Rising Stars

The story behind Ed Taylor’s successful career at Oak N4 starts off sounding like a joke: “A man walks into a bar …” The story could have progressed in any number of ways, but the punchline in Ed’s case is “and he never left”.

“It’s true,” laughs owner Cameron Mckeown. “Ed just came in one day and sat at the bar and was talking to Giuseppe, our manager. He just seemed like such a nice guy and Giuseppe asked him if he wanted to do a shift that night. He did a great job, so we hired him on the spot.”

This chance encounter has worked out well for everyone, especially the customers, who Cameron explains will often ask for Ed. “The regulars know him and just love him,” he says. “They warm to him. I cannot say enough about what a great guy he is and how he fits perfectly into a hospitality role. He’s so welcoming. In this industry you have to be able to like to listen, as well as talk, and he is gifted at both.

“He already knew quite a bit about wine when he started. He had been working in a winery in Australia for a while. But he’s not arrogant; he’s a real student when it comes to wine and wants to learn more. Right from the start he just fitted in with the rest of the team and he’s happy to take on responsibility.”

Ed moved to Australia for a time and, as respite from a City career, took a job in a vineyard. He says: “I’d be out hand-pruning, mists rolling across the hills in the middle of Victoria, the sun was out but it was still freezing cold. It was idyllic, but hard work. It instilled in me the understanding of how much hard work goes into producing one bottle of wine.”

Although his experience has left him with an immutable love of Australian wine, Ed has an enquiring palate and he particularly enjoys seeking out new wines for the business.

“It’s quite a time-consuming part of the job,” he says, “because to find maybe five or six lines that we want to take on often means tasting three or four times that many. Each wine has to work on a margin basis as well as making sure we’re filling gaps on the shelves, whether that’s varieties or regions. It’s not just finding some wine at a price. It’s finding the right wine. We have 30+ wines

Ed Taylor

Oak N4, Finsbury Park, London

usually by the glass and we rotate those frequently. We also need a bit of longevity in the bottle.”

Already equipped with plenty of hands-on experience, Ed says he still found WSET Level 2 valuable and he’s hoping to continue his formal wine education. “It took me into a bit more depth and detail, which I think is interesting on a personal level, but useful for talking to customers,” he says.

“I frequently have conversations with customers, whether they’re sitting in having a drink or buying a bottle to take away. It’s all about imparting our enthusiasm and knowledge to help customers enjoy wine, drink better wine and expand their enjoyment.”

Ed wins a bottle of M. Chapoutier Haut Chamblard 2019

If you’d like to nominate a Rising Star, email claire@winemerchantmag.com