Getting Sneaky

Milan:

INSIDER PICKS

The best places to eat, drink, party (and recover) in this world fashion capital. BY MARIO BISIO

When I’m in Milan twice a year on buying trips, I have a few favorite restaurants. For lunch, I love Bagutta. Known as “the trattoria of trattorias,” it’s a fun place with colorful art and wonderful food. I usually order a salad and a pasta. My favorite is the simplest: pasta pomodoro that’s out of this world.

Another good lunch option: the cantina in the Kiton Palazzo, the Milan headquarters for this esteemed clothing company. Their mozzarella arrives fresh every day by train from Naples. You cannot find anything more delicious than caprese salad with the best mozzarella, the freshest tomatoes, the purest olive oil… While it’s open only to industry insiders, I invite our customers to join us anytime!

For dinner, I love Da Ilia. I go for their incredible risotto, their perfect veal Milanese, their special ensalata tropical and any of their homemade pastas. For fish, I choose La Risacca 6. Both the raw fish and the cooked dishes are simply prepared from the freshest seafood in Milan! I also can’t resist their spaghetti vongole—molto buono!

Of course, one must make time for cocktails. Be sure to check out the bar at the Diana Majestic Hotel. It’s behind the curtains, and super cool. For amazing views to go with your cocktails and tapas, try the Radio Rooftop: it’s the best place to contemplate Milan’s skyline and take in the energy of the city.

My favorite hotel is the Principe di Savoia: it’s an old

hotel with an amazing history that’s been the place to stay for cosmopolitan society since the 1920s. There’s also a fabulous workout facility on the rooftop level. It’s not inexpensive, but I’ve been going there for so long that it feels like home.

Of course the main activity in Milan is fashion, and the best way to absorb it is over a cappuccino or an aperitivo. Just sit, sip and stare as the bestdressed people in the world pass by. As for shopping, you can find fabulous inspiration in the Corso Como neighborhood. I suggest you take notes in Milan but save the actual purchasing for when you get back home, just in case you need to make a return!

Finally, to lift your spirits, be sure to visit the Duomo. Go in the daytime when there’s sunlight and absorb the immense power of this magnificent structure. Its majesty and spirituality are truly life-affirming.

wine

SO YOU WANT TO BE A SOMMELIER?

There’s more to it than drinking great wines… BY LESLEY RUBENSTEIN

t starts with a passion for wine, a love of learning and an ability to retain lots of details about grapes, geography, terroir, etc. It ultimately becomes a journey of research, deductive tastings, pairings, pourings and intense exams to finally become certified.

Master Sommelier Dan Davis took his first sip of alcohol in college and tried his first taste of wine at the encouragement of a friend at a local tavern. Today, he serves as the director of wine and spirits at New Orleans’ iconic Commander’s Palace, owned by the Brennan family. “We have an extensive wine program,” Davis says. “Everyone can find something familiar here, but the real joy is to take guests on a journey that’s a little outside their comfort zone.”

The wine cellar complements the restaurant’s “haute Creole” cuisine and reflects Davis’ passion for rare and underrepresented wine, history and food. Wine enthusiasts have taken notice: for the last five years, Commander’s has been a recipient of The Wine Spectator Grand Award, widely perceived as the most prestigious recognition in the world of wine. In 2016, Commander’s was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for the best wine program in America; The Daily Meal named its wine list the best in the U.S.

“Wine and food go hand in hand,” is Davis’ mantra. “Wine is very much part of the meal in flavor and texture.”

Commander’s has raised the staff’s level of wine knowledge by making the Court of Master Sommeliers Program mandatory for employees. Under Davis’ direction, 40 servers, plus managers, bartenders, kitchen staff, chefs and owners, passed the Introductory Course and Examination, the first level of the program. Twelve Certified Sommeliers, having attained the second level, walk the

Above, the wine room at Commander’s Palace. Below left, Master Sommelier Dan Davis.

restaurant’s floors. Says Davis, “Education is the key to everything: it fosters a passion that the sommeliers bring to the customers. We’ve created a genuine wine culture.”

Davis says the training is critical to a restaurant’s success. “Servers need to know the quality of the wine, and why it works in a specific context. They need to be able to pronounce vocabulary and feel comfortable talking about wine in a professional—but approachable and friendly—manner.”

