Unfiltered: Tom Lakin

The head sommelier of Casamia talks to Douglas Blyde about opening the door to Marco Pierre White, plotting a vinous course through around 20 fire enriched dishes, and the “massively important” loud and vivid playlist…

What is your vintage?

I was born in 1990, a year from which I have tasted quite a few Champagnes. I do enjoy a bit of the Ferrero Rocher/Cappuccino aspect you start to get on vintage Champagnes with a bit of age. I’ve opened a couple of Bordeaux first growths for people from that year, too. Domaine de Trevallon 1990 at Noble Rot a few years ago was brimming with energy, meanwhile, a glass of it being a gift from the table we were sitting next to. We got chatting and they proposed swapping a glass of our Envínate Lousas Parcela Camiño Novo for it.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

My enthusiasm for wine was built over many bottles, experiences, travels, and conversations with people who shared their passion openly. I was lucky to try a bottle of 1970 Haut-Brion when I was at university. Its character remains very memorable. But I went on a trip to Nice with the excuse that it was “revision” for my French speaking exam, I bought a couple of bottles of Jura Poulsard from Arbois – 2007 Jacques Puffeney. I was already very passionate about wine but it opened the door to a region I’ve loved ever since.

Where did you work before?

I used to teach at university and at schools in France and got into restaurants relatively late. I came back to this country, got a job in a restaurant called The Muddy Duck to pay some bills; they and I realised I had a passion for the wine side and they put me through WSET level two and let me put their list together. I left as the GM ultimately.

Who has been your professional mentor?

I wish I’d had one; I’m rather self-taught.

Describe your list?

I like to focus on producers who work to a similar scale as the business (i.e. small) and whose wines tastes of the unique qualities of the land they work. It’s a smallish list, 300-400 bins, so they’re all pretty special producers to me. I like that we can get hold of things like Domaine Labet and Emidio Pepe. We’re small enough that a small allocation helps the list a lot. Bottles are stored in a little room of EuroCaves and Climadiff cabinets to handle medium-to-long term storage.

Are you also involved in the drinks for Paco Tapas – “another Sanchez Brothers dream”?

Yes, we focus on Spanish producers for Paco. We are due a list upgrade at the end of the year when we expand the venue and its storage.

How do you pair wine over the 20 courses at Casamia?

We do seven or eight wines over roughly 20 dishes. I think you have to be open-minded about pairings at the best of times. These days, and at restaurants like ours, guests are seeking experiences that show them new ideas and challenge expectations. We don’t ever do “the classics” on the pairings, and we talk to the chefs about the order and pace of the dishes to be able to provide a fun journey. In fact, offering multiple dishes for one wine can show you aspects that you wouldn’t get to see with just one dish. It’s like being able to walk around a statue and appreciate it from different angles, rather than just the “front”.

What has been a standout wine pairing with a dish by head chef, Zak Hitchman?

The way the kitchen operates, almost every dish has a lick of the wood and charcoal fire at its centre. This smoky characteristic permeates the evening, and it’s a theme that helps connect the dishes. I tend not to think about individual dishes as being particularly successful pairings, as the wines have to last multiple dishes. Instead, I think about the “theme” of that moment – whether it is a series of fresh, zingy, spicy ingredients, or a lighter moment with an umami background. Recently, I really enjoyed serving lightly chilled Pineau d’Aunis from Domaine de Bellivière with both a rich bowl of fatty mutton ramen noodles and a dish of langoustine, rhubarb, and wasabi with a sauce made from roasted lango shells. The wine cut a precise, refreshing, textural line of balance between those two different dishes.

Can the influence of Jonray Sánchez-Iglesias still be felt in dishes?

I never met Jonray. As a family business, I think his partnership with his brother Peter, the owner and named chef for the businesses, permeates the tone of everything we have done across the group.

What is your most seductive pour available via Coravin?

I quite regularly pour things with the Coravin that aren’t technically on the menu. The flexibility of being such a small place means we can have fun. I recently poured 2013 Pedra de Guix from Terroir al Limit in Priorat – a wine I’m always keen to show to the right guest as it’s extraordinary with our fire-focused food. We do the Labet Macvin by the glass with the Coravin too, but it’s not advertised.

What music is played in the dining room?

Music is massively important at Casamia. It is a theatrical experience with music themed to different phases of the menu. It’s very eclectic, and we do take requests from guests on the night. You might hear Nina Simone and Cardi B on the same night, as well as some lesser-known electronic artists. And we turn the volume up.

Which table is the best in the house, noting they all face the kitchen?

Honestly, they’re all perfect.

What is a misconception guests might have of sommeliers?

We are not here to upsell you on the most expensive wines. And we are not here to embarrass you in front of your friends. Most people let you in to help them but some people still take a bit of persuading that you’re there to make the night work how they want it to.

How do you apply your degree from Oxford in history and French to your job?

Well, as you might imagine there’s a fair bit of wine made by French people, so it’s always nice to talk to vignerons using the language which they can express things best in. Otherwise, I think a degree like that serves you in everything you do in life, it’s a thorough and rich cultivation of skills and confidence in yourself.

What was the last play you saw?

Does it count as a play if it was streamed? Anyway, it was Pinter’s No Man’s Land with Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.

Who is the most famous person you’ve looked after?

I don’t really admire fame. I opened the door of The Muddy Duck to Marco Pierre White’s towering figure once though, who asked for a table. Happy to have served a veteran like that who did their time in the business.

Where do you dine on your days off?

If at all possible, at home. I love cooking and it’s probably why I fell in love with wine. We are spoiled in Bristol, though. I love, in no particular order: Sonny Stores (our local), Box-E, and Bokman in particular.

Have you met local press luminary, Fiona Beckett?

We’ve brushed shoulders at a tasting or two.

What is your motto?

I like Albert Adrià’s saying, “Callar y trabajar.”

What wine style don’t you get along with?

I find oak a bit boring. Once your palate has figured out the secret of why something tastes the way it does, it seems to lose its interest for me. I prefer complexity offered by fruit than elaboration.

Tell us something surprising about yourself?

I love motorbike trips to the continent.

And finally, what qualities do you look for in potential hires?

Humility and the desire to work hard and learn and not be limited by their previous lessons. We don’t really have time for people who’ve decided they know it all already!

Casamia – The General, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol, BS1 6FU; 0117 959 2884; info@casamiarestaurant.co.uk; casamiarestaurant.co.uk;