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GASTRONOMY & SOMMELLERIE

Roman Novotný
The head sommelier of the Bokovka (Sideways )wine bar,
a former sommelier at the Michelin starred La Degustation
Bohême Bourgeoise, where he had worked since its
opening in 2006. He holds the internationally recognized
Advanced Course certificate - Wines and Spirits International
Weinakademie Austria. He is a certified sommelier of the ASCR
and he regularly participates in juries during wine evaluations.

BOKOVKA the last few years; it is a long-term trend and
those who do not accept this will face great
We are all in a whole new age now and no problems. The more sales channels, the better.
one has prepared us for it. Everyone is trying A completely new discipline is online distan-
to survive. It is clear that when this martyrdom ce tasting. Personally, I am not one of the pro-
is over, everyone will be looking for a new moters of this direction but it is definitely one
way to succeed. It will be called the Pre-Covid of easy ways to keep an existing customer and
and Covid period. The question I would like to reach a new one.
know the answer to is when the Post-Covid And here comes perhaps my only specific
period comes. piece of advice: Don‘t do anything you ha-
Gastronomy, tourism, winemaking and cer- ven‘t tried several times in advance! Prepare
tainly many other fields have already undergo- the script, perform tests of both yourself and
ne many crises, prohibitions and restrictions in the technical equipment before starting the
the past and they have always managed to so- live broadcast. Consider whether live broad-
mehow overcome them and continued on, of casting is really the best way or whether it
course in an altered form. wouldn‘t be better to record your wine-show
I think it‘s important not to sit, not wait to and offer your guests to play it when they have
see how it turns out but actually start doing time and desire for wine. Otherwise, the result
something, change and think from a long- may be counterproductive or even shameful.
-term perspective. It is understandable that Such cases have already happened and some
everything has been moving to online sales in of them are still being talked about today.
Recently, we are also encountering a huge
number of discounts, clearance sales, advan-
tageous packages, etc. This is, I think, a vicious
circle. Unless these are actual clearance sales,
i.e. sales of the last pieces in stock, then some-
thing is wrong. Each product has its value and
if it is not sold at least for its production price,
it is unsustainable. We all understand the de-
mand for cheaper products but a quality pro-
duct has its price and should not decrease too
much. Otherwise, it degrades the long-esta-
blished brand.
If we have to get used to food to go, sold
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