I’m huffing paint thinner or licking a horse’s arse. Please keep Stewart Little out of my damn wine!

GFR: What advice would you give to a fresh-faced Bernard, just starting off in the industry?

BJL: Understand that it is not an easy business to be in. Be prepared to be undervalued and underappreciated but do not tolerate abuse. Find what you love about wine and run with it, make that your approach. Never let go of that thirst and drive for perfection every single day. Perfection is impossible but the ride there is hella fun! Lastly, don’t forget that tomorrow is another day and everyday is an opportunity to be great. Enjoy the process! And don’t be a dick

GFR: Thank you for taking the time, Bernard. It is very much appreciated. This is an extremely long interview.

 

 

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Edinburgh-born/Ontario-based sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, educator, and Dad,  Jamie Drummond is the Director/Editor of Good Food Revolution.

Peter Boyd has been a part of Toronto’s wine scene for over two decades. He has taught the Diploma level for the International Sommeliers Guild, and has been the sommelier at Scaramouche Restaurant since 1993. He also writes about wine, food and pop culture and raises show molerats for fun and profit. He’s also one of the most solid guys in the business.Trust this man. Seriously… he seriously knows his shit and just celebrated his 85th birthday!

A well-known and much respected figure on the Toronto food and wine scene for almost twenty years, Potvin has worked in many of the city’s very best establishments including Biffs, Canoe, and Eau. In 2004 Potvin opened his incarnation of the Niagara Street Café, a restaurant that has gone from strength to strength year after year, with universal critical acclaim. Anton spends much of his time traveling and tasting wine and has been ranked highly in consecutive years of the International Wine Challenge. After working as GM at DaiLo with Chef Nick Liu and Sommelier Pete Hammond, Anton is now selling wine with Banville Wine Merchants and explores the world of mycology in his spare time.