Advanced Sommelier Wesam Kawa to Open Du Coeur
Wesam Kawa
Two and a half years ago, I attended a pop-up dinner on the patio at House Brasserie hosted by Advanced Sommelier Wesam “Sam” Kawa. The exclusive “We-Somm” experience at The House Brasserie featured wonderful wines curated by Kawa paired with a fantastic six-course menu crafted by Kawa’s friend, Chef Abel Ley. “I imagined you being here long before this ever came to be,” Kawa shared that night with the sold-out crowd. “It’s my goal, my vision, my dream to bring together people who love good food, good wine and good hospitality.”
Sommelier Wesam Kawa and photographer Everardo Keeme at the We-Somm dinner
Fast forward, and now Kawa, formerly floor sommelier at Cafe Monarch and Reserve, is even closer to seeing his cherished dream come to fruition. Since that special dinner, he has released his own wine label and will soon be the first advanced sommelier in Arizona to open his own restaurant. Both are named Du Coeur, French for “of the heart,” signifying Kawa’s passion and core values.
Du Coeur, nestled in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, is slated to open in early 2023, offering guests a gourmet experience in an idyllic 1,200-square foot space set in a colorful garden, while Kawa’s Du Coeur label was released in April of this year. The latter was born out of a 2018 trip to Oregon Pinot Camp and features three elegant Pinot Noirs sourced from the Chehalem Mountains and Yamhill-Carlton AVAs of Willamette Valley (and were recently poured by Kawa at the inaugural Meet The Somm dinner at Christopher’s at The Wrigley - see my video recap here).
Join me as I sit down with Kawa to learn more about his exciting new ventures.
Du Coeur Pinot Noirs
How did you choose your first wine releases?
I met Laurent Montalieu of Northwest winery at Pinot Camp and that’s where the seed was planted. I thought that Oregon would be a great first place to set my foot down to let people know what I'm about. I asked him, “should you come in contact with additional sites and be interested in doing a collaborative project, it would be greatly appreciated,” and through that discussion, we designed the wine. They do custom crush projects with many people, such as a few master somms in New York, and Andre Mack of Maison Noir as well. Laurent, who is the winemaker, has over 30 years of experience in Willamette, and my influence is site selection, time in oak and type of oak. There were only two barrels of each wine, so roughly 50 cases of each. They're all really food-friendly.
Your labels are beautiful.
They each tell a story. The one with the heart is kind of the namesake. It’s from the winemaker's estate vineyard, so it’s an homage. Since you’ve been to Cafe Monarch, you’ve seen those beautiful gates at the entrance, so the second label is the gateway to my portfolio. The one with the angels was inspired by the decisions you make as an adult consuming alcohol. There’s the bad angel saying “screw it, let’s see what happens, and the good angel saying “behave.”
Where can we find them locally?
Restaurants like Café Monarch, Virtu, Christopher’s and Francine, and shops like Atlas Wines.
Atlas Wines
Any plans for future labels?
I might go to California next, or maybe Columbia Valley. Surrounding the pillars that shelter the patio at the restaurant are Italian Vietri tiles that are really unique. I'm thinking of making each one of those tiles a separate wine label.
What was the inspiration for the name Du Coeur?
I chose a French name because, as a French-trained culinary student, I have a strong belief that all great food stems from French food, and also Du Coeur means “from the heart.” We, as human beings, can decide how we're talked about and what we're known for. I want to be known as someone who's authentic, who's genuine and sincere. I always thought that that would be a great name for my restaurant because in its confines you’re receiving monetary exchange for goods and service, and when something comes from the heart, you're guaranteed to get more than you bargained for. I don't want to be known as the wine guy. I want to be known as the hospitality guy with wine as another tool in my arsenal, another fabric in my cloth. The wines are great, but wait until you see it all together.
Photo courtesy of Wesam Kawa
I can’t wait. Tell me more about your restaurant.
It's across the street from Arcadia Farms on 1st Avenue. The building itself was built in the ‘50s and before I occupied the space, it was a home. I did learn that it was once a restaurant of Carolyn’s, the owner of Arcadia Farms, who ran it for about five years. There’s a patio and beautiful garden with some of the oldest African sumac trees in the state of Arizona. The bar is going to be moved outside to keep the energy around that gorgeous patio, and inside will be a soft, warm Mediterranean vibe. It's really special; my words can’t do it justice.
What’s on the menu?
It’s European-inspired, stretches across the southern Mediterranean and is refined through French technique. The format of the menu will be hot and cold tapas or small bites, with the option of a tasting menu and a separate vegetarian menu.
Who will be on your team?
I can’t say yet, though what I can tell you is that I’m assembling “The Avengers.” It’s going to be incredible – my staff are rock stars. A saying that really resonates with me is how you can have beautiful fixtures, a beautiful building and a really great product, but it’s your people who connect it all and they are what make it all worthwhile. To paraphrase a quote – “train your people so well that they can work anywhere, but treat them so well that they don't want to leave.” That's what I hope to build.
Do you remember my opening statement during that wine dinner? It’s still so true. Once I left the military, my only goal was to have my own restaurant. That was 2005, so it took 17 years to get to where I am today. This is not my profession; this is my dream. I'm grateful for all the lessons I've learned along the way and I cannot wait to show the world what I have planned.
Photo courtesy of Wesam Kawa