MEET VALENTIN MOUILLARD Head Sommelier at L’Enclume, Cartmel
Most lovers of food and drink will be quick to agree that no trip to Cumbria is complete without a visit to Cartmel - home to Simon Rogan’s renowned restaurants L’Enclume and Rogan & Co as well as his development kitchen and chef’s table Aulis and it’s no surprise it has become known as a destination for anybody who appreciates excellent restaurants and local produce. We recently caught up with Head Sommelier at L’Enclume, Valentin Mouillard. Tell us a little about what you do I’m the Head Sommelier at L’Enclume.To keep it simple my role in the restaurant is to look after the beverage programme, together with my team of sommeliers, we ensure that all our guests are able to enjoy the drinks we offer. As we do with our menus at L’Enclume, we like to take our guests on a journey of discovery. What was your first ever wine job and what inspired you to become a sommelier? My earliest memory was helping my dad pour a champagne fountain at a wedding. That’s the first time I realised I wanted to work in hospitality, and from there I moved my way into wine learning how to be able to explain the beauty of this beverage, which brings people together at celebrations, dinners and other occasions.
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Which personality traits are the most important in becoming a good sommelier: psychologist, counsellor, artist, performer? I think counsellor is one of the most important personality traits, as a sommelier you are there to guide your guests. Every wine list is different, and no one can know all of the drinks available within a given list. So, we are on hand to offer guidance everyone who requests it. After selection, of course, we have an opportunity to unleash our artistic/performance traits during service when we run ‘the show’ as we call it. How do you work with the chefs and kitchen to marry wines/drinks and their creations? What are your tips for menu pairing? At L’Enclume, we enjoy complete freedom with our pairings, as Simon trusts us to find the perfect drink to
