Grand Chapitre and National Young Sommeliers Competition
Day 1
Commenced with a fabulous evening event launching the Grand Chapitre in Brisbane for the members of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and L’Order Mondial at The Brisbane Club. Members flew in from as far afield as California, USA. Singapore, New Zealand and from different parts of Australia. Norm Harrison, Bailli Délégué Australia introduced the event and Shymal Dhar, Bailli Regional Brisbane Australia and his team were the event producers and Grand Chapitre hosts.
Tyson Stelzer – Maître Sommelier, author, wine expert and International wine communicator imparted his phenomenal knowledge of all things Champagne. Chef and Maître Rôtisseur Josh Lopez and featured Chef Caleb Bilewicz and Chef Samuel Lee curated the degustation. Harold ‘Hal’ Small Bailli Délégué des Etas-Unis d’Amérique, and his wife Susan were in attendance.
Day 2
During the day: Australian Chaine held its 33rd National Committee meeting followed by National AGM. Bailli Délégué appointed two new national committee members.
-
Petra Harmer-Shrowder as Chargée de Presse
-
Katrina Hiltbrunner as Chargée de Missions
The afternoon’s programme was the Intronisation ceremony, which was full of pomp and splendour. A total of 47 members were inducted into the La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and 17 members into the L’Order Mondial des Gourmets Degustateurs. The inducting officer, Harold S. Small, Bailli Délégué des Etas-Unis d’Amérique. Assisting inducting officer, Norm Harrison, Bailli Délégué Australia. MC for the evening was National Chancelier Sam Giddings.
In the evening we attended a lavish reception in the Emporium Hotels Penthouse’s terrace followed by a glorious Gala Dinner, which comprised of a seven course degustation with paired wines. The dinner was conceived by Executive Chef and Maître Rôtisseur Chris Norman and Executive Sous-Chef (pastry) Alex Liddle.
Day 3 - Lunch
40 members experienced a magnificent exciting lunch at Lutèce Bistro and Wine Bar overseen by Chef and Maître Rôtisseur Romain Bapst who is a professional member of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and Australian Maître Canardier L’Ordre des Canardiers, past President Bocuse D’or, Australian President Academie Culinaire de France.
He has been a guest chef around the world and is famous for the duck press that he talks about in the interview attached. The lunch was well designed. I particularly enjoyed as did many attendees his signature dish of Sand crab lasagne with a creamy crustacean sauce, which was delicious. I followed on with a seafood theme with the Petite Bouillabaisse with Red Emperor & Scallops: the depth of the sauce was exceptional and the matched wines with the courses superb. The 2014 Chateau Bel Air Les Gassies Bordeaux was superb.
Day 3 - Sommelier Competition
Whilst the lunch was taking place the serious examination for the National Jeunes Sommeliers Competition was in session, which was overseen by John Studdert - Echanson d’Australie La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs & Chairman of the Jury assisted by Dr Dennis Mather – Conseiller Gastronomique du Bailliage National-Australia, Sam Giddings Chancelier du Bailliage National-Australia and external judges Adrian Filiuta MS, Tyson Stelzer MS, and Sebastian Crowther MS. The awards ceremony was held in the signature restaurant of the Emporium Hotel Southbank, Brisbane. The MC for the ceremony John Studdert - Echanson d’Australie & Chairman of the jury thanked all the contestants, judges, La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dignitaries and their partners and sponsors. As you will see in a few of the videos attached you will hear how the theory and practical exams were conducted and what the contestants had to do. It was a close competition with only .5 between all of them. The finalists were Roberto Lombardo, Andres Aragon, Miguel Giteau and Riccardo Molfetta - Jona’s relais & chateaux (winner of NSW competition and $1,000 prize money)
Norm Harrison, Bailli Délégué Australia Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gave the presentations with John Studdert.
1st Place Andres Aragon – Merivale who received a prize of $3,000, a trophy and a sabre from Le Cordon Bleu, a fully paid international trip where he will represent Australia in Seoul, Korea for the International competition in September 2019.
2nd Place Roberto Lombardo – Dinner by Heston who received a certificate and prize money of $500.
3rd Place Miguel Giteau – Vue du Monde who received a certificate and prize money of $300.
Written by:
Petra Harmer-Shrowder, MBA
Chargée de Presse
La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Australia
