Kesäkuun 2024 sommelier on Huy Tran
What’s your name and where do you work?
Hello, my name is Huy Tran. Recently, I work at Restaurant Bronda in Helsinki.
How did you first become interested in wine, and how did that interest evolve into a career?
Coming from Vietnam, a small wine growing country helped me to know the definition of tannin and the diversity of wines in flavors.
However, my first proper experience with wines is during my exchange program in Praha, Czech Republic. I took part in a wine course which opened my knowledge about wines in general. It brings me the magic of the fact that the same grapes but they tasted differently, for example Chardonnay in various regions as well as wine-making techniques.
After that, I came back to Finland to finish my study and started working closely with one of the first sommeliers in Finland, Pekka Koiranen, who has been a big influence to my recent career. He motivated me to study properly about wines not only with WSET courses, but also competition participation.
I decided to pursue wine as my career because I would love to show everyone I met what wine is besides a food companion and a social drink. For instance, the wide varieties of wines, the making process and the terroir of regions or the effects of microclimate to the end result.
What dish on your restaurant menu would you recommend at the moment? And the wine pairing for it?
I would recommend my guests to try our Poulet Frites. It is rotisserie grilled whole chicken along with sauce Supreme enhanced by black truffle as well as an in-house made truffle fries. This is a dish suitable to share with your friend or partner.
I would love to pair the dish with an elegant Pinot Noir 2021 from Oregon, USA made by Kate Arnorld. A bouquet of red cherry, red berries with a hint of smokiness from the 1-year-oak-aging. It will harmonize with the earthiness of truffle and the flavor intensity of the roasted chicken.
On the other hand, if you prefer a glass of white wine, I would recommend Bianco di Bisenzio from Torre Bisenzio, Umbria, Italy. It is a typical blend from the region with Grechetto dominated. Grechetto has a rich flavor profile with citrus, melon and even seashell like aromas. Both of the wines are available by the glass at Bronda during the summer.
Tell us a memorable customer experience from your career!
The most inspiring and exciting moment I have ever had in my wine journey was the first time when I opened my own pop-up dinner service.
It was the first time that I presented the wine pairing to my customers. I introduced them how I engaged wines with Vietnamese cuisine – the 2 biggest things for my career – technically and emotionally.
Who is the winemaker you would like to meet personally and why?
Kei Shiogai is one of the winemakers I would love to meet personally. He is a Japanese man who came to Burgundy and worked as an intern in many top producers in Cote d’Azur (Pacalet, Rousseau, Roulot, etc.).
Afterward, he decided to start his own winery. Kei is hard working, especially when it comes to taking care of the vineyards. The purposely low yielded vines ensure him for the best quality of the grapes. He chose to vinify in the whole cluster, without sulphites. He has a very precise vision of what he wants to achieve.
Kei is a perfectionist when it comes to wine making. His roots are subtly integrated to his passion, the knowledge and inspiration he got from his various experiences in Burgundy. This natural fusion combines with respect to the soils, while targeting the finest of each terroir.
Regardless of the risks he is willing to take to reach that point. He himself made all the wines from hand punching down to put the labels on the bottles. I admire the way he allocates his wines as well. They’re only offered to people he met and knew personally.
As a respectful producer, he encourages wine lovers to enjoy the wines in restaurants as they deserved to enjoy on the premises. If I had chances to meet him personally, I am able to learn from him how he managed to make great wines in France as a foreigner and his wines are sought after around the world.
What are your favorite food and wine pairings in the summertime? Why?
Strawberry salad with goat cheese and a glass of light rose wine. For example, Domaene Gobelsburg Zweigelt Rose 2023 could be a different choice. It brings the freshness and liveliness of the summer in both the food and the wines. I can imagine myself in the terrace or parks enjoying them.
Burrata di Bufala with a mix of different tomatoes and basil oil, a pint of sauce, green peppercorns to spice up the dish.
A glass of chilled Dolcetto d’Alba from Chiara Boschis 2022 will be paired with the food. It offers the aroma of red cherries, plums, tomato leaves, and a touch of herbal notes. Its smooth tannin structure could help to balance out the creaminess of the Burrata.
Summer could not be completed without BBQ or roasted dishes. Roasted Pork short ribs would be my best choice of all times. The ribs are marinated with Asian spices (Star Anise, Gojiberries, etc.) and different types of soy sauces and palm sugar.
I would recommend to pair the food with Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert 2019. A wine is dominated by Zinfandel and a small proportion of Petit Syrah and Syrah. It has notes of ripe blueberry, black plum, wild raspberry, espresso bean, sweet oak and a hint of crème de menthe and cedar. The ripeness of the fruit from Zinfandel harmonizes with the food profile. Its intense flavors easily balance out with the sauce of the ribs.
What is your favorite cocktail and why?
My favorite cocktail is Negroni. First of all, I love all types of gin. With the Vietnamese root, I grew up with herbs and citrus as well as a lot of fruits. Gin brings me the flavors of joy. In addition, it harmonizes with Vermouth and Campari.
As a result, you have a complex drink which you can immerse yourself in different layers of flavors.
Secondly, I always want to enjoy my drink slowly and discover its aromas. Negroni allows me to do it without the fear of over-amount of melting ice.