Joyful Somm

Wine. Food. Travel. Education. Inspiration.

[joyfulsomm]

Manifesting the Dream

The COVID-19 lockdown is God-sent time. 

What have you done in the last months? I took time to contemplate, to learn, recharge, reset, refocus, to read, and to affirm my convictions.

The journey to become a master sommelier is a long and endearing ride. What does it take? A fearless courageous soul, and bags of grit to endure through the endless days of research, tasting, self depreciation, and a whole rollercoaster ride of other emotions.

I dug deep into why I am doing this? This is a question I ask myself everyday. Is this worth every ounce of my energy and dedication?

Yes. This is a dream I have manifested since I was a young student. That innocent teenager who announced to the class :”I want to become a somm-mee-lyay”. I have always been curious, appreciative of the finer things in life, and I love connection. There is no better job than to connect the wider community to discover the infinite world of wine; to invite them to travel through history, to bend space and time and to set their feet into a natural land, while teasing their tastebuds with perfect wine and food pairings by the table. 

Being a master sommelier will also provide access to career and financial freedom. I imagine opportunities knocking by the door, and I imagine providence for my family. I have slapped myself hard for this superficial thought many a times. Today, I am no longer guilty. Being a financially independent woman who could afford last minute Riviera vacations and dressing up in fine linen is nothing to be ashamed about. This is a dream of many young women and an image of what success looks for them.

We harvest what we sow. Each day, as I sit by my desk and as my thoughts wander into a senseless space, I beat myself back into reality, and I remind myself that today’s effort determines tomorrow’s achievement. 

I am manifesting the dream and I will become a master sommelier. 

SURELY I WILL.

[joyfulsomm]

Meaningful Mentorship

Back in the days where the term ‘sommelier’ seemed like a job title for aliens from Mars, I struggled to enter the profession due to the inability to identify a mentor who could provide guidance and perspective.

The road was long and winding, as I interviewed across venues and searched for the perfect institute to kickstart my career. After years of futile searching in my home country, the courageous soul in me decided to head west to France.

My return to Asia was victorious. Wine jobs became available despite my lack of knowledge. This pushed me to accelerate my personal learning and to become my own mentor. 

Along the journey, I had the blessed opportunity to meet countless master sommeliers and wine personalities who were amazing servants of the trade. They imparted knowledge eagerly and had the most humble personalities. They always encouraged and their perseverance is addictive.This made me very proud to be a part of the wine community. 

As my career continues to advance, my promise to myself is to share; To pass on the knowledge I have and to celebrate success with young and aspiring hospitality providers. I am grateful that I have a team who believes in me. I am grateful that I have the gift to inspire. May their futures be bright and their roads to success be made easy through meaningful mentorship. 

[joyfulsomm]

Uncorked

My attention deficiency does not allow me to sit through a movie. Time is a luxury at this moment, as we sit in our homes boggling through ideas to fill our days. Hence, the decision to tune in to Uncorked.

This movie brought back memories and stirred emotions. Somm-inspired films as such walks me through memory lane. More than a decade ago, my conviction to become a sommelier saw me  drafting through dozens of emails to land a stage in restaurants in France to kickstart my journey. When I finally landed a job, it was through my parent’s kindness and loans that I managed to embark on the most significant journey in my life as a young adult.

Life abroad wasn’t a bed of roses. It took me some time to develop a sense of place in this wide, uncertain world. The work was hellish. The hours were insanely long, and the glamorous suit-clamping life of a sommelier involved hours of pre-shift as a cellar rat sorting out bottles in a musty basement cellar. Reflecting back at past times teaches me humility. I am never where I am today without experiencing where I was yesterday.

The scenes of Elijah juggling between work and study sessions speaks to the core of my soul. I am glad the film gets to show the world the amount of commitment it takes for sommeliers to master our craft. The joy, the pain, the uncertainty, the excitement, the disappointment. This journey keeps us alive. The quest for knowledge and the desire to become an elite has its price.

And what’s my favourite part about the film? It touches on human connection. No man is an island. Elijah had his family, his girlfriend, and his schoolmates rooting for him. My family and friends are the same. They are my cheerleaders. My journey is never lonesome, and for this, I am grateful. I am joyful.

[joyfulsomm]

Don’t Let It Be Taken Away From You

Today, I witnessed a near-death event. Apart from my daily grind as a sommelier, I double act as a food and beverage manager. The weather today was horrific and the ocean roared like an angry lion all through the afternoon. The waves swelled high and it was a scenic sight, but definitely not the best day for a leisurely swim.

As I strolled between restaurants, I heard screams from the ocean. It turned out to be a drowning incident, and I watched my staff member holding afloat with a teenage boy in hand. It did not seem like there was a way they could have gotten out of the waters. Thankfully, with some critical thinking, a second beach boy rode furiously to the scene on a sea bob, akin to an action scene abstracted from a James Bond movie.

