#119 - Petrus by the Glass with Cyrus Ho, Hotel Sommelier at Island Shangri-La Hong Kong

What are the things that you learned at the beginning of your career? So you talk about Johan Jusland teaching you and being your kind of master at the beginning.

What are the basics that you learned at that point and that surprised you the most or that are the most important for...

Like I'm thinking about someone who is beginning his career as a sommelier and listening to us or watching us.

What should this person have in mind when starting this new job and this journey?

Yeah, I still remember that the first two weeks when I joined as a souvenir, the only thing I can do from Johan is that, okay, you pour in the water, you pour in the water, whole week, whole week.

The first week, I didn't touch any of wine, only bottled water.

So you see for the midnight also, we have a lawn, we're also facing the table, but not much table.

But she said, you review for the water, because water is the most basic for the drinks, everything.

And also the first thing for the service, to do everything good.

if you see the all the gas bottle the water is left and half you will feel it just top up but still very busy and in this pond you have a turn tea table you walk around it's only fucking top up for the water and I think this is one of the part to really touching the base for the surface then after that when we touching more wine you you You know more about wine, then the guests come here is also for the wine.

Because in Petrus, I think I can feel it's kind of a culture that you can come and taste many of different wine, Balagas or French wine, very deep to this, that one.

Then...

When you're introducing your babies, when you have the wine, then with introducing the guests, it's just like I'm introducing the baby to my guests.

So this is the passion.

And the guests really, really want to hear it.

And when you want to learn more about the story, then this is also feedback from the guests.

then uh always having this passion to introducing the wine because they really love it i really really love to do because when they're happy they're all really good

so you start uh one week only water yes at the end of this week do you like Are you like disappointed? You know, you're like, what is this job? I'm just pouring water.

No, I didn't.

No, I didn't because Johan is here also.

And because that moment is very entry level of my so many knowledge.

So Johan asking me always to learn from the boat and always asking question is important.

It's very good to work with Johan, but it's also very hard.

As you know, you're always working.

When you're like reopening the wine bottle, and suddenly Johan comes, and he will ask you a question.