Ep. 197 Monty Waldin interviews Marino Braccu (Otto e mezzo Bombana Hong Kong) | Monty Waldin's Let's Talk Wine Biz

Italian wine podcast. Chinching with Italian wine people. This podcast is brought to you by Native Grape Odyssey. Native Grape Odyssey is an educational project financed by the European Union to promote European wine in Canada, Japan, and Russia. And joy. It's from Europe. Hello. This is the Italian wine podcast. My name is Monty Wallin. My guest today is Marino Brac cool. Marino is the general manager at Oto Emezzo Bumbana, which is a restaurant in Hong Kong. Welcome. Thank you. Okay. So, let's start with your background first. How did you get into wine? And how did come to have the job that you do now? Where are you from originally? I come from, Sardinia, my beautiful island in Italy, and, of course, I started working hospitality, and when I was fourteen years old, fifteen. And, of course, I didn't know that I was going to work with the wine later on. I guess it's a natural step that, somebody does when you work in hospitality and then, slowly, you approach the wine and, you end up doing a sommelier. So which part of Sardinia were you born you're born in one of the wine regions or not? Yes. I born in Colombia, which is, in Galura. So we have the only one DOTG for the Vermontino. Vermontino de Galura. Okay. You're step from from there to leaving Italy, when did that occur? At my step, went straight away abroad from, Southinia. I went to Why was that? There was no jobs there? Or No. Because I think, to fine tune, a couple of part of myself, different language and other things. So I need to touch up a little bit. And, I went to from my one my island to another big island, Australia. So it's a big change. Here? I did five and a half year in Sydney and a two and a half in Melbourne. So was that in the restaurant business again? Restaurant business always. So as general manager? I was, bad. Definitely in the first, year in alpha, just working as a waiter supervisor trying to basically concentrate in learning another language. And then after that, I start my career in the management. So it's great. You got a fantastic, Italian accent. You haven't got an Australian Italian accent. Do you? I can I I do? There's an since a good aim. Right? Yeah. But that's yeah. Well, that's that's yeah. But you know, you've got a very, very, very straight down English accent. So that was Australia. How would you describe the food and wine culture there? Obviously, the Vignas are in there are no indigenous, great varieties to Australia, and we kinda do bang about this on the Italian wine podcast about Italian Native grape varieties. How did you how did you be your Australian wine was compared to what you're used to from Sardinia? Well, Australian wine is the total difference. Based on, based on, international grape varietal. So we're talking about something but I saw it growing in a in the past few years. And, they come in more elegance or even though they even the bigger wine from a barossa, now they're a little bit more elegance, less Jimmy. So I did a very big steps, Australia. You're the Bronx assurance? Yeah. And then they have a diverse, a big diversity because in Western Australia, you go with four cover name and law, then you have, Sara in the South Australia, semillon in Ravalley and the, Good Chardonnay, they're a Western Australia in the Arabale. So how and when and why did you move from Australia to Hong Kong? Was that your next step then Hong Kong? Yes. No. No. Definitely. I didn't know there was my next but I was doing my travel, experience in a three michelin star restaurant. I met chef Balmana in Hong Kong, but I went to it there. And, he knew that I was working as a civilian manager in a restaurant. And they start to talk with me, but, at that stage, I was going in early days. I was just in the stopover, you know, I didn't think about much. But then he managed to reach me. And, after a few months, I was, networking. So is he a verified a chef or anybody, why is he so famous? It's so famous because, it's the only three Michelin Star Italian restaurants outside of Italy right now. And, it's famous because, for Asia, I did a lot. It bring me a level of Italian food, then nobody has did so far. So how would you is it regional cooking that he does or Italian food in general? How does it work? Classic Italian food. Classic Italian food, with a good presentation, of course, and good material. We get the best on commodas and have import tax we get the best, product around the world from Japan, from, France, from Italy. So as general manager, what are your main responsibilities? But general manager made his responsibility, general manager, I met with you in three Michelin Star restaurant is, a little bit different than you do general manager in a big, operations because, you are more involved in the service also. But, of course, you follow-up all the restaurant, three hundred and sixty eight degree. So