April Newsletter: Monaco Visit, Restaurant Bocuse, Study Wine this Winter

Greetings to you all,

We've started the year with a rush. I am delighted to report that we had full intakes in February; changes to NZQA qualifications have required significant energy and report writing for our cookery and hospitality qualifications and we are counting down to our NZQA External Evaluation and Review in May. I also managed a quick trip to France and Monaco for the Association of Sommeliers General Assembly.

Chef Paul Bocuse (1926 - 2018) is one of the legends of the last 60 years. I never thought that I would ever visit his restaurant near Lyon, but in February, I was privileged to dine with my itinerant son, Daniel (on his way from Istanbul to Ireland) and savour a line-up of some of Paul Bocuse’s most iconic dishes, re-interpreted with small contemporary twists. Read more here.

Jade Ward, who completed our Diploma of Cookery, has been working as a intern at noma, one of the most famous restaurants in the world. She has written a post about this. Read here.

Andrea Martinisi recently led an inspired Sake tasting which was paired with a mouthwatering selection of canapés prepared by our Diploma Cookery students. Here are some photos.

With two graduates in the New Zealand Bocuse d'Or Team, a group of our cookery students and hospitality students, lead by tutor Franck Laruelle, volunteered at the Fundraising Dinner in March. See more here.

The Level 4 students recently prepared their Mediterranean Lunch. Here are some photos of their dishes.

For the winelovers, we have a lot of events coming up including the regular Monday tastings of the NZ Sommeliers and Wine Professionals, Villa Maria Vertical tasting of their Bordeaux blends back to 1996, Franck will host a Swiss Wine Tasting, Blind Tasting Competition on Monday 1 July at 4pm. NZ Wine Micro-credential in May along with WSET certificates.

And finally, I was honoured to again be included in the list of Inspiring Women of Influence in Food and Drink.

With best wishes to you all,

Celia Hay

Jade Ward, Restaurant noma, Copenhagen

Jade Ward completed the 2 year Diploma of Cookery at the New Zealand School of Food and Wine in 2021 with completing her workplacement at Andiamo Restaurant in Herne Bay and continued to work there for two years. Following this, Jade moved to Queenstown to work at Amisfield under Chef Vaughan Mabee and in 2023 travelled to Restaurant noma in Copenhagen, Denmark to work at an intern.

Restaurant Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France

When students start in our culinary programmes for Level 3 and 4, I always have a session on the MOVERS & SHAKERS of our culinary world. You can't start cookery without some knowledge of the people who have influenced what and how we cook today.

Chef Paul Bocuse (1926 - 2018) is one of the legends of the last 60 years. I never thought that I would ever visit his restaurant on the outskirts of Lyon, now run by his daughter. But, in February, I was privileged to dine with my itinerant son, Daniel (on his way from Istanbul to Ireland) and savour a line-up of some of Paul Bocuse’s most iconic dishes, re-interpreted with small contemporary twists.

This year, the Bocuse Family are celebrating 100 years at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, with a Centenary Menu at Restaurant Paul Bocuse to mark the occasion. Click here to read my story about this fabulous dinner.

Paul Bocuse (1975) La Soupe aux truffes noires Elysée or Truffle soup Elysée, created to celebrate Paul Bocuse's award of the Legion d'honneur by French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing.

This soup wears a hat of fine puff pastry, like a chicken pie. You must stab into the puff to reveal the aromatics of chicken consommé, black truffles and vegetables. My son, Daniel has developed a profound appreciation of how delicious truffles can be!

A visit to Monaco

And, Monaco is something else. Hospitality is central to its economy with over 7 million tourists each year, serviced by a population that mostly lives nearby in France - Nice is 13 km away with 16 km to the Italian border.

ASI Association of Sommeliers General Assembly 2024 was hosted by the Monaco Sommelier Association at Le Meriden, Monte-Carlo. Over three full days of conference, debates and strategy, balanced by socialising with the 60+ member countries of ASI.

Given our host's intrinsic sense of hospitality, gastronomic meals paired with outstanding wines, sake and spirits, refined tastes and sensibilities, it would be difficult not to have fun and even a cultural trip to Monte-Carlo’s famed casino was on the itinerary. Here is my blog on Monaco.

Prince Albert is an active member of the Association Monegasque des Sommeliers and we were excited to have him join the reception.

The Gala Dinner of ASI Association of Sommeliers held in the magnificent Empire Hall of the Hotel de Paris. Take a look at the refined dishes served in such an opulent setting.