Bite of NY은 뉴욕 요식업계에서 다양한 직종으로 종사하는 한인들을 소개하며, 요리에 대한 예술적 가치를 알리기 위한 프로젝트이다. 그들의 발자취, 현재, 그리고 앞으로의 비전을 담은 인터뷰와 더불어 KANA가 직접 방문한 후기를 통해 그들의 이야기를 전달하고자 한다.
맨하탄 이스트 빌리지에 위치한 모던 하와이안 레스토랑 Noreetuh의 co-owner이자 매니저, Jin Ahn님을 소개합니다.
Per Se와 Jungsik의 제너럴 매니저를 거쳐, 현재 Noreetuh (128 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009)의 co-owner로서 하와이안 음식을 선보이고 있는 Jin Ahn님을 만나 와인에 대한 그의 열정, Noreetuh 와인 리스트만의 색깔과 특징, 그리고 요식업계에서 활동하는 그의 포부에 대해 들어보았다.
How did you get interested in wine and eventually pursue a career as a sommelier?
To tell you the truth, my career isn't in wine. Wine is part of the restaurant and hospitality. How did I get into the restaurants? That's a long story, but to keep it short, I fell in love with it when I realized how much love and joy there was when people gathered with the ones they love and bond over food and beverage. I worked at some good spots and met some right people along the way. The rest is history.
What was your thought process as you created the wine list for Noreetuh? What would you say is Noreetuh’s wine theme/unique characteristic?
I always loved wines with some bottle age. I appreciate antiques and things with historical/sentimental value. Although young wines can deliver a great deal of joy, their profound nature can only be found (more or less) in wines with proper years of age in them. My list is unique in the sense that 1) it's very extensive for an East Village restaurant, 2) offers a great value for a restaurant wine list, and 3) there are many wines with age in them for anyone to try without breaking a bank.
The second part of the thought process concentrates on wines that I love - mainly from the Old World (i.e., France, Germany). Since I cannot possibly afford (both money and space) to have a wine library spanning all across the globe, I've decided to focus on the regions that I love while adding in some sprinkles of older wines to show the depth of the wine program. It's also easy to put together a list with all young wines. It's much more challenging, yet rewarding, to put together wines with age and maintain them.
What are your future ambitions as a manager for Noreetuh and a sommelier in general?
I am fairly old, in case you were not aware, so my ambition may sound a little boring to you. My ambition is to continue doing what I love while nurturing others around me (Noreetuh and the people in it), growing the restaurant without diluting what makes the restaurant special, and empowering people around me to be passionate and find love in this industry through education. I want to continue to preach how wonderful our industry is and to say that "it is okay" to have a career path in restaurants (it's more accepted now, but it wasn't always the case...).
KANA’s Visit to Noreetuh
The name is Asian, but the establishment embraces the spirit of Ohana. This unique restaurant blends in themes from both Asia and Hawaii. The menu has the familiarity of Asian cuisine yet captures one’s curiosity of what’s to come. We ordered dishes that included diverse ingredients with unconventional combinations (e.g., Galbi Musubi, Surf and Turf Skewers, Brûléed Hawaiian Pineapple, etc.). Not only was the food delicious, but the presentation was also pleasant with plates embossed with flowers. Indeed, both food and plating were honest to the homage of Hawaii. True to the Korean translation of the restaurant’s name, the place felt as if serving playful casual food with the taste of fine dining. Visitors should take advantage of the polaroid available to memorialize their experience and place it on the walls among others, who are most assuredly returning customers.
Team Members: Brian Jin Kim, Hyewon Kim, Sieun Lee, Siwon Lee, Hyun Suk Oh, Hee Joo Suh, Yunjung Lim
Noreetuh (128 1st Ave, New York, NY)
Website: www.noreetuh.com
Instagram: @noreetuh
Facebook: /noreetuh