everything, food, wine service. Wine, marketing, wine list, of course, because, the type of cutler you use, everything. It's an Italian menu effectively. Yes. And, obviously, Italian wine is the main option on the wine list. Eighty percent Italian wine list. So what do people buy and why is it wine still seen as a status symbol? It's about spending as much money as possible, con conspicuous consumption or, consumers in Hong Kong. Many of whom are imagine are international. How do they approach the wine list? Of course, it's changing even in Hong Kong because there are a more and more institution, like WST, Corto Masters, somebody making a lot of training. And, if before the people used to look a lot, the numbers of the points, of the magazines. Now it's less. And they trust as somebody is, you need to dig every day in order to get the trust of your regular customer. But once you do give you a lot of satisfaction, of Autametz is in the center of Hong Kong. It's one of the most prestigious restaurants. So it's a IP island. It's a Luna Park for Somelier. You sell everything you like. So you can be quite in in a way quite indulgent then with the the wines that you choose, or do you have to respect certain parameters? No. Definitely. Definitely. We don't like to be pushing out of meds. We always go to the table and we say, Sarah, this is the one list. I'll let you read. If you need any help, please let us know, and we will come to assist you. This the right approach for me because we don't have to impose our, rules. And, we leave the domestic part of the summary away. And, we look after a lot of the, the experience of the customer. This is important. Okay. So is it Italian cooking in Hong Kong, Italian style food. Yes. It's not Italian style, a hundred percent, no contamination. Okay. So, obviously, you're from Sardinia. How much of a thrill do you get when somebody orders a Venmentino from Gallaudo or something like that? Without asking you, they pick up the wine list, they scroll down on the wine list. Oh, I fancy a a sardinian wine today. Did you let them know that you're from sardinians? Yes, of course, sir. I don't know, but It's not resist, right? I can't resist. But, you know, it's, now they're maintaining all good. Sure. Yeah. And Carignan also. And everyone, no, don't get surprised anymore. In the beginning of my career, when I first approached, the to work abroad. Yes. But now not anymore. And, of course, I shouldn't say that, but, I leave I live the same space that I live to Sardinia to all that region of Italy. They, of course, I'm from Sardinia, very proud. They are about our product, but, I focus all around Italy. No one region in particular. So when you are a health you get back to your your family island? Yeah. What's that yet? So when you go back, if I give you let's say, right. We're gonna have three meals. Maybe I'm with you, so you're gonna show me around. Which would be your three Sardanian traditional dish plus wine combinations? So we're gonna have a starter, we're gonna have a main course, and we're gonna have, a dessert. Okay. But, we start starter, of course, the octopus salad. And, so we can go with a nice fermentino with a little bit more, extraction, might it be more body? So, such a which which area of of, Sardinia would you recommend? For Remindir. But, of course, galura, but also down the south, which, there are good depression of the maintenance. Okay. And then with the main course, main course, with the Percito Sarda. So explain what that pig. Okay. Like the wall, satin' pig. Which is very crispy on the outside and very, very tender. Okay. On the on the on the spit. And, that one, a nice, kind of now. So that's nice, good, actually. Nice, good, actually. But even, like, you know, because the pig is already a big himself, like a flavor, a nice, stainless steel, can now, good as cidity, medium plus body. It would be perfect. And for pudding dessert? For the dessert. Nice. Nasko, the Caliary. Okay. So what is Nasko? Nasko is an indigenous grape variety. They come from the finish and, apple. And, he give his best it's quite aromatic, and he give his best, when it dies, he's done, how's it the passito style? Okay. And which dish would you have with that then? I would get, the seadas. Okay. Which are? It's, like a big raviolo. Okay. It's inside, some cheese, fresh cheese. You fry this one, and then you put some honey on top. Perfect. After you do three course meal, and they come the salads, you wanna die. Do you wanna is that a, cheese from which animal though? Cow goat? Yes. Yeah. Cow, like this, yeah, scamorza. Okay. Email. So we've got a soft cheese. Soft cheese. Yes. And not too spicy. I'm so sorry. Okay. That sounds pretty tasty. Great. So going back to Hong Kong, how much of a culture shock was it for you moving there? You know, we think of, you know, Sodden is a very proud. There's an island nation almost always affected in island nation. You're moving to another