Meet the Team: An Interview with our Cellar Manager, Tim Maggs

Tim currently works as the Cellar Manager for The Inner Temple and is a French wine scholar, with a WSET Level 3. In this conversation, Tim shares his insights into his journey—from the early days in the Jura region of France to managing wine bars in London, and ultimately to his current role.

How long have you worked at The Inner Temple, and what experience did you have prior to joining the venue?

I started in January 2023 and the time has flown by, I can certainly see why staff end up working here for a long time, it is a great place to be.

Culturally my experience with fine wine and food started when I decided to move to France at the age of twenty-three. After spending 4 years living in the Jura region, the friends I met and experiences I had were all immersed in food and wine, with many of my friends either working on vineyards or in fine dining restaurants. From here I knew I wanted to work in the industry and when I decided I was not yet old enough to retire to the French countryside, I moved to London. I started working as Assistant Manager of a specialist cheese shop in Borough Market, which is where I had a chance meeting with my new future boss after serving him some Comté cheese. After Borough Market I went on to managing wine bars where I was responsible for numerous activities from scheduling events, curating the wine list, running supper clubs and of course being the face of the business. All the while I was also starting my official wine training with WSET. All this experience both culturally and professionally has set me up well to do what I hope is a good job at The Inner Temple!

What attracted you to a career as a Cellar Manager?

There are two main reasons that I was excited to join on here as Cellar Manager. Firstly, I love hospitality and being involved in enjoyable experiences for other people. The day came where I wanted to search for a new a position and that is when I saw roles such as Cellar Manager. In this role I saw that it had everything that I liked in my previous roles, just amplified in scale and grandeur. My favourite part of my previous roles was always the more operational side, so I knew upon seeing this position that it was very much for me.

Secondly, I was looking for a different direction in my career as my previous roles were working for smaller independent businesses, which although is a great experience, comes with its own challenges. I started to be enticed by 5-star establishments as I wanted to be part of a bigger operation that provides a top-quality service. Cellar Manager roles are not as common as other roles in hospitality, but I think it offers a lot since you have the opportunity to liaise with a wide range of people within the organisation. So far, I am really enjoying being part of the operation here, so it looks like my decision paid off.

Where do you start with pairing wines to a dining menu?

First of all you need to understand the intensity of the dish and what the most dominant flavours are within it, whether it be sweet, spicy or umami, there will be a wine that works best. Once you have established the intensity and from where it comes, you can then start to ask yourself what wine can match the character of the dish.

Sometimes you want the wine to be just a bit more rich than the dish, for example when pairing wine with red meats, you want the wine to have enough richness and texture to stand up to the meat. For example, the Hermitage 2007 that was served for a recent event was a great pairing with Peppercorn Fillet Steak. It was rich yet not too heavy and it had a savoury edge that paired really well with the dish. The best pairings are when the flavours of the dish continue through the aromas of the wine and here everything seemed to fall into place.

Sometimes however you also want the wine to be more of a pallet cleanser and to sit alongside the dish instead of pair with it, for example, Muscadet and Oysters, a perfect refreshing match. Lastly, a contrast of high acid wines and salty, fatty foods is always amazing. People always laugh, but a classic pairing (for a wine aficionado) is Champagne with Fish & Chips.

What is the best part of your job?

It may not come as a surprise, but I enjoy the elements involving wine the most. Whether it be sourcing new wines, preparing the fine wine for special dinners, or putting together tastings, it is always an enjoyable experience.

What has been your career highlight?

The recognition I gained for the success of the two wine bars I used to manage is definitely my highlight so far. Both businesses were start-up independent businesses that I was a part of from the beginning and had a big part in shaping. They are both still going strong now, one being in it’s 8th year and the other it’s 4th, which isn’t always easy to do in London without investment! By the time I left both they were being included in various magazines and newspapers lists of top 10 wine bars in London, something that I am very proud of. Having said that, if I end up passing my wine Diploma whilst working here at The Inner Temple, I am sure that will be my highlight.

Can you describe a typical day when you’re preparing for a major event at The Inner Temple?

A successful event requires effective execution on the day, but the pre-planning is also just as important. For our major events we always aim to have all the drinks and bar equipment on standby the day before so that when the day comes, we are ready to go. The morning of the event we collect the drinks and get them to where they need to be, the priority being making sure all the chilled drinks are getting chilled, nobody wants warm Champagne.

Effective communication is also key, I will always speak with the Event Managers and Floor Managers to ensure the drinks are prepared in the most efficient way. When it comes to the larger dinners, I lay out all of the wine and systematically cap, open and (the worst part) taste the wine. This can be quite time consuming but also a fun part of the job! Any major event is always a team effort and luckily here we all look out for each other.

Have you had any unusual beverage requests, and how do you accommodate them?

Thankfully overall our guests have good taste and more on the classic side of drinks, so I cannot say I have had any crazy requests. I get asked about Blue Wine from time to time which is a bit unsettling. What is wrong with the all the normal colours? I thankfully have not had to serve it yet but of course we would accommodate it if someone really wanted it!

From the cultural immersion in France to the operational challenges of managing wine bars in London, every step has shaped Tim’s skills and deepened his passion for hospitality, curating exceptional wine experiences and being part of a team that delivers top-tier service.

To find out more about venue hire at The Inner Temple, and to experience our wonderful drinks selection, enquire here.