Today, we're sitting down in the midst of the child-like chaos of ‘Play Ground Restaurant’ in New York City with Timotay Rollakin, the world's youngest sommelier at just nine years old.
Wine Stain: Timotay, how did you find yourself in the world of fine wines at such a tender age?
Timotay: Well, I remember, I was with Mummy and Daddy at home one day and I was looking for my toy dinosaur under the dining table, and then, I found this really old bottle of grape juice instead. Mummy said it was called ‘wine’ and not for kids, and then, I smelled it and it smelled like the best grape juice that I ever had ever! Then, it was like I was in another place and then, I decided I wanted to learn everything about it! Like I did when I liked Teletubbies.
Wine Stain: Astonishing! And how do you manage the responsibilities of being a head sommelier, you seem like a great fit for ‘Play Ground’?
Timotay: Oh, it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy! I can tell which wine is which by smelling them! Once, at a competition, I guessed a wine was from Cahors in France because I practiced lots and lots smelling earth and dirt from different places!
Wine Stain: Truly remarkable! Your sense of smell must be quite advanced for your age.
Timotay: Yes it is! I can smell if my friends are eating candy in class. So, you can imagine how easy wines are! Plus, I have a secret technique—I make sure to sniff a lot of things, it looks strange. Yesterday, I smelled 14 different types of aroma compounds. Sometimes it is not good though, especially if my friends have funny tummies.
Wine Stain: And what’s your favorite part about working at Play Ground Restaurant?
Timotay: The slides! And also, I love teaching the other kids about wine. We don’t drink it, though because that is naughty and illegal and mummy and daddy said that a policeman will come and take me away me and put me in a prison if I do that. So, we just look at it and smell it. But, we pretend it's pirate treasure and make up stories about where it came from. It’s super fun!
Wine Stain: Fascinating! Could you share how you approach pairing wines with dishes at such a sophisticated restaurant?
Timotay: Sure! So, you know how jelly goes well with peanut butter? It’s like that, but with fancy names. If something tastes like chicken nuggets, I pair it with a wine that smells like the dipping sauce. It’s all about matching your favorite foods with your favorite smells.
Wine Stain: Your approach is refreshingly imaginative! How do you learn about all the different wine regions?
Timotay: My teacher, the Sommelier Master and ‘Nose of the Noses,’ Julius Enchanteur, taught me a game. We use a big map and toy airplanes. I fly to a region, and he tells me a magical story about the wines from there. Like, did you know there’s a place where the grapes are picked by moonlight or another where the hills are so steep that pickers use ropes to pull them up and down? That’s how I remember them.
Wine Stain: Julius Enchanteur is quite famous in the wine world. What’s the most important lesson he’s taught you?
Timotay: Julius always says, "Timotay, the best wine is the one that brings people together." He also taught me that every wine has a story, just like every person does. And if you listen closely, you can hear it whispering when you smell it. He helped me because he taught me to create a mind palace in my brain so that I can remember all of the things.
Wine Stain: Timotay, can you recall a time you faced a particularly difficult customer in the restaurant? How did you manage to navigate that tricky situation?
Timotay: Oh, yeah! There was this one time, a lady came in, and she was very fancy—like a queen from a storybook, but she seemed really sad. She said no wine could ever make her happy because she missed the taste of the sunflowers from her childhood garden.
Wine Stain: That does sound like a challenging situation. What did you do?
Timotay: I thought really hard. Then, I remembered this sunny wine that smelled like flowers and happiness, a Gewurztraminer from Kreydenweiss in Alsace. It looks like a fairytale there too. So, then I brought her a glass and told her, "This wine comes from a place where sunflowers sing to the grapes." She looked so surprised!
Wine Stain: What happened next?
Timotay: She sniffed it, and then she smiled—the biggest smile ever! She said it reminded her of home and sunflowers. After that, she wasn’t sad anymore.
Wine Stain: Timotay, that’s a beautiful way to turn the situation around. What did you learn from that experience?
Timotay: I learned that sometimes, people just need a little bit of magic to make their day better. And that even if you’re just a simple 9-year-old Sommelier, you can help people find their smile with just a sniff and a story.