island, which is also like an island nation. So it was that that that element of familiarity there for you, but also that sense of also being in a completely and utterly different world. You don't have skyscrapers really when you probably do on the coast, but, you know, it's not a built up side in here. Right? So I read rural. Some areas, interestingly, they're completely deserted or, you know, like middle age or most of the sector. Yeah. It was the same, sites of CC. Mhmm. And we have only one million and a half people in CC level six million. So how was how much of a how much of a shock was that to your psyche when you got there? But to Hong Kong, you mean, Hong Kong? Well, let's just shock. I didn't have much shock in the beginning, but after a few weeks, he has started to be heavy. The crowd, when you go the, Metro and you have to pick up a taxi, a bus. There is always so many people, and you have to get used to it. It it takes, like, three months for some people, you know, they never take use to. But for I that myself a lot because, we are professionals. We are like a football player. We go where is the job. And, we like, we don't like the city. We need to be there and to to do our job. Do you like the fact that you could also have to take little boat buses as well in Hong Kong. Yes. You like that. Yeah. Oh, it's beautiful. Hong Kong is amazing. And, I really like. I hope to stay there, for many years because now I got used to it, and, it's fantastic city. They gave me a lot. But what would, I mean, obviously, very happy where you are now. You know, just say you, you know, you walked, you go back and your job, you no longer have a job there. Would you stay there? Would you come back to Italy? Well, this is a million dollar question. Probably, I will go back to Italy. Yeah. If I don't need to work anymore, I will go back to Italy. Okay. Hopefully won't happen. Okay. So in terms of Italian wining Hong Kong, if I'm a smaller producer from whatever region in Hong Kong, how easy is it? Or what advice would you give me to get my wine into Hong Kong? To come to Hong Kong visit on Congo and, get in touch at least with the five, six different importers and, make your mind to which one is more reliable. Of course, before ask, somebody from the industry, like, as well, the rest strength to give you the most, professional people to talk. So, basically, what you're saying is you have to be a little bit careful. Even though there's big demand, there's lots of money there, you still have to be a little bit careful. Of course. So what I mean, the risks what sending a wine not not getting paid or get just getting the wrong distributor? No. No. No. No. No. No. Not getting not getting paid because you have to be careful in the way the some supplier, they promote your wine. If you wanna dewine to the private customer or you wanna dewine in the restaurant. I believe every producer would like to have dinner in the restaurants, and then it comes the private client. Okay. So it's first on trade and then off trade. Of course. But why is that? Is that because there's plenty of money in Hong Kong in people can afford to go out and eat in restaurants, you know, fairly often. Hong Kong is, there is a big, culture ongoing out also because it's a city that run very fast, and people doesn't have time. So people go out every day from the casual restaurant to the fine dining. Yeah. I would have only been there once, and I and that is that is true. You're just you're always on the move. You're always doing something. Yes. You're either on a boat going somewhere or going for drinks with somebody, you're having some food with somebody. So it's quite we even if it's peripatetic, you're always always always always on the mood. Do you find it a little bit dizzying sometimes, being in that kind of city of the noise when you've come from, not saying necessary crime, but Of course, of course, the weather, especially in summertime doesn't help. Even though you are in the Maybe it's very humid. In the air conditioning. But, you can feel the pressure of the weather. I'll anyway. Okay. So when you retire, where are you gonna live? I live in Sard, but, you know, because like to talk in English and I like, my international life. You have to England. Correct? Yeah. Yeah. Take care. I'm glad. But, you know, I would like to break, stay, like, maybe six months summertime in and then, six months, somewhere else. Great. Okay. So you you love this idea of travel then. Never. It won't be. Okay. So I'll say thanks to Magino Bracup from the Auto Emezzo Bombana restaurant Hong Kong. Thanks very much for explaining some of the intricacies of how that market works. Thanks. Thank you so much. That works. This podcast has been brought to you by Native Grape Odyssey, discovering the true essence of high quality wine from Europe. Find out more on native grape Odyssey dot e u. Enjoy. It's from Europe. Follow Italian wine podcast on Facebook and Instagram.