The Introductory Class is a two-day course led by Master Sommeliers that culminates in an extensive exam. It’s allencompassing, covering everything important to know about wine. Students also practice blind tastings and serving, although these skills are not tested at this level. “When I see my staff move from ‘Oh, I get to drink wine’ to ‘Oh, I get to sell this wine and provide an experience for the customer,’ I know the program has worked.”

The Certified Examination, the second level, requires students to engage in self-directed studies followed by a three-part exam that tests theory, tasting and service. “You walk into the room to find two glasses of wine: one red and one white. You have 25 minutes to taste the wines and tell the Master Sommelier what they are. Then you take an exam that is fairly grueling, much harder than level one.”

During the service portion of the exam, each candidate waits on a

Master Sommelier as a guest in an imaginary restaurant with an imaginary wine list. He or she can order any type of wine, and the candidate must know all about it. Candidates must also suggest wines for the guest’s hypothetical food order, conduct a mock service of a bottle of wine or Champagne, and serve an after-dinner drink. “Being certified is a very real credential CURRENTLY, THERE ARE with value. Basically, the Court of Master Sommeliers is saying that if they were runONLY 125 MEN AND 24 ning a restaurant, they’d hire you as a sommelier.” WOMEN IN THE U.S. WHO To take the Advanced Course, candidates CAN CALL THEMSELVES must apply. They need a minimum of five years in the industry and must be accepted MASTER SOMMELIERS. into the program, which provides a glimpse of what to expect from the third exam and, if invited, the fourth level: The Master Sommelier Diploma Exam. The process is difficult, and candidates spend years of grueling hours in preparation; only a small percentage eventually pass. Currently, there are only 125 men and 24 women in the U.S. who can call themselves Master Sommeliers. The unique opportunities, however, make all the hard work worthwhile. “A highlight for me was being with seventh- or eighth-generation winemakers in Burgundy and having them pull a 1917 bottle out of a cave, where their great-grandfather had hidden it from the Nazis. They popped it open, and we drank it, with much joy. It doesn’t get better than that.”

GOOD. BETTER. PERFETTO. A DEMANDING SCHEDULE REQUIRES TROUSERS THAT PERFORM PERFETTO FROM HILTL MEANS ALL DAY COMFORT AND ALL DAY PERFECT SHAPE.

AVAILABLE IN COTTON, WOOL & DENIM

profile Rock & Roll Gent

THE AWARD-WINNING BILLY REID TAKES CLASSIC AMERICAN CLOTHING IN A MODERN DIRECTION. BY LAURIE SCHECHTER

illy Reid got his start in fashion helping out in his mom’s boutique in Amite, Louisiana, eventually founding his eponymous brand in 2004. His aesthetic, once described as “Southern gentility with rock & roll appeal,” pervades full product offerings for men, women, footwear and accessories. His emphasis on USA manufacturing, proprietary textile development and high-quality construction sustain the label’s longevity. Forum spoke to him about his legacy and his spring collection. What is your aim with every collection? What makes your designs unique as well as American?

I want to make clothes that are appropriate whether you’re living in Florence, Alabama or New York. I’ve spent much of my time in these two polar opposite worlds. I’ve realized that that “dual citizenship” continues to influence the collection and really helps bring a personal and real approach to the process. What are your signature styles?

Not so easy to answer as we cover many categories.

People seem to love our outerwear, leather and knits. We try to put our own touches on each piece and hopefully, those subtle and often hidden details are what they fall in love with. What key pieces should a customer always have?

I would tell any man that he needs a good suit, a navy blazer, some jeans that fit and a well-worn leather brogue. You can pretty much start there and make it work. What new ideas do we find in your spring collection?

This collection focuses on lightness in both color and fabric. I was really inspired by all the natural landscapes near my home, so we developed some prints using oysters, herons and palm leaves that we turned into short-sleeve shirts. We mixed these with washed linens, silks and easy luxury knits. Wearable and liveable. What are you most proud of?

We want to create pieces that become our customers’ favorites. I want them to be like furniture and live with you. How do your Southern life, early retail exposure, and music all inform your aesthetic?

The community we’ve built around this brand. I get to work with my friends and interact with our community every day. We all place such a high value on authenticity and craftsmanship, and I hope that resonates. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

My professional experience in retail and my personal experience having grown up with my mother owning a boutique certainly inspire my approach to business. My love for music and being based in Muscle Shoals is spiritual for us. It provides great creative energy. If you want to get in the business, get your foot in the door and work your tail off. No job is a waste of time. Listen and learn. And to your customer?

SN EAK Y Getting