The staff turnover continues at Enotria Restaurant and Wine Bar, which re-opened in February following a $1.5 million remodel. Executive chef Anthony Brenes recently departed from Enotria, and sous chef John Komotos has been promoted to executive chef. This personnel change follows former wine director Chad Seaburg leaving for a gig in the medical industry, and being replaced by 26-year-old sommelier Jeremiah Morehouse. Komotos says Brenes left to help raise a new family and take work outside the restaurant industry.
Komotos, 30, is a native of St. Louis and moved to Sacramento in November. He was previously working at a raw foods restaurant in Los Angeles and playing music on the side. He's also had stints in Vail, Colo., and got his start at Cardwell's in Clayton in St. Louis.
As Enotria's executive chef, Komotos is collaborating more closely with Morehouse the sommelier for more thoughtful food and wine pairings. While Brenes created a flavorful menu with Latin American accents, many dishes were simply too busy and spiced up to work well with Enotria's wide-ranging wine program. (Here's a link to Blair Anthony Robertson's review of Enotria).
Komotos plans to take some dishes in a slightly simpler direction, while maintaining quality and freshness. Look for a greater emphasis on local ingredients, artisanal California cheeses, seafood and southeast Asian touches.
"Working with Jeremiah is really cool because we taste the wines and feed off each other," said Komotos. "This is my first experience working in a wine restaurant, and it's been really rewarding and working well. I am trying to simplify and cut back (on the number of ingredients). Nothing will be too out of control and there won't be any heavy sauces, so you can taste the wine just fine."
Enotria is located at 1431 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento. Information: (916) 922-6792; www.enotria.com
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