Daniele Arcangeli was born in Versilia and during his studies he started working in restaurants in the area for the summer season. After completing his studies, he undertook several experiences in Italy and abroad, in prestigious facilities such as The Langham Hotel ***** Hilton Hotels & Resort in London, Hotel Pitrizza ***** L Starwood Luxury Collection in Porto Cervo, Hotel Principe Forte dei Marmi ***** L Member of Leading Hotel of the World, Badrutt’s Palace ***** L Member of Leading Hotel of the World in St. Moritz. He currently works as a consultant in several restaurants in Tuscany.
During the last edition of the Competition for the Best Italian Sommelier ASPI 2014, Daniele Arcangeli was awarded the Birra Moretti Award for the creative combination with beer. To win this prize, the candidates in the competition had to face different tests both in the semifinal and in the final. In the semifinal, all the competitors were subjected to a beer test, with subsequent tasting of two beers references from the Birra Moretti range, for each of which the Sommeliers were asked to suggest the best combinations. In the final phase, however, the candidates found themselves having to face a surprise test, the service of a Moretti Grand Cru Beer, simulating the situation at the restaurant, with the diners at the table.
This Award is the demonstration of how the figure of the Sommelier is evolving, therefore no longer just a figure assigned to wines but a well-rounded professional, able to navigate range in the vast world of drinks.
Arcangeli was then ranked second in the Competition for the Best Sommelier in Italy. Together with him on the podium, Salvatore Salerno, first classified and Marco Grassi, third.
Daniele, you have won an important award and for some time now you have been demonstrating your professionalism in the world of sommellerie; how is this world changing?
DANIELE: The world of catering increasingly requires professional figures, with 360 ° training and knowledge of the beverage; the world of wine in the first place, both because we are one of the largest producing countries in the world in terms of quality and quantity, and for consumption, which places wine as the protagonist of our culture. In addition to this, in a context of haute cuisine and not only, there was the need to know other drinks that accompany the meal to satisfy an increasingly demanding clientele, prepared and attentive to details, starting from the waters, passing through the beers , coffees, spirits and other drinks in general. It is very important to know how to taste and know the main drinks in the world, in order to be able to recommend and serve them, best based on their organoleptic characteristics to combine them with the dishes; all this is called harmonization. We seek harmony between food and wine, but we can seek between water and wine, between water and food, between beer and food, between coffee and distilled spirit. All this is not enough. You need to have communication skills, management, sales techniques, purchase management and then know how the room service works, know all the dishes on the menu (especially taste them), know the main foreign languages. As if this were not enough, everything must be seasoned with the desire to learn, humility and good education. All this requires study, time, sacrifices, dedication and love for one’s work: in short, the figure of the modern sommelier. I send a message; since we are also a country with a high tourist vocation, these figures should be valued more, posing as a sort of ambassadors of food and wine and communicators of quality. Important, in this area, is the work that ASPI does which has been committed for a long time