Tag: Chef

French Super Chef Alain Ducasse Reduces Wine Prices to Discourage “Dry January”

Internationally famed French Chef Alain Ducasse declares war on the “Dry January” trend.  At the beginning of January, Chef Ducasse was “horrified” to see New York diners drinking iced tea at lunch and not wine. Shortly thereafter he launched an initiative to entice patrons of his restaurants to drink wine during the first month of the year, not less.

“I’ve noted that trend, but I don’t want to see or hear of it, I am opposed to it,” states Chef Ducasse and he further adds that he wants to “rid consumers of their inhibitions” with regards to drinking wine.

In November, the French government abandoned a campaign urging people to give up alcohol in January after the wine industry pushed president Emmanuel Macron to drop it.

“Dry January” began in the UK in 2013 and has since been adopted around the world. Last year one in five Americans participated in the initiative, giving up alcohol for the first month of the year.

Alain Ducasse has runs restaurants all over the world, including the three Michelin star Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London and Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenée in Paris.

What are your thoughts on this ?

Champagne Jacquart Seeks Best UK Sommelier and Chef

Champagne Jacquart is calling for entries to its Rising Stars Trophy competition to find the finest young chef and sommelier duo in the UK.

The 2011 competition is open to teams comprised of sommeliers and chefs, under the age of 35, and offers them the opportunity to take part in one of the industry’s leading event.

The competition now in its fourth year, pays testament to the brand’s ambition to support the stars of tomorrow within the hospitality industry.

It has been previously presided by personalities such as Gérard Basset MS MW and judged by some of the leading names in the wine trade, including wine writers Susy Atkins, John Radford, Hotel du Vin’s Ronan Sayburn MS and St John and HG Wines’ Jade Koch.

Susy Atkins says: “The competition is a must for the UK on-trade as it puts both the sommelier and the chef together”. Gerard Basset MS MW also praises the competition by saying that, “entering is a great opportunity to bring the industry to life. This is an aspirational award and it encourages people who work in restaurants to raise their game.”

After the initial round of paper judging, eight teams will be invited to compete at the grand finale, hosted in the Competition Theatre of The Restaurant Show, in London on October 10.

Applicants can find out more online at www.enotria.co.uk/risingstars – closing date for entries is July 22, 2011