BRYANT MAO

HAWKSWORTH RESTAURANT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Bryant Mao entered the drinks industry in 2006 as a bartender for River Rock Casino. At the same time, he earned his Sommelier Guild Diploma. Since then, he has played a major role in the wine and bar programs of elite restaurants like Vancouver’s Brix and George Ultra Lounge. He also spent four years in London, England, working under the guidance of Wine Director Terry Threlfall at Chez Bruce, a Michelin-starred restaurant. Now, he leads the award-winning wine and drinks program at Hawkworth Restaurant. He approaches wine service with a calming presence. He asks his clientele a series of questions to understand their preferences and build trust. This helps him establish himself, and Hawksworth, as a go-to place for wine and drinks.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A SOMMELIER?

The pursuit of knowledge, to learn more about the wine, the product, the people and the story behind the product that we introduce to our guests every day.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU LEARNED WORKING FOR TERRY THRELFALL AT CHEZ BRUCE IN LONDON?

Service. It doesn’t matter how much wine knowledge you have. If you can’t provide good service, everything else is irrelevant.

IN YOUR OPINION, HOW DO FOOD AND WINE CONNECT PEOPLE?

Food and wine create an experience — they take people places and create memories that link people to places or time. People don’t dine out to feed their hunger, they do it for an experience, to share a moment and create a memory with fellow guests.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO INCLUDE LOCAL BC WINES IN YOUR WINE LISTS?

It’s very important. BC is still a young and upcoming wine growing region. We like to find and work with new, small boutique wineries in BC and ones that are well established yet continue to push boundaries to push BC to the next level.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE WINE PAIRING WHEN YOU’RE HAVING A GROUP DINNER WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY?

Champagne. It’s very versatile and matched with so many different cuisines. Plus, champagne offers many different styles to choose from. ×