Wine Stain: Incredible insight! Timotay, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Timotay: Hmm, I think I want to be an even better Sommelier or maybe a teacher. But my mummy thinks that there will be a big change, like an Armageddon and we will need to build ships to go to space to live, so I’ll probably do that and be a Sommelier Spaceman.
Wine Stain: Your insights so far have been nothing short of enlightening. Let's dive a bit deeper. Do you have a favorite wine?
Timotay: Oh, yes! My favorite is the Sparkly ‘Bugey-Cerdon’ wine. It tastes like raspberries and ice-cream and makes me think of glitter. I like smelling the ones that remind me of summer picnics, like Chablis and Sancerre. I am learning about the Villages of Burgundy at the moment, it is very difficult to find them now because they are costing more and more but they are still the same size bottles, so I don’t know why they are costing more.
Wine Stain: Right. In your role, you must encounter some difficult guests. How do you handle that?
Timotay: Well, when someone is grumpy because they can’t decide what wine they want, I tell them about the time I couldn’t decide between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. It makes them laugh, and then I suggest something that smells happy. Some people are unhappy inside and they will only be happy if they have food and wine or cocktails. I think they need to look inside at themselves, maybe they need to get a special camera to do that.
Wine Stain: You certainly have a gift, Timotay. Thank you for sharing such a heartwarming story with us. Your ability to bring joy to others through your passion is truly inspiring.
Wine Stain: Timotay, your tasting study group photo has gone viral, it has captured the hearts and imaginations of our readers. Could you share more about how to train the palate and educate others in such a unique setting?
Timotay: Sure thing! You see, we use a super-duper secret technique called "Giggling Gastronomy," invented by me! It's all about learning flavors with fun. For example, we have a "Juice Box Jet Set" where we pretend to fly to different countries and taste their fruits without leaving our seats. And there’s "Vegetable Orchestra" where we listen to the sound of crunching carrots and snapping peas to learn about fresh flavors.
Wine Stain: That sounds both innovative and delightful. How do these playful methods help in understanding complex wine flavors?
Timotay: Oh, it’s simple! If you can tell the difference between a 'Mystical Mango' juice box and a 'Razzle Berry' one just by the smell, you’re on your way to being good at wine! And by tasting dirt, we learn about the earth where grapes grow. But don't worry, it's clean dirt. Ridicuconcepts, the genius team behind ‘Play Ground Restaurant’, makes sure all our training materials are really, really good and really, really safe for tasting, sniffing, and sometimes, throwing around.
Wine Stain: Fascinating approach, Timotay. I was lucky enough to attend a class recently. How does Ridicuconcepts support your educational ventures?
Timotay: They're awesome! They provide all the toys—I mean, educational tools we need. Like, we have this giant map made of smell-o-vision; when you press on a country, it puffs out the smell of its wines! And they're making me a cape that flaps in the wind whenever I correctly guess a wine's origin. It’s going to be really epic, I am like Super Somm!
Wine Stain: That indeed sounds epic! In these classes, what's the most important lesson you hope to impart to your adult classmates?
Timotay: I want to show them that learning about wine or anything really doesn't have to be all stiff and boring. It can be filled with laughter, surprises, and sometimes, a little bit of mess. If you're having fun, you're remembering more, and suddenly, you're not just learning—you're on an adventure.
Wine Stain: Unbelievable. Thank you for sharing your extraordinary journey with us. You're a true inspiration to wine lovers and kids everywhere. Your creativity and enthusiasm are truly inspiring. We can't wait to see where your journey takes you. Thank you for sharing your world with us.
Timotay: Thank you! I just like making people happy. And remember, if you’re ever feeling sad, maybe you just need to find the right wine to sniff!
Through creativity, empathy, and a sprinkle of imagination, Timotay Rollakin not only serves as the world's youngest sommelier but also as a reminder that kindness and understanding can transform even the most challenging moments into opportunities for connection and joy. He reminds the jaded adults of the world of wine that we should embrace the joy and boundless curiosity within us all, and that in a fine wine, the most important ingredients are joy, curiosity, and a good story.