James Hird.
LOS ANGELES, US
Los Angeles is a constant inspiration. Music, fashion, art, subculture and food buzz alongside each other unlike anywhere else. Restaurant-wise it's a city with an amazing service focus. On a recent business trip with Maurice Terzini (owner Icebergs etc) in the Polo Bar at the Beverly Hills Hotel we were looked after by Ronnie, a waiter who had worked there for more than 23 years. You know when Maurice comments on the quality of service, the place must have a phenomenal front-of-house team.
PHILADELPHIA, US
Controversial perhaps, but for me the best pizza, and also one of my favourite eateries of all time is in Philadelphia. A visit to Joe Beddia's Pizzeria Beddia in Fishtown is worth a trip to Philly alone. It's a city that makes you leave preconceptions behind and engage on a street level. The Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum, jogging up the "Rocky Steps" with Eye of the Tiger on the headphones – it is a place that has inspired me in many ways.
BHOPAL, INDIA
I spent my gap year travelling in India. It was a huge awakening at 17 years of age, travelling alone. I spent a brief time teaching English around Bhopal, an area affected by the Union Carbide environmental disaster in the '80s, and saw the horrific impact. It was unequivocally the most affecting thing I have experienced travelling. It was a big part of my drive for Rootstock Sydney and sustainability in general throughout my life.
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Driving around Piedmont early in my career really shaped my love for wine. There is a generosity and soul in Piedmontese cooking and its relationship to the region's wines is phenomenal. I have visited many times and each time I find another varietal of grape or dish that confirms my love of the region. One of the scents perfumers struggle to capture is the scent of the violet. On a trip a few years ago to a producer in Barolo (Canonica), I had the fortune to find a scented one in his garden and smell a violet for the first time. It's easily the most beautiful scent I have come across and added another layer to my love for Piedmont.
KYOTO, JAPAN
When you're walking Kyoto's back streets, heading to one of its many tiny great bars, it's hard to imagine there is a cooler place on the planet. Visiting sake producers around Kyoto with my dear friend Matt Young from Blackmarket Sake and visiting Ethelvine and other natural wine stores around the city has played a big part of my love for sake and natural wine. It's a city that's really changed what and how I drink. Visit Sake Bar Yoramu if you go, and thank me later.
Award-winning sommelier James Hird is wine director at several top Sydney restaurants including Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, and The Dolphin Hotel. He is co-founder of Rootstock Sydney, a sustainable food and wine festival, returning to Carriageworks November 25-26. See rootstocksydney.com
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