I broke down silently in tears. Life CAN be taken away from us in an instant. We have to fight for survival. 

It’s a difficult thought to imagine, but it could be our last day today. What would you do if it was yours? Have you pursued your dreams? Have you told the ones you love that you appreciate them? Have you lived each day with intense energy? 

Never procrastinate. Do not wait to react to life. Live your mission and inspire your community. This life only happens once, so walk a walk to remember.

[joyfulsomm]

The Fateful Email

Life surprises you when you least expect it to.

I woke up to my serenading alarm tune of birds chirping at 6.15am this morning, all blurry eyed and cranky. The millennial in me clicks on all the emails that I received, and then my heart stopped for a second and my eyes popped open like an instant Barbie.

The Master Sommelier invitation letter. 

I’ve spent months ruminating, and questioning myself if I was really interested in seating for the masters? Job opportunities came along to prepare me for city life and networking and I turned it all down. I thought I was happy enough just spending time on an island I grew to love. I was content getting to work everyday doing the same job and hanging out with my community.

It took me less than a minute to say to myself: “Let’s do it!” The email read my subconscious mind. I have been preparing for this moment through my entire career, and life HAS to flow. 

Isn’t it crazy how life maps itself out? I am here in Napa exchanging hellos with a handful of Masters who could potentially become my mentors when this news arrived. Life would be different should I have received this email while on island? So the saying is true :”The universe conspires to help you convict to your heart’s desires”.

It will be chaos and frenzy in the months ahead. The early mornings, the endless screen time, the crazy amount of Red bull, matcha, and gingko pills.. I am ready to commit myself to mastering my craft.

The feminine energy in me asked :”What will you do after passing the masters? You have no plans” My masculine best friend comforted me with his simple words: “Do your masters, pass it, and people will come along with plans for you”

Voila, my mind is set. My friends are rooting for me, and I am ready to present myself to the world. 

I am so blessed, once again.

[joyfulsomm]

The Montenegrin in Me

Montenegro. An undiscovered gem located on the Balkan coast with a minor population of approximately 625,000 inhabitants. 

How did this country capture my heart? As Forrest Gump quoted: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you gonna get.” Through my travels, i have met acquaintances and friends from all walks of life, and interestingly, the Balkan culture strummed the strings of my soul.

I love the people. Their openness, the laid back approach to life, patriotism, and their love for family. Hence, it took very little to convince me to visit this country over my summer vacation.

I was amazed and in awe as the landscape unfolded before my eyes. Picturesque, postcard perfect moments dwelled in every corner of this tiny country. The lakes, the sunsets, the coastlines, the historic monasteries, and the medieval streets.

The food was a pound-getter. Who knew Montenegrin food could be rich and flavoursome? The wines were perfect for the Mediterranean climate. The native varietals sang like poetry to my sommelier’s palate. Vranac, Krstac, Marselan felt like lovers that drew me away from mundane Cabernet and Chards. Their DNAs teased my brain with new profile notes and intrigued my senses.

A week passed by too quickly. My heart yearns for a revisit. Through the months, I have continued to love its people and forged deeper friendships. 

I long for a new magical summer. This time, I’ll immerse in culture, visit family wineries, speak the language, trek the mountains, and soak in the sea. 

2020, bring it on.

[joyfulsomm]

Emotions

It is 12th November and the moon is full. It is 2am and I am laying on my bed pondering about the decisions that lie ahead of me.

For most of my adult life, I dreamt of becoming a master sommelier. Most recently, this thought has wavered. Not because I do not love what I do anymore - I am completely in love with my profession and I am still ever grateful that I have been doing what I love since Day 1. I am wavering because I realised my true desire at this moment in time is to love and to form a family.

My heart is filled with immense joy when I see families and couples spending quality time together. A joyful kid makes my day complete. A child’s smile warms my heart like the fireplace in winter. I am in love with life, and I want to create life. 

I fell head over heels in love with a man this spring. He felt like sunshine. His honesty is refreshing, his smile warms my soul. His touch is the most comforting, his kindness seeps through my bones, his positivity is my greatest energy. We had our moments - the good, the awkward, the disconnect. 

Through it all, I wanted to give in and give up. But Winnie never gives up on anything good in life. I tried to find the negative in him that would allow me to walk away and start life anew - to pursue a career that is out of reach for the majority of the world. I can’t. I love him so unconditionally that I can’t find anything i dislike about him. 

His oblivion attitude towards my love is a reflection of his honesty that made me love him. I know he doesn't want to hurt me deep. He is taking his time to find purpose and meaning in his life, and I appreciate that. He has the deepest love for his family, and I have so much love and respect for this. 

