One or twice a week Scout poses 60 questions to a local who has made life in BC that much more interesting. They pick and choose which ones they’d prefer to answer, with a minimum response rate of 20. A Rorschach test, for sure…

A highly decorated veteran of Vancouver’s restaurant scene, Sebastien Le Goff toiled and poured as GM at Cin Cin and Lumiere before becoming the front and back polymath and sommelier at the Moda Hotel’s two resident hot properties, Cibo Trattoria and Uva Wine Bar.

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Scout Q&A

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there: Yaletown – Nuba, Pacific Dry Cleaners, and Agro Café.

The thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating: Dark, bitter chocolate.

Default drink of choice: Negroni.

The one place you’d move to: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Favourite wine varietal: Pinot Noir.

The person you can imitate: My former boss in Hong Kong.

One thing you’d like to change about Vancouver: More restaurants open late at night once you have finished work. eg. Blue Ribbon in NYC.

Bartender who could sell you anything: Audrey Saunders at the Pegu Club in New York City.

Cheap place for dinner: Gyoza King.

Book you’re reading: “je l’aimais” by Anna Gavalda, a contemporary female French writer.

Last place traveled: El Salvador.

Biggest fear: Losing my sense of smell and taste.

Cliché that you use too often: French people drink more than others.

Dead film actor you wish was still making pictures: Jean Gabin, famous French actor from the 60’s.

Best sneaker in the world: Puma.

Place in BC that you love escaping to: Qualicum Bay.

Under what circumstances would you join the army: If they needed a sommelier (ED. NOTE: this is by far the best answer we’ve yet had to this question)

Your paternal grandfather’s personal story: He drove a train in France.

Best bar stool in the city: Boneta.

Dumbest purchase ever: A pottery mask from El Salvador that I knew would likely be broken on the plane on the way back – and it did!

What are you proud of: What I will achieve tomorrow.

The thing that makes you the angriest: Drivers changing lanes without signaling (I drive a scooter and have been hit twice).

Saddest thing about Vancouver: The downtown eastside.

Most challenging part of owning a business: Working with the right people.

Best fine dining restaurant in the city: Jean-Georges at Market.

Your nickname growing up: “Seb”.

Talent you wish you possessed: Painting.

Musical instrument you long to play: Saxophone.

Sport you gave up: Football (soccer on this side of the world).

The game you’re best at: Table Tennis

Best gallery in the city: VAG

Somewhere within an hour of Vancouver that is worth checking out: Bowen Island.

The number of fist fights you’ve been in: 2.

The scariest situation you’ve ever been in: Being stuck in Burma (at the border with Thailand).

Three things of no value that you will keep until you die: A picture of my grandfather driving a train on the day he retired; a shark tooth (fish caught by my uncle); and a traveling journal (through Central America).

Best concert experience ever: The Cure (in the late 80’s) and Sigur Rós at the Chan Centre in 2008.

Aspect of your personality you wish you could change: Be more patient.

How you waste time at work: Reading wine magazines.

The thing you wished people cared more about: Having polished shoes.

The thing that makes you the most nervous: pouring red wine to someone wearing white clothing.

Town you were born in: Nantes, France.

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: Seinfield.

First memory: My grandfather cooking me French pancakes (crepes).

Quality you admire most in yourself: Perseverance.

Album that first made you love music: Indochine (French band from the 80’s)

Default junk food of choice: Instant noodle bowl.

The career path you considered but never followed: History teacher.

The one country that you have no interest in ever visiting: None. I would go at least once anywhere.

Your top 3 films of all time: Pulp Fiction, Les Nuits Fauves, Casablanca

The first three things you do every morning: Turn the music on. Look out the window. Prepare a French press.

The thing you’re addicted to: Wasabi peas.

Luckiest moment of your life: Finding a job in Singapore after running out of money.

Favourite book as a child: Gaston la Gaffe – French comic book.

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