William Nassikas has decades of experience working in the hospitality industry. He has managed fine restaurant menus, managed hotel operations and guest services, and many other important duties for several companies, some of them his own, across his long career in the hospitality industry. Nassikas spent three years studying the industry and how to run hotels at the Swiss Hotel School, where he also got a chance to work at the finest restaurant in the world at the time, the GIRARDET. Nassikas has learned many things about food and fine wine and spirits for his guests, including these three basic ways to pair food and wine or spirits:
If it grows together, it goes together. Traditional wines from Europe were always made to go with the local cuisine there. William Nassikas uses this principle as a rule of thumb when he doesn’t know where to turn. He pairs wines or spirits from certain regions to food from those regions when in doubt.
Something of contrast. Sometimes the flavors of the wine or spirit go well with a dish if the flavors are more contrasting, playing off of each other rather than helping one another strike the same flavor note.
Like with like. Other times, it’s best to stick with similar tastes and flavors. The tang of tomatoes goes well with a similar taste of acidity in a good red wine, for example. It all depends on the dish and how it was prepared.
William Nassikas loves to help his guests at his resort properties with food pairings.
William Nassikas 