An Epicurean Dinner in Monaco in Homage to Auguste Escoffier’s 175th Birthday
On Thursday, October 28, 2021, 7000 guests gathered in 33 countries to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the birth of Auguste Escoffier around an Epicurean Dinner, reviving the tradition of charity dinners imagined by the chef.
AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER – In Monaco, under the high patronage and presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, The Epicurean Dinner brought together 450 guests who came to honor the memory of the “Cook of Kings and King of Cooks”. The success of this memorable evening was the fruit of the mobilization of the Disciples of Escoffier, members of the Auguste Escoffier Foundation, partners who largely contributed to the realization of this sumptuous dinner and the many chefs who, under the leadership of Philippe Joannès, president of the Meilleur Ouvriers de France region Sud, developed and produced the menu, without forgetting the expertise of Dominique Milardi, president of the Association des Sommeliers Monégasques who, together with Jean-Pierre Rous, president of Slow Food Monaco Riviera Côte d’Azur, selected the wines that accompanied each dish.
To the sound of the gypsy orchestra, the evening began with an aperitif cocktail made by the chefs of the Fairmont Monte-Carlo around Champagne Comte de Cheurlin, a prestigious organic and vegan Auguste Escoffier vintage, accompanied by a tasting of the house’s Oscietra caviar. Sturia. The guests then took their places at their table, where the menu created by Nice artist Virginie Broquet awaited them. The dinner began with a sublime Pressé of duck foie gras from the Rougié house with wine lees and confit from Chasselas de Moissac, born in the imagination of Jean-Claude Brugel – Meilleur Ouvrier de France 1996 and President of the Disciples of Escoffier Riviera Côte d’Azur. A Gewurstraminer from the Bott Frères estate – Cuvée “Réserve Personnelle” 2017 brought an elegant freshness to this entry. Michel Escoffier, great-grandson of the great master and president of the Disciples of Escoffier International, took the floor to thank Prince Albert II for his presence and to gratify with his gratitude all those who had worked for the conception and the realization of this evening placed under the sign of humanism, a value dear to its ancestor. He recalled that the Escoffier Museum of Culinary Art and its curator Richard Duvauchelle had chosen this theme for their temporary exhibition because Epicure’s Dinners were designed from the outset to leverage funds for charitable actions.
After a very delicate entry, it was the turn of Christian Garcia, the chef of the princely palace and President of the very select Club of Heads of Heads of State, to treat the audience with organic Oso prawns from Madagascar à la verbena and zucchini flower stuffed with condiments, accompanied by a 2016 Grand Cru Classé de Graves from white Château-Malartic-Lagravière. The “Beefbar selection in two Périgourdine-style” beef, Anna apple and truffled vegetables was the work of chef Laurent Smeulders (executive chef of the Fairmont hotel). A Château-Malartic-Lagravière in red version had been chosen to escort the meat. The evening was an opportunity for Jean-Claude Brugel, in his capacity as President of the Disciples of Escoffier Riviera Côte d’Azur, to proceed with the exceptional enthronement of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco followed by that of two new chefs officiating in the principality: Laurent Smeulders the executive chef of the Fairmont hotel and Jean-Laurent Basile, the chef of the Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo. It was Mathias Meilland’s turn to come and offer Prince Albert II a rose bush baptized Auguste Escoffier while the artist Virginie Broquet, who had produced the illustration adorning the menus, offered the prince the corresponding lithograph.
The meal continues with the selection of matured cheeses from Hervé Mons (another Meilleur Ouvrier de France!) Presented in a camembert-type box, accompanied by breads from Thomas Subrin (Meilleur Ouvrier de France and working at the Société des Bains de Mer ) and a Château Léoube blanc Cuvée “Love by Léoube” AOC Côtes de Provence 2020. It’s time to choose the journalist from France-Television Frédéric Soulié, great gastronome and friend of chefs, to start the raffle draw for the benefit of the “Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation”, working for the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development on a global scale, raffle of fabulous prizes including works of art and numerous meals and stays in prestigious hotels. Accompanying the draw, the dessert came in the form of a Valrhona Chocolate, finesse of the Manjari bean, raspberry with liquorice, a realization of Benoît Perruchon-Monge, pastry teacher at the Hotel and Technical School of Monaco who married a red Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Alain Ignace Cuvée “Le Péché d’Émilie” 2020. The last note of this Epicure’s Dinner was played by the “Réserve Côte d’Azur” of Malongo coffee and the sweets.
In memory of this historic dinner, each guest was presented with a copy of the journal Papilles entirely devoted to chef Auguste Escoffier, highlighting his humanism, accompanied by a booklet on his Mutual Assistance Project for the Extinction of Pauperism.
Exhibition Auguste Escoffier, a humanist at the Escoffier Museum of Culinary Art in Villeneuve-Loubet
https://www.nicerendezvous.com/2021091414337/exposition-auguste-escoffier-un-humaniste-au-musee-escoffier-de-l-art-culinaire-a-villeneuve-loubet.html
Photos: © Mika photography and © Axel Palais Princier
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