Just two weeks before harvest began for the 2018 vintage, Kim White has joined the production team at Three Brothers Wineries and Estates as head winemaker. Paige Vinson was also appointed as assistant winemaker. The change came after winemaker Aaron Roisen announced he had accepted a new position at Dr. Frank Winery. White’s love of science and the ability to be creative are what attracted her to the wine industry and she enthusiastically describes her work as the best of both worlds. She has an impressive resume including harvest experience in Washington State, Australia and France. Before joining the Three Brother’s team as Head Winemaker, White was the Assistant Winemaker at Sheldrake Point Winery. “We’re thrilled to have Kim join our team. The professionalism and passion she shows for her craft are second to none,” says Erica Paolicelli, Co-owner. “She’s enthusiastic and ready to make her mark in our region”. Joining White in the cellar is Paige Vinson, who after … [Read more...]
Brussels: Russian night to inaugurate winter season at Le Chalet de la Forêt
Le Chalet de la Forêt, one of Brussels top restaurants will be organising a Russian night on Saturday 24 November at 8pm. Executive chef Kasper Kurdhal told Food and Wine Gazette that the dinner will inaugurate the winter season at the restaurant. "It is the start of winter. The restaurant will be decorated for Christmas from two days before the event and we wanted to initiate the winter season with this themed dinner. Russia provided the inspiration since the start of winter brings with it the cold, the Vodka, the sour cream," he said. "We want to create an event that can be repeated next year. We might also have other themed nights but we will see how this goes," Kasper said. Chef Pascal Devalkeneer and Kasper Kurdhal will be immersing guests into the world of Russian folklore, tradition and caviar. The menu offers a range of dishes using different Russian caviar and promises to be intriguing.Sommelier Olivier De Joncker will be pairing champagne, wines and vodka with the … [Read more...]
Record 2018 vintage for Austrian wine
The 2018 vintage, the earliest harvest ever recorded in Austria will exceed the previous year's volume with the most recent data from Statistik Austria estimating about 3.2 million hectolitres! Growers are reportedly pleased with the fine quality of the grapes, which could for the most part be harvested this year without much concern over potential diseases. Winegrowers were granted a nationwide increase of 20 per cent in the maximum yield per hectare to partially offset their crop losses from the 2017 vintage. More modest harvests More modest harvests were recorded in certain areas because of extreme drought like in Niederösterreich or excessive precipitation like in Südsteiermark. 2018: the weather After a very warm January, cold conditions in February and March led to a later-than-usual budding of the vines, so that in contrast to the previous two years, no damage was suffered from late frosts. The second-warmest springtime since 1767 then enabled the … [Read more...]
Cake and Bubbles in London is Albert Adria’s first venture outside Spain
Albert Adria, voted the World's Best Pastry chef has opened Cakes and Bubbles, the first permanent location outside his native Spain. The dessert only venue opened on 7 November on Regent Street London at the Hotel Café Royal. The Spanish chef, brother of Ferran Adria who together worked at the legendary el Bulli and who today runs a restaurant empire in the el Barri area of Barcelona including Tickets had already opened a successful pop-up at the Hotel Café Royal in 2016 called 50 Days by Albert Adria. The hotel is located between Mayfair and Soho. Cakes and Bubbles is inspired by La Dolca, the much loved area at Tickets in Barcelona which is reserved for all things sweet. Guests at the new location will be able to taste a parade of desserts which include the renowned Tickets 'cheescake' and other classics such as egg flan and airwaffles amongst other creative desserts and traditional pastries. A wide selection of Champagnes and sparkling wines from some of the top wine … [Read more...]
Niepoort’s 1863 port decanter sells for 100,000 Euros
A decanter by Lalique containing Niepoort's port wine from 1863 has been auctioned by renowned wine auction house Acker, Merrall & Condit in Hong Kong for more than 100,000 euros on 3 November. It was one of five precious decanters that contained the last few drops of this award-winning score that is not only rare but has scored 100 from US wine critic James Suckling and Jancis Robinson gave it 20 points out of 20. The wine comes from the 1863 harvest. Franciscus Marius Niepoort filled the great vintage in wooden casks and laid it down to rest it in Niepoort’s maturing cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia, where the wine was used for blending the famous Niepoort tawnies. More than forty years later, Dirk Niepoort’s grandfather Eduardo Niepoort transferred the wine that remained into glass demijohns, vessels with a capacity of between eight and eleven litres. Nine demijohns were – as it is noted in Niepoort’s cellar book – filled with the rare vintage on 18 September 1905. The … [Read more...]
