Meet the Sommelier: TARA MARLI of Bar Louis at Hotel Fauchere in Milford, Pennsylvania

Tara Marli is originally from Staten Island, NY. After graduating from New York University with a degree in English, she became bored with her career options. Office life was not for her, and the student debt she incurred while at NYU made graduate school seem impossible. After a series of unrewarding office jobs, Marli asked a friend who managed a restaurant in Brooklyn if he could teach her to tend bar. She thought working in a restaurant would afford the opportunity to earn a living while taking the next step. Even though Marli considered working in a restaurant as temporary, she quickly discovered that she loved working in the industry. Marli stayed at Two Boots Brooklyn for ten years, working up the ranks from cashier, to server, bartender and manager. Since then, she has worked in a variety of restaurants, from small wine bars, to upscale banquet halls. In 2012, she moved to Milford, Pennsylvania to be closer to her mother. Soon after she arrived, she was hired as a server in The Delmonico Room at the Hotel Fauchere and about a year later was promoted to Bar Supervisor for Bar Louis to oversee their beverage program.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Tara Marli about her experience as a sommelier at and her interest in fine wines.

What special personal qualities or talents have enhanced your career?

I am very good at making people feel welcome and I'm extremely observant. I can talk to anyone and make them feel at ease when it comes to ordering wine, which can be very daunting for people. I also care a lot about what I do. A big part of working in the food service industry is listening to the guest, reading them and anticipating their needs. My eyes are always scanning the floor, looking for that empty wine glass, and paying attention to the guests' reactions to their meals and drinks. People want to feel like they are being taken care of when they go out to eat. It's my job to make sure they leave the restaurant feeling that their experience was worth their time and money, and that they would happily return.

Who have been some of your professional mentors or individuals that have inspired your work?

My good friend and former boss Brian Mitchell was the key that opened the world of wine to me. He owns a small wine bar in Brooklyn called brook-vin and I worked there as a server for a little over a year. Before working there, I knew I liked wine, but I didn't know a lot about it. The wine list there was pretty extensive and my knowledge was limited. Brian really focused on educating the staff so we could feel confident guiding our guests through the list. It was an excellent learning environment. At least once a week, we participated in blind tastings and learned deductive tasting. It became apparent to me that I really had a knack for it and it was something I really enjoyed. At my current job, our Chef du Cuisine David Pirozzi is a huge inspiration. Dave is also someone who cares very much about the guest's experience and that translates through the food he makes. His dedication makes me strive to make sure the guest is happy with everything they experience at the Bar Louis and that does not end once they receive their food. It's great if they enjoy their meal, but it's so important to me that they enjoy their entire experience.

Tell us a little about your travel experiences as a sommelier.

Most of my wine travels occurred before I became a sommelier. I visited the Napa Valley a few years ago and visited a lot of very small vineyards out there. That experience definitely inspired me to learn more about wine past just the name of the grape. I had also visited Italy and found myself taking notes about the meals I ate, including detailed notes about the accompanying wines. Since becoming certified, I've traveled a lot in Pennsylvania to search out good local vineyards. Most people don't realize that there are actually some great wines coming out of this region, particularly the Lehigh Valley. Pinnacle Ridge and Galen Glen are two wineries that we highlight at the Bar Louis. I definitely plan to travel more, exploring the different wine regions of the world, starting with the West Coast and moving on from there.

Why do you find your career as a sommelier so rewarding?

A few years ago, before I began my wine studies, I had dinner at a very high end restaurant in New York. My dining companion and I knew a little bit about wine, but the list at this restaurant was immense! We were both at a loss as to what to order and it was clear to our server that we were overwhelmed. He offered to have the sommelier come over to guide us through the list. This made me very nervous. I had this idea in my mind that the somm was going to look down on us because we couldn't afford an expensive bottle and maybe she would think we didn't belong at that restaurant in the first place. I was, of course, completely wrong. The sommelier was kind, gracious, listened to our preferences and price point, and didn't try to push us into buying a wine we couldn't afford. That experience left a big impression on me. The most rewarding thing to me is when I have a guest who is nervous about wine and feels intimidated and I successfully take away that feeling of intimidation and sell them something they love and enjoy. And if our interaction leads the guest to want to learn more about wine or try something they never would have before, all the better.

What is one of your favorite meals and what wine would you select for it?

It's so hard to name just one favorite meal! I've been very lucky to have worked with great chefs and I've experienced a lot of different styles of cuisine. But if I had to choose one meal, it would be my mother's tomato sauce over any kind of pasta. She makes it with spicy sausage and meatballs. I've been to Italy several times and it really does taste like something you would find at a restaurant in Italy. Super rustic and simple, but delicious. This is a dish I've grown up eating and when I first got into wine, it was a lot of fun to see what wine pairs best with it. My favorite pairing was a bottle of 1990 Marchesi di Barolo Millennium. Nebbiolo is one of my favorite grapes. It's super tannic, but also earthy with notes of tobacco and black tea. The Marchesi di Barolo Millenium aged beautifully and it was absolutely perfect with my mother's sauce.

Tell us a little about the restaurant or organization that you currently work with.

I currently work at the Bar Louis at the Hotel Fauchere in the historic town of Milford, PA. It's a small restaurant located on the bottom floor of the Hotel. The restaurant focuses mainly on seasonal, local cuisine.

Hotel Fauchere and Bar Louis are located at 401 Broad Street in Milford, Pennsylvania, 18337. Milford is in the heart of Northeastern Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains and is considered an ideal destination for day trips, weekend getaways and leisurely vacations. For more information about Hotel Fauchere and to view the menus for their restaurants, visit www.hotelfauchere.com or you can call them at (570) 409-1212.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tara Marli

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