Meet the Sommelier: Luke Boland of B&L Diner in Midtown
Luke Boland is the Beverage Director for Hospitality Department that operates B&L Diner and other top restaurants in NYC.
Luke Boland is the Corporate Beverage Director for Hospitality Department, which operates the likes of B&L Diner and The Bronze Owl at the Martinique Hotel, and also Point Seven and Coral Omakase at 200 Park Ave, right at Grand Central. We recently had the pleasure of visiting B&L Diner and were very impressed by their wine and beverage program.
We interviewed Luke about his background and career for our "Meet the Sommelier" feature and gained valuable insights for our readers.
What inspired you to become interested in the world of wine?
At first it was just due to necessity. I used to cook and when I decided I couldn't hack it in the professional kitchen, I had to figure out a way to survive. At culinary school I took a couple wine courses, so it was the only thing I knew other than the kitchen. I started working in retail and figured if I was going to do it, I would commit myself 100% to it, so I studied relentlessly every day. Over time, it grew into a passion based off of all the cool things I learned and different wines I got to taste from purchasing for the store.
What special personal qualities or talents have enhanced your career?
2 things: 1 - I think I have a very unwavering palate and opinion on what I think is good or bad. I think it's important in the wine world to have decisive opinions that can't be swayed by other people's opinions. When you're building a wine list you have to have a vision that is driven by your internal quality scale.
That being said, the second thing would be my ability to think outside myself and purchase/build lists with guests in mind. I think buying exclusively for one's personal taste preferences is short-sighted, and I always try to make sure that there is something on my wine lists for everyone. Even if it's not my personal favorite, I want everyone to feel welcome and excited to drink something off my list.
Who have been some of your professional mentors or individuals that have inspired your work?
Jeff Porter, John Slover, Eric Hastings, and Pascaline Lepeltier. Jeff Porter was always a big, gregarious, friendly, passionate force that taught me the value of hospitality over just textbook everything. John Slover was an encyclopedia of Burgundy amongst other regions, but insanely savvy in that region, and Eric Hastings was a walking rolodex of information. Those 2 taught me the terrifying depth of wine knowledge but inspired me to try and aspire to be like them. Pascaline, while I never worked with her, always exemplified to me the perfect balance of insane knowledge and intimacy of the wine world, along with savvy, charming, witty service. When I see her work, she always embodies the complete package of the ultimate service professional, so she sticks in the back of my mind as an inspirational source. Also, she is literally one of the best sommeliers in the world... so... come on.
Do you have a piece of advice for those aspiring to work in the profession?
No one is going to do the work for you. If you want to learn, hit the books. Look at maps. Get a GuildSomm subscription and read everything. Make flashcards. Put in some work to learn something every day, even if it's just for 30 minutes. Do something to learn more daily. Don't rely on your bosses or colleagues to feed you information. You will never retain things that way. Instead, get hungry, get curious, research your own information, and then ask questions and have conversations to confirm and enforce what you've learned. And remember, you don't work in wine. You work in service and hospitality.
Tell us a little about your travel experiences as a sommelier. This can be local, regional or international.
I've been to a couple places. Minho in Portugal, Piedmont in Italy, Vaud and Valais in Switzerland, Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, and Normandy in France. I’ve got to get over to Spain and the southern hemisphere... Seeing everything you read about in person and meeting the icons your revere is really a game changer. There's not much of a substitute for going places and seeing things.
Why do you find your career as a sommelier so rewarding?
I get to create memorable experiences for our guests through the lense of sensory experience. Being kind and warm in the dining room goes a long way. But being able to amplify a dining experience with a pairing or a glass or a bottle that shatters someone's expectations is when you really feel like you created a lasting memory in someone's life. That means a lot to me.
What is one of your favorite dishes and what wine would you select for it?
Vitello Tonnato. Piedmontese braised veal tenderloin, chilled then served sliced thin, dressed in a tuna belly emulsion, and oftentimes capers/caper berries (and I like to garnish with crunchy breadcrumbs and celery leaves.) When done correctly, it's tender, luscious, creamy, tangy, briny, citrusy, and all things good. Might as well stay local with the pairing and drink some Roero Arneis. Light, bright, lightly floral, but punchy citrus from the Arneis grape is a perfect foil for the dish. A personal favorite is Giovanni Almondo's Bricco delle Cilliegie.
Tell us a little about the restaurant or organization that you currently work with.
I work as the Corporate Beverage Director for Hospitality Department. So, I run the programs at 4 locations: B&L Diner and Bronze Owl at the Martinique Hotel -- a market driven comfort food spot serving up classics and a moody, elegant, sultry cocktail bar with Italian small bites -- along with Point Seven and Coral Omakase at 200 Park Ave right at Grand Central -- a global seafood restaurant, and a 10 seat Omakase helmed by Robby Cook (Morimoto's right hand man for about 15 years) which is tucked away behind a secret mirrored wall within Point Seven. All of the concepts are quite new within the city, really all within the last 2 years, and our Grand Central project only within the last year. Each location has their own little nuance within the beverage program, but my ethos remains consistent across all concepts: build great, value-driven lists where everyone can be excited to drink something delicious.
B&L Diner is located at 1262 Broadway, New York, NY 10001. To learn more about the restaurant, hours, and menus, please visit https://www.bldiner.com/ and follow them on Instagram @bnldiner (https://www.instagram.com/bnldiner/).
Photo Credit: Courtesy of B&L Diner
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