I wish I could leave this island and move on to pursue my dreams in London. All I want to do at this moment is to be present here. For him. For me. To be close to my heart. I have so much love and courage that I can withstand any heartbreak. Any tears... but I want to be present.

[joyfulsomm]

Blessings

I struggled to give this post a title. I’ve an overflow of inspiration and words that I’d love to pen in words.

Firstly, I'm in Portugal right now. What a wonderful country. It is love at first sight. I was in awe of the beauty before my eyes as I stepped out of the taxi and arrived at my river home.  Hence, I am inspired.

It is my fourth day in this land of abundance. The food has been amazing, the wines incredible, and the people have been such kind and gentle hosts. I arrived in Portugal to visit the port houses and to taste fine ports. I’ve been terribly distracted by the beauty of the cobbled streets, the gorgeous Douro river, and the endless little bites that I’ve to savour on the way.

Walking along the cobbled streets of Vila Gaia di Nova daily brought me back to a historical place and time. Viewing the junk boats by the river taught me how ports were transported back in the days. I succumbed to tasting ports by the wine bars and through food and wine pairing. It was an equally educational experience.

I found the perfect pairing between caramelised shallots and an aged madeira; the marriage of white port and cod croquettes, Alvarinho with seafood rice, the delicious Gouveio with an astonishing curry granite. I also learnt that I do enjoy natural wines and I loved the Saroto field blend of 90 red/10 white, and the Symington Family Altano blend. 

I’m blessed that my work gives me the best excuse to travel. It is an exclusive privilege to land in wine country to understand the terroir, the climate, indulge in food culture, and to return with so much more perspective and knowledge. 

I still amuse myself some days by my crazy choice of work which has landed me across continents. I meet people who continuously seek to find their purpose and passion everyday. I know people who are unable to pursue their dreams in life due to circumstances. Hence, I am blessed. So blessed. And so grateful.

[joyfulsomm]

Education

As I graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, I had my results in hand and I did well. I wondered though: “What have I truly learnt all these years?”

I wondered how I grasped English. I had no substantial memory of any true lessons learnt in the classroom. Math never stuck to me. I erased my memory of math the moment I dropped my pen upon completion of my O-Level examinations. I am proud to say that I can add, subtract, multiply and divide really well through these years.

How did I excel in school? I was domesticated. I had to make my parents proud. I do remember my mum erasing my homework when my handwriting exercises just weren’t good enough. I remember stretching out my little palms voluntarily waiting for the cane to strike when my grades did not live up to the expectations. I remember the sleepless nights over cans of red bull and green tea while trying to memorise textbooks on the eve of examinations.

The joy of learning arrived late, but it is better late than never. I found my joy of learning in wine. I love that it is a substance rooted from the ground. I love that the study of wine encompasses history, geography, culture, science, art, and technology in a single subject. I love the magic of how wine transforms in a glass. I love how the world of wine is constantly evolving, and this keeps me constantly learning. I love how wine connects people and breaks the ice over the dining table. I love how wide and infinite the subject is.

Becoming a master sommelier will not define who I am. I am my perfect self in this present moment. I am inspiring people and sharing knowledge. This has been my goal as a young sommelier, and I have achieved it. The goal of becoming a master simply pushes me forward each day.

There is a reason why presidents run for presidency. They are successful people in their own fields. They are set out to make an impact and to influence a wider audience.

In the words of Les Brown, it is more important to be prepared and ready when the opportunity arises than to have the opportunity and not be prepared. 

I am grateful for the love of learning. It keeps me grounded. It keeps me humble; For the more I know, the more I realise there is more to know.

[joyfulsomm]

Journeys

I’ve heard and read so much about the lonesome journeys to success; The sacrifice it takes to become a master sommelier or master of wine. My friends would neglect their social lives, forgo their personal well-being, and take a pause from their families and friends. Even the movie Somm narrates these journeys of sacrifice. 

I do not want to be that kind of master. I believe in the journey. The sacrifice of daily joy and wonder to fulfil a credential does not make the harvest any sweeter. What makes sense to me is a achieving a sense of balance.

I want to love fully; my friends, my clientele, my colleagues, the man I hold close to my heart. I want to spend my days off on a beach and splash the ocean’s love on my face. I want to have a cup of tea, sing stupidly, and laugh my guts out with my mates. I want to indulge in a massage when I need it.

Life has to be purposeful. I’m convicted to pass my masters, with tears in the eyes of everyone that's rooting for me. This doesn’t have to be a lonesome journey. For what meaning does a title hold if there’s no one at the finishing line waiting to give me a big bear hug?

[joyfulsomm]

What Are You? What Am I?

Have you ever thought what’s your wine personality like? Like one of those random quizzes that pops out on Facebook each day?

I’ve always thought of how I’d like to describe my wine personality, very much like how I’ve been thinking over the last ten years of my perfect cork tattoo that I’ve yet to engrave on my skin.

