By Joy Neighbors
At
West Baden Springs Hotel, Sinclair’s Restaurant offers European excellence with
a sophisticated menu and wine list. Locally grown foods are trendy right now and according to Sinclair’s executive chef
Ethan Smith, “Sinclair’s offers a
flexible menu to take advantage of seasonal offerings.”
French
Lick Springs Hotel has 1875: The Steakhouse – one of the best fine dining
establishments in the state. Restaurant manager Tom O’Connor said that "guests
are always looking for an exciting culinary experience.” And 1875: The
Steakhouse does not disappoint. In fact, it will have its own in-house
certified sommelier later this year.
Having just passed the first level of exams, Angermeier's goal is to
become a certified sommelier by autumn. This status will greatly enhance her
credentials in the wine and food industry. She hopes to bring a larger variety
of wines to the 1875 wine list and lay some building blocks for the staff to
learn more about wine. “I’d love to do some staff training; to help them
understand more about the wines we serve and how to talk about those wines to
our guests,” Angermeier said. “It means more when you can enhance someone’s
dining experience by suggesting a wine that will pair well with their food.”
July
is National Culinary Arts Month and French Lick Resort has two fine dining restaurants
that continue to impress and garner awards year after year.
At
West Baden Springs Hotel, Sinclair’s Restaurant offers European excellence with
a sophisticated menu and wine list. Locally grown foods are trendy right now and according to Sinclair’s executive chef
Ethan Smith, “Sinclair’s offers a
flexible menu to take advantage of seasonal offerings.”
French
Lick Springs Hotel has 1875: The Steakhouse – one of the best fine dining
establishments in the state. Restaurant manager Tom O’Connor said that "guests
are always looking for an exciting culinary experience.” And 1875: The
Steakhouse does not disappoint. In fact, it will have its own in-house
certified sommelier later this year. |
| 1875 Manager Christen Angermeier |
The
restaurant’s Food and Beverage Manager Christen Angermeier has already passed
her first certification and is on her way to becoming a professional certified
sommelier (wine steward), a position on par with an executive chef. A
sommelier has extensive knowledge about wines and wine service, wine regions and
understands how to pair wines with food.
Angermeier
began in the culinary world as a student at Indiana University when she worked
as a server at a local restaurant. She enjoyed the industry and decided to go
to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu. She then set her sights on management and started working in fine dining in Indianapolis. That’s where she discovered the
world of wine. Angermeier said, “I began taking wine classes at I.U.P.U.I.
(Indiana University Purdue University – Indianapolis) and fell in love with the
wine world.”
Having just passed the first level of exams, Angermeier's goal is to
become a certified sommelier by autumn. This status will greatly enhance her
credentials in the wine and food industry. She hopes to bring a larger variety
of wines to the 1875 wine list and lay some building blocks for the staff to
learn more about wine. “I’d love to do some staff training; to help them
understand more about the wines we serve and how to talk about those wines to
our guests,” Angermeier said. “It means more when you can enhance someone’s
dining experience by suggesting a wine that will pair well with their food.”
Asked
what her favorite wine is, Angermeier replied, “I always love a good
Riesling.” Does she have a “most memorable” Riesling? Indeed, she does. “The
one that started it all for me was Joh. Jos Prüm Riesling Auslese – that’s the
one that began my love affair with wine. I still remember it!”
Another
part of a sommelier’s job is to recommend wine options to guests that fit their
taste preferences and budget. When asked for a good red wine under $20,
Angermeier suggested a Vietti Barbera. As for an approachable white wine that
pairs well with summer foods, Angermeier smiled and nodded, “A Riesling, of
course.”