David Martin of Brussels restaurant La Paix is chef of the year for Gault & Millau
David Martin, chef of Brussels restaurant La Paix was named chef of the year by Gault & Millau when they announced the publication of the 2019 guide. A year after the chef had been told by Michelin that they had visited his restaurant more than 10 times but didn't consider him worthy of 2 Michelin stars, the French born chef who has been awarded the highest accolade by Gault & Millau for his personality, vision, expertise, creativity and courage. "He is inspired by French, Belgian and Japanese cuisine. This intelligent and enterprising chef has given the restaurant a new identity," said Gault & Millau at the awards ceremony which was attended by over 1,000 guests in the restaurant business in Belgium. Martin was also co-owner of a second Brussels restaurant, Bozar led by chef Karen Torosyan but decided to sell the restaurant to the latter earlier this year. He has opened two fish shops in Wallonia and has taken over the operations of a fish restaurant in Brussels … [Read more...]
Sebastian Sandor and Fabio Cammalleri join forces to open Heritage in Ghent
As head chef of two Michelin star Belgian restaurant Pastorale, Sebastian Sandor is ready to take the plunge and fulfil his dream of opening his own restaurant. On the 28th November he will open Heritage, a new restaurant in the Patershol area in the heart of Ghent together with Fabio Cammalleri. Heritage will be housed in the former Pizzeria Barbaro and the opening is testament to his persistence and determination. He has managed to fulfil his dream at the age of 30 also ‘thanks to my stubbornness,” he told Food and Wine Gazette. “I was walking past Pizzeria Barbaro in Gent and saw it and fell in love with the restaurant. I met Fabio who was running the restaurant and asked if he wanted to sell the restaurant. He replied in the negative saying why should he sell.” Sebastian told Food and Wine Gazette. Like Sebastian, Fabio had also fell in love with the restaurant and moved to Ghent from Limburg to open Barbaro, a rock n'roll pizzeria in the historic part of Ghent. “We found … [Read more...]
18 years of patience to produce Beluga caviar
At 4,000 to 4,500 euros per kilo, saying Beluga caviar does not come cheap is an understatement. But there is a reason why this sought-after and rare caviar costs so much. It is the result of a risky investment. The huso huso sturgeon needs to be grown for 18 years in perfect conditions for the caviar to be produced. A Belgian company has been producing Beluga caviar since 2016. Royal Belgian Caviar has been making 100% Belgian caviar since 2002 but it was only in 2016 that it managed to produce Beluga caviar. Belgium’s top chefs from Peter Goossens to Gert De Mangeleer, Roger Van Damme, Bert Meewis, Nick Bril and Tim Boury among others have been using this Belgian ‘black gold’. Caviar and sustainability are not often mentioned together but the Beluga caviar is made from huso huso sturgeon. Threatened with extinction, this caviar, which is naturally low in calories and has exceptional quality can only be offered on the market only if it comes from aquaculture. This measure allows the … [Read more...]
Sergio Herman opens Frites Atelier in Ghent, to open first one in Brussels in November
Sergio Herman will open the second branch of Frites Atelier in Belgium in the city of Ghent on 25 October (tomorrow). The Dutch chef said he was excited to open a Frites Atelier in Ghent. "Every time I come to this city, I taste the creativity and discover new things every time. In view of these developments and the growth of Frites Atelier, the choice of Ghent as the second branch in Belgium was obvious. The food scene in the city has changed a lot and Ghent and the city has a tendency to embrace new food concepts. I am really looking forward to it and hope that we can make a positive contribution to this cool city," said Sergio on the occasion of the opening in Ghent. The branch at the Groentemarkt, 20 in Ghent has more seats and offers a more extensive menu compared to the current Ateliers in the Netherlands and Antwerp. The building has 22 seats on the ground floor, 48 on the first floor and also a terrace with at least 35 seats. Frites Atelier Gent offers more than just … [Read more...]
Fernand Obb Delicatessen makes best shrimp croquettes in Brussels
There is nothing more quintessentially Belgian than the croquette de crevette or shrimp croquette. Any traditional Belgian restaurant including even gastronomic restaurants is likely to have it on its menu with a good ‘american’ or steak tartare and mussels with fries. Now, lovers of this Belgian delicacy which is made with small shrimps that are common in the North Sea have a reference point. In a bid to find the best prawn croquette in Brussels, Belgium’s capital, Visit Brussels has organised the first ever contest to find the best prawn croquette in the city. The winner of the first ever event was Fernand Obb Delicatessen, a small restaurant in St Gilles, one of the 19 communes of Brussels. Visit.Brussels held the first ever context at Comme Chez Soi, a two Michelin star restaurant that is considered to be one of the ‘mainstays’ of Brussels gastronomy. And the panel made up of culinary journalists was headed by Pierre Wynants, for many years rewarded with 3 Michelin stars … [Read more...]