I’d say I’m a Red Burgundy, and this answer has been consistent over the last decade - simply because I’m vulnerable like Pinot in difficult climates. Often times delicious and romantic, like a Chambolle-Musigny; Shy and tart in certain vintages when I meet someone new - and I bloom at the right time with all my sweet spots when I’m ready. In harder times, i’m like a Volnay, my soft layers flash open and I become emotional and overthink everything. Eventually, I’ll firm up and let my hidden masculinity override all my worries and become good again. Never give up on me, because I may surprise you when you uncork me over time. I’ll evolve.

My work personality’s geared towards a Nuits-Saint-Georges. I love being loyal to my people, to be transparent, robust and long-lived. I’m decisively good with a crazy level of patience and EQ; akin to a great NSG that needs time to reach its full potential.

If skies were clear and everyday’s a good weather day, I’d blossom and spread my goodness unfailingly. If not so, I’d wish for magical vignerons to shower me with tender loving care for me to achieve my greatest potential. We all need each other, don’t we?

So, what do you think you are?

[joyfulsomm]

The Aha Moment and How It All Began...

I’ve been told many times along life’s journey that I’m a highly intuitive person. As I reflect upon the beginnings of my career, I guess I am...

Who would have thought that an underaged 17-year old would self-enrol in wine school without the legality to taste? Well, I did. And I passed my WSET Level 1 with a humbling Grade C - C was never an acceptable grade in my family. At the tender age of 17, my only curiosity about wine was: “Why would grapes be named Cabernet??? That sounded like a rhyme to Cabinet. How silly is that?”

By a twist of fate, I landed one of two intern spots at the legendary Raffles Hotel in Singapore - a very special place where the finest wines were poured and dignitaries were served.

One evening after a gruesome front shift at the restaurant (a miraculous night where I was not stationed in the kitchen running dishes and wiping cutleries), a random guest poured me a random glass of wine. That was my AHA! wine... 

The D.R.C Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru 1990.

I was too young to have known anything about DRC. For those who still do not know DRC, these wines produced by Aubert de Villaine fetches the highest prices in the Burgundian wine market, solely due to its utmost quality and scarce production levels. To add some perspective, a bottle of Romanée-Saint-Vivant 1990 fetches £3500 today, if any’s available at all. A D.R.C 1990 would fetch £15000.

Squatting behind a service station while committing a crime of drinking at work, I had my first sip of AHA, and for the first time in life, I thought I knew what wine should taste like. My limited wine vocabulary would describe the remarkable beverage as “Purely delicious alcoholic grape juice”.

With this new heightened level of enlightenment, life led me to a quest for more knowledge, and in search for similar wine experiences that aroused my senses. 

My mentors probably sensed this eagerness and very soon, I was part of the hotel’s wine team - an elite group of waiters who would serve at prestigious wine dinners and events. I even got to be the ‘taster’ at some events, basically the ‘sip and spit’ kid who got to taste every bottle to ensure they were untainted and good to be served. (Of course, by good fate, I got to taste 36 bottles of D.R.C wines - The Romanée-Saint-Vivants, The Echézeauxs, The Grands Echézeauxs, The Richebourgs, The La Tache, and the D.R.C!).

One could imagine how every wine would taste comme si comme ça after these sublime experiences! It didn't take me long to realise that I will never get to drink wine at all as I rose into adulthood if D.R.C was all i wanted to drink - even millionaires could not get access to these gems at any expense.

Well, life goes on, and I got brought down to earth from my celestial heights. As i journeyed through the world of wine, I’ve learnt that the best wine experiences are shared with friends over many good jokes, with a romantic partner on a quiet beach sipping a 6 euro bottle of rose, or with a really good plate that gets completely transformed with its perfect marriage to wine.

New adventures with wine happen everyday, so keep popping the bottles and keep enjoying the company.

[joyfulsomm]

Let’s Get Started

About me. Short, simple, sweet. 

I’m taking baby steps to become a master sommelier. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the hospitality and wine business all my life. It keeps me joyful and insane, all at once.

i love adventures; in life, in my mind, and i’m always excited to see where life leads me to. The journey matters more than the end. 

I’d eventually love to publish a book; there’s a lot of content floating in my mind - perhaps about my hilarious and whimsical encounters in the hospitality business? My wine travels and inspiration? My enormous love for food and wine pairing? I’ve got to start somewhere even though I'm everywhere and nowhere, hence the creation of this site.

Out of my wine persona, I believe in gratitude. Gratitude diminishes suffering and multiplies joy. I’m grateful for my lifestyle, my friends, my family, every smile i receive, every breath i breathe, and every bird that chirps in the sky.

This blog might end random - I’d love to keep writing about wine and food. However, there are days where I get inspired by words, travel, and life. 

I’m gonna get started, and keep writing.