Interview with Star Chef Roberto Colombi of Cielo – Boca Raton, FL

Antoinette Bruno: How did you develop an interest in wine?
Roberto Colombi: All my family is in the wine field, and my uncle is a sommelier. When I was 13 he took me to my first wine fair in Italy – that’s when I started to develop my palate. After that I went to culinary school in Brescia, Italy, and joined the Association of Italian Sommeliers.

AB: Where have you worked previously?
RC: I started in Italy with Gualtiero Marchesi. Then he sent me to London to work for Angela Hartnett. While there I staged at Gordon Ramsay and Petrus in London.

AB: What courses have you taken? Certifications?
RC: I did the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust program in London, and I started the Master program in 2006. I’ve completed the first level – I haven’t done the advanced.

AB: What is your philosophy on wine and food?
RC: For me, food is the best to taste with is water. It is natural. Wine changes the taste of food – but it can change it in a better way. That is where I come in. My job is to teach the customer how to drink and enjoy wine in a better way. I want to give the customer something they will remember.

AB: What is your favorite wine?
RC: Barolo - I grew up in Piedmont. I also love Nebbiolo. It's robust and with character.

AB: What is your favorite wine resource book and author?
RC: I prefer a wine atlas - it teaches me not only about the wine, but the terroir and the type of soil. It gives more of an idea of what the wine can be.

AB: Tell me about a perfect wine and food match that you discovered.
RC: Scallops and Chardonnay. The scallop is a delicate kind of fish, with lots of character. Chardonnay has a creamy and buttery taste.

AB: What wines do you favor for your cellar at home?
RC: Bordeaux - old vintages. I have a lot of respect for French wines. In 1855 they started in Bordeaux with classifications.

AB: Is there someone you’d consider a mentor?
RC: Gualtiero Marchesi. I learned everything from him – about life and how to work in a proper way.

AB: What languages do you speak?
RC: Italian, English and French

AB: What are your ultimate career goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
RC: Hopefully in a winery making wine!

AB: To what extent do you control the wine list? How much existed before you arrived?
RC: I control 99%. It was a new restaurant when I came, so I built it all. I do all the wine buying as well.

AB: How do you compile the wine list?
RC: We are an Italian restaurant, so mainly Italian, but we also have other European and new world wines.

AB: What regions are you interested in at the moment?
RC: Wines from the United States, because I am new here and want to learn about American wines.

AB: How does Miami compare to London?
RC: The difference between London and here is that in London they drink a lot more.

AB: Which person in history would you most like to share a bottle of wine?
RC: My father.

AB: If you weren’t a sommelier, what would you be doing?
RC: I would be a farmer.