Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/818616
may 2017 / the tasting panel / 53 Fred Dame: The first time I came to Local Kitchen, I walked by it four times before I real- ized that it was behind that massive steel door. It was like opening a treasure chest! Dylan Peters: (laughing) That's the idea. When it first opened in 2008, Mark Bright [of Saison] was the Wine Director. It had a Michelin star and was created as a haven for all the locals who work and live here in the city. This space we are in now was originally a wine shop. I still offer a takeout price to locals who want to buy a few bottles. So what percentage of the guests here are locals? With the large businesses based around us and the boom in residen- tial housing, we are 90 percent San Francisco. We're not chasing the tourist business. We are focused on the community and do a number of events with the residences themselves. You realize you are speaking heresy. This philosophy is the antithesis of the San Francisco market. Of course, I realize that this is you being, well, you! True and it's working wonderfully. We do a lot of work with the local Farmers Market. What will happen when they discover that you make some of the best pizza in the city? They'll have to find us first! What's your best-selling wine? We do have a large corporate clientele. Oh, let me guess. Big Napa Valley Cab! True, but we also specialize in a number of small producers who are farming their own grapes. Small-production Pinot Noir is a big seller here. What percentage of diners drink wine? I would say 75 percent. We have a full bar and a great cocktail pro- gram. Wine is the focus. The menu here is really unique and very creative. It seems that you are following the Farmers Market by season. Absolutely. Chef Ola Fendert gives an Italian theme to the menus, but we incorporate all that's great in California—hence the awesome pizza! What percentage of white to red is consumed here? We carry 65 percent red to white on the list. Consumption favors red—I would venture that it is 70 percent to 30. I brought something special for us to taste today. It's the González-Byass Tio Pepe Fino En Rama. The "purest" Sherry they make and a spectacular example of why Sherry is so fascinating. I love Sherry and think it is the perfect aperitif. It really sets the palate up. This example is incredibly complex. Rich, earthy and what a finish! How many wines by the glass do you have? How have 24 wines by the glass. Eight whites, two sparkling, two dessert and the balance red. Our best-selling wine by the glass is Pinot Noir. Our best-selling white is a Sauvignon Blanc. Do you work the floor? I will come in on busy eve- nings. I'm the Wine Director for the restaurant group, and we have eight projects currently. That keeps me more than busy. So the waitstaff sells the wine. What type of wine training do you do? I do a companywide training. Sometime we focus on a single winery and other times I will open bottles of a single variety or country. You have lunch. Is there much wine sold midday? You'd be surprised. We have a very healthy by-the-glass business during luncheon. We do about 200 covers a day total. We only seat 60. What about the world of wine needs to be fixed? The pretension can drive a person crazy. Everyone should be able to sit down in a restaurant and feel comfortable ordering whatever they want. A wine list should be celebrated, not dreaded. "Everyone should be able to sit down in a restaurant and feel comfortable ordering whatever they want. A wine list should be celebrated, not dreaded."