the not serious Dave Verheul
I had never met Dave but he was born in Dunedin, Otago — and so was I. We bonded quickly over Mosgiel’s Hollywood sign.
If you’re from Melbourne, Dave probably needs no introduction. He’s the chef and co-owner of Embla, a wine bar that’s not just popular but cult-following popular.
A lot of Not Serious chats seem to involve our guest being in the right place at the right time and Dave is no exception. After a couple of years of kicking off kitchen life in Wellington, Dave meet Chef Josh Emett, who was already ensconced in London but back in NZ to award a certain Chef scholarship. Dave — a carpe diem kind of guy - mentioned he was about to head to London and asked Josh if he might help him with a job. Less than 48 hours after deplaning at Heathrow, Dave was headed to work in his Chef’s White at none other than The Savoy with Josh and that familiar old sweary bastard, Gordon Ramsay.
Fast forward to 2025 and Dave has spent 25-odd years in kitchens, pushing plates across the pass. Like many Chef’s his curiosity over flavour has spilled over from food into booze.
Saison Aperitifs — Dave’s range of vermouths and amaros that aren’t just drinks, but layered, aromatic creations that walk the tightrope between food and wine are a testament to Dave’s detail-orientated Chef’s mind. If Embla is the mothership, Saison is the offshoot where herbs, spices and botanicals get the same treatment a chef gives prime produce. The result? Bottles that taste like someone bottled up a season, a memory, a feeling — and gave you permission to sip it over ice. The Saison Black Walnut Vermouth that Dave served with chilled Schweppes Ginger ale and a squeeze of fresh lime juice while we chatted really did float my boat.
I tried to get to the bottom of how a vermouth is made and I’m not sure I’m any the wiser now but that’s ok. There’s a mystery to this stuff that makes it not only intriguing but also delightfully different despite the fact that you’re still playing in the wine isle. Dave does go some way into explaining how he makes Saison but stops just short of truly sharing his secret. Clever bastard. Now I just want it more.
This chat wanders through kitchens, wine bars and herb gardens with the kind of detail perhaps only a chef could give to the craft of booze. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a flavour-obsessed cook decides to capture the rhythm of a season in liquid form then this, you not serious, wine curious, good times seeker you, is your episode.
So — chuck a chunk of ice in your wine glass and pour yourself something bitter and bright, floral and funky and settle in for some serious fine art of flavour. This is the Not Serious Dave Verheul chat.
CHAT FACTS
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Saison Black Walnut Vermouth served with Schweppes Dry Ginger Ale and a wedge of fresh lime
1L antipodes still water
The tastiest tasty gear I ever did taste. This was the vermouth we were slugging. You can find it at Saison Aperitifs or give Pete or John a shout at By The Bottle — they’ll get you a bottle or two.
Find Chef and Saison maker, Dave Verheul at Embla or on his insta
