JOEY Restaurant Group, Group Sommelier & Bar Development, Joey Yamasaki

I'm a professional busboy who pours wine from time to time. I'm a hobbyist home cook who is obsessed with timeless cuisine. I'm a wannabe comedian who hosts and emcee a lot of events. I'm a new father and an eccentric husband.

I used to live much more capriciously. Now, I'm working on being disciplined and intentional with my time. I'm home early and to bed early and preparing the family meals for the week. Meanwhile, my connection to my daughter, wife, and family has grown to a depth that I could have never imagined.

We shared an office at the restaurant. She ran the daytime service. I was running the nights. We crossed over a few times a week. Now we crossover for life.

I grew up just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia. I've lived and worked in Vancouver my entire career, save for one year in Chicago, and one harvest in Austria. My mom was an elementary school teacher and my dad worked in finance for some different communications companies. Restaurants and hospitality were not in the blood.

Most of my young years were spent dreaming of a life as a goaltender in the National Hockey League. Hockey was my life until my late teens when I discovered I was an average netminder and would never make it to the bigs. Next, yes, I wanted to be a chef.

Ha! I was a baseball camp counselor where my responsibility was retrieving balls and pylons from the outfield. My first real job was a busboy at a casual chain restaurant called White Spot here in Vancouver. By some stroke of luck, a culinary internship at this local restaurant turned into more of a busboy internship and I ended up discovering and loving the front of house right away.

I had a co-worker notice that I was enjoying my job at the restaurant, and I was soon to graduate. She said, 'You really like this don't you? You should go into a hospitality program after high school.' I took her suggestion, and I studied Hospitality Management at Vancouver Community College.

I worked many years of on-the-floor sommelier and fine-dining service experience at one of the busiest restaurants in Vancouver. I was the wine buyer for that restaurant, and I had a sommelier certification from the International Sommelier Guild. I was confident that I could serve any table, any size, any demand, and any experience level with graciousness, expertise and kindness.

Yes. I was contacted by Geoff Boyd, JOEY COO, who I knew from his work as a judge for the Vancouver Magazine Wine Awards. I was on the pouring team for those awards. Geoff contacted me shortly after I earned the title of Best Sommelier of BC. We spoke a few times about the Group Sommelier role and the offer sounded appealing. That was 8 years ago, and I am grateful every day for the opportunity and everything that has come with it.

Firstly, it's working with and among bold leaders who approach their role as owners of their own business. It's a combination of innovating for a large audience and refining that which is proven. It is boundless creativity grounded in responsibility. It's an incredible place to explore what's possible in the elevated casual dining space. All that said, the thread that connects it all is a commitment to people and leadership development. Come as you are, leave even better.

There are always new restaurants on the horizon. We're weeks away from opening our first LOCAL Public Eatery in Dallas. Then we have our biggest restaurant yet in downtown Toronto this winter. I'm designing a sparkling wine tableside cart experience for that one so that we can emphasize the celebration of gathering at the table. Each opening is the chance to try out new things and create some unique in-person wine experiences for our teams.

We make updates three or four times a year. Some of our listings have been guest and company favorites that are mainstays. Others spots we keep a bit more dynamic. We have a fairly set size and matrix behind that make up the bones of the list. That allows me to be ongoingly evaluating quality, expression, and value for each spot. Seasonal menu changes also dictate what moves will happen when.

Along with a directory our listings with tasting notes, food matches, and winery stories, I host company-wide and region-specific video calls that cover everything from general wine wisdom to myth busting, to service best practices, to producer interviews.

I've been very fortunate to have traveled to almost every major wine producing country over the last 12 years. My answer for both work and leisure is Italy --particularly Florence and Chianti Classico. I will forever find joy exploring that region. Also, a wine trip to Australia through Barossa, Adelaide, McLaren Vale and Yarra was very palate-expanding to discover both classic and contemporary wines. I'm a huge fan and advocate. Australia makes every kind of wine. Every kind. I'm struggling to think of a grape or wine style that I haven't had a spellbinding version of from Australia.

My favorite part of the job is inventing ways to share hospitality and wine with our teams. My mission is to create experiences that challenge and enlighten people to their capabilities in service, wine and food. This may show up like a head-to-head wine descriptor card game. Or a glassware polishing and handling race. Or a tableside madlib training. Or a wine and potato chip pairing competition. I have endless ideas to try to spark a love and enthusiasm for all things hospitality.

Pasta pomodoro with Chianti Classico. Roquefort and Sauternes. Oysters and Muscadet. Porcini risotto and Barolo. Curry and Australian Grenache. Brunch and Moscato d'Asti. Fast food onion rings and sparkling wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and grilled meats with green sauce. Barolo Chinato and dark chocolate. Crab cakes and Chablis. Vongole and Vermentino. Just to name a few.

I will most often reach for Chardonnay and Sangiovese. I like Chardonnay from everywhere in virtually every style. I love discovering different producers' approach. My favorite Sangiovese is Chianti Classico. I also find it endlessly fascinating to taste the different expressions around Tuscany. It also helps that it's the perfect condiment to a range of cuisines.

I like straightforward dishes with simple, familiar and comforting presentations. The kind of cuisine people enjoy at home on a weekday. Like my favourite grapes, I love how many different approaches there can be to timeless standards. Roast chicken. Grilled fish. Beef and potatoes. Salads and slaws. Soups and stews.

We've had great success with both rosé and sparkling over the last few years. Next up, we're looking to make Lambrusco a core part of our offering. It's perfect with our food and a delight for most everyone who is discovering it for the first time. Deeply colored. Chilled. Fizzy. Just off-dry. So much to love. Currently it's a little bit trendy and we hope to move the needle and introduce this style to a wider audience. For example, we did a big day on June 21 (Lambrusco Day) where all our guests that joined us for dinner were poured a little glass to kick off their experience.

I remember my first three tastes of wine -- but I can't remember which one came first. It was either Boxing Day* at my uncle's house, a staff training at the restaurant where I was a bus boy, or a late night in the park in high school. I had the same reaction to all three experiences -- yuck. *(For those who don't know, Boxing Day is December 26th and refers to a Commonwealth holiday originally invented as a way to donate gifts to those in need.)

I was newly learning about wine and I was out for dinner with my girlfriend and her family. Eager to show off my new knowledge, I ordered a bottle for the table. The waiter poured the wine for me to taste. I smelled it. It was familiar, but not in the right way. I nervously said to the waiter, 'I don't think this is how it's supposed to smell.' He removed the bottle and came back a few minutes later, 'You're right sir, that last bottle was corked. Let's try another one.' That was a wine win that was a huge boost to my confidence. As a result, I try to share corked wine with as many people as I can and insist that they commit that aroma to memory.

Our house had a regular rotation of the things you'd expect in the 90's at a family table. Spaghetti and red sauce. Meatloaf. Baked Chicken. Tuna Casserole. Lasagna. If it was in the Betty Crocker cookbook, it was probably served at some point.

I had a great time answering these questions and getting a chance to reflect on the last few years.