The Tasting Panel magazine

Nov 09

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62 / the tasting panel / november 2009 Los Angeles Wine Director: Lucas Payá SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills In his role as Bever- age Director of the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, Lucas Payá is responsible for the bever- age program, including the extensive, global wine list and modern cocktail pro- gram at the four-star The Bazaar by José Andrés. Lucas's career in the hospitality industry began at the Hotel and Cater- ing School of Barcelona when he was just 19. A growing fascination with wine prompted Lucas to immerse himself in learning the art of the sommelier and to become certified as a member of the International Sommelier Guild. Later, Lucas moved to London to learn English and to gain an understand- ing of the ever-expanding New World offerings. At Alain Ducasse's Spoon, he moved from Sommelier to Chef Somme- lier and Wine Buyer within six months. A position at the esteemed three-star Michelin restaurant El Bulli brought him back to Spain. Over his five year tenure there, Lucas developed a revered wine program that included wine pairings for an ever-changing menu. After an introduction to Chef José Andrés, Lucas moved to Los Angeles and his current position, fulfilling his longstanding wish to live and work in the U.S. Bartender: Marcos Tello The Edison Accomplished bar- tender Marcos Tello is passionately committed to classic cocktail cul- ture. He created Blind Tiger Rx, which provides training and signature cocktail menus for restaurants and bars, and he has successfully helped install classi- cally-inspired cocktail programs at L.A. establishments such as Seven Grand, The Doheny, Malo Taqueria, The Edison and The Varnish. Marcos is also founder and chairman of the craft guild called The Sporting Life, which hosts monthly meetings to bring together bartenders and enthusiasts. To refine his artistry, Marcos sought out and studied with such cocktail gurus as Sasha Petraske, Dave Wondrich and Dale DeGroff and has recently received his B.A.R. certification, the highest level of spirit and cocktail education in the country. He has also consulted for spirits firms such as Diageo, William-Grant & Sons, Pernod Ricard, Young's Market Company and Brown-Forman. His pure passion has been praised by prominent publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles magazine, Imbibe and Robb Report. Recently, Marcos has been voted President of the Southern California Chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild. This native Angeleno is determined to cement Los Angeles's place in the Cocktail Revolution. San Diego Wine Director: Jesse Rodriguez The Grand Del Mar As Wine Direc- tor at The Grand Del Mar, Jesse Rodriguez oversees sommelier staffing, wine training and ongoing education of the F&B team, as well as heading the overall maintenance of the wine collections and storage for the resort's five dining venues, the gourmet shop and catering functions. Jesse also spearheads the wine program, which includes wine events, the creation of proprietary wines and other related initiatives that have garnered coveted The BLUIES 0'9.'#&'4#9#4&5 New Leader Awards 2009 This has been a challenging year for the beverage industry. But that hasn't stopped a very special group of new leaders from appearing. In fact, tough times demand the best talent, and these 12 wine directors, sommeliers and bartenders have what it takes to succeed when the go- ing gets rough. That's why we're especially proud this year to honor the winners of our New Leader Awards. More complete bios can be found on our website at www.tastingpanelmag.com. —Anthony Dias Blue

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