10 Questions with Kevin Michael Doyle
Tea sommelier at The Arizona Biltmore
1. Tell us about your background.
I grew up in a home that was constantly hosting guests. My father arrived at Arizona State University in 1962 and subsequently spent 32 years mentoring students and even directed the first performance at the ASU Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium. I grew up with cast parties — lighting tiki torches and all that. From a young age, I learned how to entertain. All the gatherings of friends and theater people playing music and sharing stories. My dad is still entertaining at 88 and I’m hoping I’ll do the same.
2. How did you come to this role?
I was on the original crew at Frank and Albert’s when I was approached to take over the afternoon tea program because they liked my style. To give me an idea of what I would be doing in this new role they sent me out to afternoon tea, and I immediately recognized there were so many things I could do to make it better. So, I decided to take the job and show Phoenix how incredible an afternoon tea could be. It was the best decision I’ve made in 12 years. I had a passion and desire to learn what the comfort of tea brings.
3. What’s your favorite tea?
There’s a plant that grows in South Africa, called rooibos. It’s an herbal infusion that keeps your palate moist, and when you smell it you can sense that it’s going to be velvety and creamy. The kicker is that this plant lowers the body’s production of cortisol, the stress hormone. It’s also a very effective anti-inflammatory.
4. Is there an interesting point of etiquette to attending a tea that most people don’t know?
The most important thing is to remember it’s not about the food on your plate or the liquid in your cup, it’s about the conversation with the people sitting around the table.
5. Have you served tea to anyone famous?
I had the opportunity to serve French-American chef, television personality and author Jacques Pépin. I was absolutely starstruck. I later learned he was at The Arizona Biltmore celebrating his 80th birthday.
6. You’re such a warm and welcoming presence, what advice can you give people about hosting?
The most important thing about hosting is that this is a special time for guests to enjoy one another and, since we normally live such busy lives, to not take those occasions for granted. When I’m hosting, entertaining or serving, I treat everybody as if I’m the one sitting in that chair. I give them the benefit of my being in the service industry for 40 years.
7. What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened at a service?
I was holding about five plates and fell in front of the entire dining room. Luckily, I didn’t get hurt.
8. You work in such a beautiful place. What’s your favorite hidden secret at The Biltmore?
The staff that helps me do what I get to do. And I say “get,” not “want,” because I truly believe it to be a privilege. I don’t think the staff here gets the recognition they deserve; they’re incredibly mindful, dedicated and hardworking.
9. People come to you to treat themselves; how do you treat yourself?
I have a wonderful admiration for cooking. So to treat myself, I invite people over for dinner and joyfully spend three-quarters of the day preparing food for them. It’s a wonderful creative release for me. I don’t use recipes, I just put things together that pair well — like I do with tea and food.
10. Tips for brewing a perfect pot of tea?
My biggest tip would be if you taste your tea after following its steeping directions and find that you don’t like it, try changing the way that you steep it. In other words, don’t always follow the directions. Experiment to find out what you like by steeping the tea for shorter or longer periods of time or adjusting the water temperature.
