Savoy passages

Q&a wIth Chef Paul shIelds

By Hana-Lee Sedgwick

Paul Shields is one-half of the team behind Savoy Café, the much-loved Santa Barbara eatery he co-owns with his wife, Kathy. The Shieldses are also part of Savoy Wines, the downtown wine shop they opened in June 2017 with partner Bob Wesley. I caught up with Paul to chat about what inspired them to venture into the wine world and what he thinks makes Savoy Wines special.

You’ve had a successful business with Savoy Café, so what propelled you to undertake a new project?

Put simply, the chance to learn more about wine and to work with Bob Wesley of Lazy Acres and Winehound fame. That, and having yet another entrepreneurial seizure.

So how did you get into wine?

Back in 1993, I was the chef de cuisine at a fine dining restaurant in Sunriver, Oregon. We did a monthly winemaker’s dinner and I started tasting Willamette Valley Pinots, pairing dishes and menus ... I guess that was the start. The next year I was back in Santa Barbara at the San Ysidro Ranch as executive sous chef, which brought more pairings and tastings. The following 10 years I was at Lazy Acres as prepared foods director, and worked with Bob doing even more wine dinners.

Tell us a bit about Savoy Wines and what makes it unique. It’s a really inviting space, with Chris Potter artwork and my wife Kathy’s touch of “rustic elegance.” It’s spacious, well laid out, and has a great selection, with two of the nicest guys in the business running it. We pride ourselves on low key (as opposed to highbrow) customer service, and both Patrick and Bob are ever approachable. Bob Wesley runs the show – he researches and tastes around 50+ wines per week – and Patrick has taken on the role of understudy, an enviable position for any Santa Barbara oenophile. Does Savoy specialize in a certain wine region or price point?

That’s a great question! We feature wines from around the world, with an excellent Central Coast / California selection. But what I think is most impressive are the value wines Bob brings in from Spain, Italy, even Macedonia, that are absolutely fantastic. We have 60 wines under $18; we even have a shelf that displays “our favorites” for under $15. Bob has his finger on the pulse of the underground or smaller, younger wineries as well. For example, you’ve got to try Lost Blues wines from Gio Grandinetti of Paso Robles –stellar!

Do you have a favorite wine pairing?

Yes I do. Currently it would be Walter Hansel’s North Slope pinot noir with sea salt and pepper wood broiled lamb t-bones. But the favorites are prone to change, and that’s one of the cool things about wine exploration.

I would have to agree! Do you offer many wine and food related events joining the two businesses?

We have a wine tasting at the café every month.

What would you say makes our community a great place for wine enthusiasts / oenophiles? The combination of our unique geography, the intimate setting Santa Barbara offers, the passionate zeal of so many really good winemakers, and all so very accessible.