Michael Wyant

Lower East Side, Manhattan

Sake has been having a moment, and while most people consider learning about it a pastime, for Michael Wyant, that obsession became a career. Born in Bandung, Indonesia and raised everywhere from Ankara to Melbourne, Florida, Michael has spent the last nine years making his way through NYC’s hospitality scene. Now a Sake Sommelier at Sake no Hana, he shares how a pandemic-era job at EN Japanese Brasserie turned an interest in sake into a passion—and why he thinks the category is having its moment in New York.

Full Name, Age, and Where are you from?

Michael Wyant, 31, born in Bandung, Indonesia and grew up all over the place from Ankara, Turkey to Melbourne, Florida and several places in between. I've now been in NYC for 9 years.

What is your title and how are you involved with Sake No Hana?

I am a Food & Beverage Manager and Sake Sommelier. I handle the day-to-day operations that the restaurant requires while also working with my beverage directors on curating the sake list.

What inspired you to get into this industry?

I first fell in love with hospitality while working at Blue Smoke/Jazz Standard within the USHG family. My mentors there really instilled the ideas of elevated hospitality within me, including all of the Danny Meyer-isms that went with working for USHG. My interest in sake came along during the pandemic as Blue Smoke/Jazz Standard, like most restaurants, closed and never came back. As a result, I found a job at EN Japanese Brasserie, learned from my colleague Yoshi Sakimoto and really found a passion in sake. 

Sake is often misunderstood outside of Japan. What's the biggest misconception you find yourself correcting at the table?

This is my favorite part of the job here - educating guests who want to explore sake. Guests often deal in absolutes when it comes to sake, like "oh I only drink cloudy/hot/daiginjo/etc" where in reality sake spans a wide range of expressions even within those categories. 

Wine has long dominated fine dining in New York, but sake feels like it's entering a new chapter. What has changed over the last few years?

My belief is that it comes down to the non-Japanese restaurants that have leaned into sake. I look at Le Bernandin and KRU in Brooklyn. Chefs in NYC often have some koji-marinated dishes or are putting uni or sakekasu into dishes; that doesn't happen without knowing some basics of sake and brewing in general. The pairing opportunities with sake are as endless, or controversially more diverse than wine can offer. You also have big names in wine like Richard Geoffrey, formerly of Dom Perignon, stepping into the sake brewing scene with IWA 5. More boutique sake bars that feature hyper-exclusive bottles, like our neighbors Steight or Sake Bar Asoko, are popping up and showcasing that sake can be chic. 

Sake is deeply tied to craftsmanship and seasonality. Are there breweries or producers whose stories you find yourself returning to over and over?

Yes. So many, actually. I particularly look at Heiwa Shuzou who produce the KID label of sake. They're based in Wakayama, Japan and will release seasonal bottles every season along with their core lineup. The brewers all live together, so they literally cannot get away from each other and are always thinking about sake. Their water source comes from the sacred, and UNESCO protected, Mt. Koya as well; which water source cannot be understated when you talk about sake. 

It's my first time at Sake no Hana. What are the must order dishes and what would be your sake pairing recommendations?

First and foremost, if there is a special on - get it. Our culinary team is incredibly talented and often find inspiration at the Union Square Green Market for daily specials. We also will always have an off-menu Toyosu Market special in which we source a different fish from Tokyo's famous market. Speaking of Toyosu, I would not miss out on the Tuna flight. Our tuna is Pacific Bluefin sourced from the market in Tokyo so the quality is ultra high. I would pair the tuna with something bright and on the dry side; a go-to by-the-glass option would be Kokuryu's "Crystal Dragon".

Is there a particular moment when you realized sake was going to become your career rather than simply an interest?

There have been several "moments" for me, but, it really comes down to how incredibly nice and welcoming the sake professionals and brewmasters have been. Being greeted with a smile and hug by my colleagues at trade shows. Hanging out with brewmasters until 5am at Empanada Mama in Hell's Kitchen. Or sharing a Thanksgiving dinner table with a Michelin-Star omakase chef at an invite-only izakaya. Those moments of community is what drives me to love this industry.

When you're not working, what are you drinking at home? Is it still sake, or do you find yourself reaching for something completely different?

It's still mostly sake! Though I also love my whiskies. I tend to gravitate towards Weller bourbons or blended Japanese whiskies. There are some others that I lean towards - Chartreuse, Barrow's Intense ginger liqueur, and whatever the Bitter Monk folks are distilling.

What restaurant, cafe, or bar do you find yourself frequenting most after work?

I mentioned them previously, but our lovely sake neighbors Steight and Asoko. Steight is more of sneaky spot that I can escape to and chat with Zach or Nate about cool new happenings in the industry. The bar is located in the back of a hair salon and is usually unmarked. Asoko is the sake community watering hole, so I go there to have fun and hang out with other industry professionals.

How do you relax outside of work?

So many different ways. Football, soccer and F1 are my bread and butter. I'll listen to or play music - I originally moved to NYC to pursue a trumpet performance degree. I can still check out my jazz professor, 8-time Grammy winner Arturo O'Farrill, at The Pocket on Tuesdays. And lastly, I love my anime and video games - I cosplayed as Fern last year at AnimeNYC.