McGovern started it all- Bye old friend RIP

One cold snowy day I decided to drive up to VT in search of a job for the
winter to be a ski bum. I was running away from a bad relationship, bad job,
and overall I was pretty lost just being a waiter at a drug infested
restaurant. Nights and tips were spent as faster then they came in and I
needed to get away, where I didn't know anyone and try to get a fresh start.
I picked up a hitchhiker in Mt Snow which was the closest ski resort that I
could find within a 3 hr drive. At the time I was working at a
wine shop by day and restaurant by night.
I asked the hitcher, where is one of the best restaurants in the area where wine is a
focus? He said there are two that have great wine lists. The Inn at Saw Mill
and The Hermitage. I dropped him off and we both thanked each other, him for
the ride, me for what later would give me more direction in life then I
could have ever imagined.

I wandered up to the Hermitage Inn first and I was getting hungry. I drove
up the snow filled circular drive and parked the car at the Inn. As I walked
in the storm door slammed behind me and later I would always recognize that
sound of someone or an English setter coming in from the cold in search of
wine, food, bed, etc. I headed up to the bar and met a character named
Murphy who was a local ski legend and had a few teeth missing. I asked if I
could have brunch and take a look at the wine list. He said "sure!" Brought
me to a table and gave me the largest wine list that I had ever seen. It was
over 150 pages thick and had over 1500 selections.

Until this point, I really liked and was familiar with Italian wines and
this list was mostly French. There were 6 Italians out of 1500+ the list and
I was in over my head. While I had brunch I could see a few tables having a
great time and enjoying the food, wine and snow on a Sunday afternoon.
Looked like a nice place.

I finished brunch and went back to the bar and asked for an application.
Then a woman came over and introduced herself as Lois. She ran the dining
room and was a impressed that a 22yo kid would have have brunch first then ask for an
application (truth be told I was just hungry) and was very very interested in
wine. I asked her if there were any positions available and she said that
they were all filled at the moment, but she would keep my resume on file.
(Lois later became like a second mom and friend).

I headed back to the bar to see Murphy, he was still there having a good old
time with the customers and occasionally making sexual passes at the guests.
He and I started talking and I told him I really liked wine and he took me
for a tour of the wine cellar. We made our way thru the kitchen where the
staff didn't seem to notice me and the dogs were licking there chops hoping
for a hand out or three.

I had to duck as we headed to the cellar. It was the most wine I've ever
seen, like a football field underground organized by white and red in two
different rooms. Impressive!

I returned to home that night thinking of the day and was hoping that I
would get a call. Honestly I wasn't real optimistic and figured that I'd be
doing the same old wine gigs for a long time.

Then Lois called me a few days later and asked me when I could start..I
said ASAP. I moved, packed all my stuff in the Jetta and headed to the
Hermitage Inn. I was so excited and a little nervous too.

That job pretty much changed my life. I met Jim McGovern's daughter Shelia a
couple of weeks later. She was the NE Manager for Vineyard Brands which was
the leading French Wine Importer in the US. She helped me learn about wine
along with her father. They would always have me taste the wines in a blind
format which would challenge the senses. I remember McGovern asking me one
time about a wine he was tasting.

It went like this

McGovern-Hutch taste this and tell me what it is...

I said-hmmm I think its Rhone (trying to be vague)

McGovern- Asshole! are you asking me or telling me. Now what is it?

I said- Rhone for sure, Chateaunuf du Pape, Beaucastel..thinking that would
be enough.

McGovern-Ok, good, now what vintage? And why?

I also remember some other funny quotes that I'll never forget.

McGovern's quotes:

"Nothing you say after 10pm is important" usually due being over served.

"Screw the no shows" for restaurant guests that were late for wine dinners.

"If you don't figure out what you are going to do by the time your 30, your
screwed." This one totally stuck.

"If you ever get pulled over by the cops for drinking, lie and say you've
never had a drink. They will get you one way or the other"

"She wasn't very durable" one of my girlfriend's that came to McGovern's
60th birth week celebration in St Barts. She hyper extended her leg while
running to the beach when we were over served on Veuve Clicquot

Two of my favorite stories, both happened in the dining room.

1) I had a gift for breaking glasses and they never made me pay for a single
one. It was a Sunday brunch and McGovern was in the kitchen bringing out a
full tray of glasses to the dining room. All of a sudden there is a huge
crash that seemed like it went on for a minute. When Lois heard the crash,
she immediately looked at me. I was standing in the middle of the dinning
room, nowhere near the crash. I looked at Lois and said "It wasn't me" thank
god.
The dining room was silent..finally McGovern swings the kitchen door open
with the tray that had the glasses. There was only one glass on the tray..
"I saved the wiggly one" he says." We all laugh.

2) It was a very busy New Years Eve around 1992 at the Hermitage and the
people that came to dinner on NYE were always grumpy. Typically they were
from NY and traveled in large groups. This night was no exception.
The kitchen staff was slammed and for the life of me, I can't remember why
this next recipe was created. There was an item on the menu called
Wienerschnitzle which was thinly pounded veal, that was breaded and fried.
It was pretty tasty, but this was not the night to order Wienerschnitzle.

It was about 9:pm and we were heavily into the second seating. The kitchen
staff was on their second case of beer and looking for a laugh. Some woman
who was being a bit grouchy ordered..guess what?..yup the
wienrschnitzle..well the kitchen decided to get a cloth napkin, soak it in
egg batter, breadcrumbs and fry it up, just like the real thing..

All the staff except McGovern and Lois knew that the unsuspecting bitch was
going to get a napkin..not the wienerschnitzle to chomp on for here NYE
dinner..when we served it...we were doing everything we could not to bust a
gut laughing. Then she asks the busboy for a knife because it was a little
tough...holy crap..this was so funny...she was all dressed up, diamonds,
make-up, treating the staff bad...

Then the waiter comes by and says , here let me just change this for you.
She notices that its a napkin and he started laughing...she is not amused.
Says she won't pay for her dinner and wants to speak to the owner. McGovern
is bartending that night, mostly because he wants to Avg 2.2 cocktails per
person on NYE.

She goes to the bar and tells him the story in front of all the guests at
the bar. She was expecting an apology or something, McGovern says" Well
obviously the guys in the kitchen thought you had a sense of humor. Looks
like they were wrong, have a good night" We laughed for hours and this story
still makes me smile.

McGovern was a friend and like a father that gave me shit & who's advice I
always listened too. He told me how the real world was, gave me a kick in
the ass when I needed it, and words of encouragement to get my shit
together.
I'll remember fondly driving up to the Hermitage and couldn't wait to see
McGovern and Lois. I'll remember bird hunting with him which was one of my
favorite things to do, I'll remember so many things and Jim you taught me so
much I hope your proud of me you had a lot to do with it.

Blessings,

Hutch