An Italian who rose through the ranks of the restaurant business in London, Arturo Scamardella, from one-MICHELIN-star restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is this year’s MICHELIN Guide Dubai Sommelier Award winner, presented by African + Eastern.
Sommeliers play an important role in the dining experience. In curating a balanced and inviting beverage list, Sommeliers contribute their unique expertise and their creativity to the restaurants’ menu as a way to elevate dishes and delight guests. A MICHELIN Guide Dubai’s Partner, African + Eastern’s philosophy aims to provide exceptional wine experiences, which is similarly at the forefront for MICHELIN Sommelier Award winners. African + Eastern supplies a world class wine portfolio to the region’s best restaurants and hotels, making them the perfect partner to support this Special Award.
This year, the award honours Scamardella for his interesting pairings and goal to create a unique gastronomic journey that marries food and wine. We had the chance to speak with Scamardella on how his journey has been so far and what his goals are for the near future.
How did you feel when your first heard your name on stage?
Initially, I was surprised to achieve the award, it was great! Then, I felt honoured and proud at the same time. Michelin is probably the best career award for everyone in the industry, for chefs and sommeliers as well - so to achieve that in my first year in Dubai, I really feel proud of myself and, I know for certain that it's our teamwork that brought me here. Without the team here at Atlantis The Royal and at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this.
How did you become interested in wine and decide to pursue a career as a sommelier?
Since I was child! I'm originally Italian, from South of Italy, so we always made wine for families. Not to sell them, but just for family so I was always interested. I always remember the memory of my father, with my uncles, waking up early in the morning to collect the grapes and then start the wine making process. Since then, I decided to pursue this as a career. When I moved to London in 2012, I started working in a restaurant as a waiter, but then I saw the wine culture there. It's something you don't find anywhere else in the world. I was so involved in the wine because I was tasting it every day. That’s when I realised: ‘OK, that's what I want to do in my life’ and started to take courses.
When were you first aware of the MICHELIN Guide and how much of an influence did it have on you?
When I first moved to London of course – MICHELIN is so present there. It's popular in Italy as well, but back when I was at university, I was not thinking about it seriously because I was studying arts, which was totally different. But when I moved to London, I saw the scale of the MICHELIN restaurant. I fell in love straight away because of the passion that you need to put in to achieve the distinctions.
How much time do you dedicate to research and wine tasting?
It’s a daily job for me. In Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, we operate only for dinner service, so I have the whole morning free. I spend at least one hour, an hour and a half every morning, I normally like to read magazines like Wine Spectator, The Drinks Business etc and read all the news that are in the wine world in general or in the beverage world. As for the tasting, we do blind tasting weekly.
How do you build and maintain your wine list, and what challenges do you face?
I mean it's different in Dubai, to be honest, in comparison to how it is in Europe. In Europe is easy to get whatever wines you want, even though you can get them in Dubai, its takes time. I mean for shipment it takes time, so it's quite challenging. The way we start the list, I see the Dinner by Heston Blumenthal wine list as ever evolving. We will change all the time. What we want to do is to maintain the structure and consistency of the list, so to keep like the value and the big names. But also I'm always researching new ones, something new to add, something interesting, something that will match the food that we're serving at Dinner. But yeah, it's challenging mostly to get some certain wines, some certain producer, because obviously this I think Dubai is still starting out in its wine culture. So it will take a little bit more time.
Any tips for readers looking to improve their wine knowledge?
First would be to trust the sommelier, it's our purpose. You will never know all the wines of the world. There are so many years to consider for wines and the sommelier knows the one he has, he knows the food, so he can recommend something that you’ve never tried and it's a good opportunity to try something different. Second, would be to go to wine tasting, you can try different wines and you really understand what you like, because when you visit wineries, then you open your mind.
Can you share any memories you've had as a sommelier?
When I was working at the Ritz, one day we had a VIP guest and they requested to have an old one, I checked the wine list and found a 2009 Petrus. When I had to open in the wine room, it was the first time I was opening a Petrus, so it was first time I got the chance to actually taste a bottle like this. So, the moment I opened it in the room, it was magical for me.
What is the advice you would give to young sommeliers?
I think you need to be consistent on the studying, especially at the beginning. You need to listen your superior because you will learn from everyone. I'm still learning. Everyone is still learning, but at the beginning I think consistency, listening to your superior and try to go to as many tastings as you can.
