COPENHAGEN: There is fast food and then there is ‘fast food’. One of the things that shocked the culinary world after the first lockdowns was René Redzepi’s reopening of Noma as a temporary burger and wine bar. That decision was a roaring success despite some scepticism from foodies who thought that Redzepi should have been more ambitious that serve just the humble ‘hamburger’ on reopening. Large queues would form outside Noma as locals visited the world acclaimed restaurant for the first time ever. Was the fuss worth it? It seems so as René Redzepi is making the concept permanent with POPL, a new burger and wine bar that will open instead of 108 on 3 December. Restaurant 108 was closed in September because it was no longer made business sense to continue with that project. The new restaurant Popl, which comes from the latin name populous is indeed aimed at Copenhagen residents first and foremost though of course everyone in every city around the world is awaiting tourists … [Read more...]
Willem Hiele closes restaurant for 2020, launches Christmas box
KOKSIJDE: Willem Hiele, chef of restaurant Willem Hiele, one of the Belgium's top talents has decided not to reopen the restaurant on the Belgian coast till the end of the year. "We want to start again in full glory and full safety. That is why we are unfortunately cancelling reservations after 13 December until the end of the year," Willem said. Those who have reservations till the end of the year will be able to get a reservation in January, February or March. Vouchers that expire in 2020 will also be automatically extended. The Boutique called Boutique Raphael will remain open until 20 December. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm, customers can buy local produce, vegetables, delicious home made food such as shrimp croquettes, his famous bisque, wild smoked fish and a range of pate's. Using his wood fire oven, Willem also makes sourdough bread, raisin bread, pizza, kebabs (Hiele style) and much more. Reservations for pizza and game can me made directly via … [Read more...]
Fabrizzio Chirico opens Le Comptoir de la Table
Charleroi: Fabrizzio Chirico, chef of restaurant La Table de la Manufacture Urbaine is opening a 'counter' or the Comptoir de la Table with ready made meals from the restaurant as well as a large grocery department which includes cold cuts from Ospital, meats from Belgium's top butcher Dierendonck and cheeses from Pascal Fauville among others. The new shop will open on Friday 20 November and is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. The grocery shop also has a cellar. Sanae will help clients choose from among beers from La Manufacture as well as Belgian gins and spirits as well as wines from around the world. The shop also has a pastry section to complete the selection. "We can't wait to see you here to present you all this," said Fabrizzio Chirico. The chef said that as soon as the lockdown is over, he will reopen the upstairs restaurant as well as a few tasting tables around the counter. "Whenever you want to buy great products or want to taste them or savour … [Read more...]
Rare Burgundy wine barrel sold for over EUR 152,000
A sole barrel of Burgundy, Domaine Fourrier’s 2019 Chambolle Musigny Les Sentiers has sold for EUR 152,277 well above the low estimate for the wine. The successful bidder now owns 100 per cent of the cuvée. Les Sentiers is the smallest parcel of the Domaine (0.046ha) and is situated next to the famed Grand Cru parcel, Bonnes Mares. The fact that Domaine Fourrier only makes one barrel of this wine each year, which it bottles in magnums and does not make available for public sale makes this purchase even more rare and unique. The new owner will have the option to determine the format of the bottlings. This was the second European sale of Zachys which was considered an overall success with total sales of EUR 2.7 million. The auction house was in the news in September after the success of the debut London auction “The Cellar of Enoteca Pinchiorri”. This was the first multi-vendor sale in London and was held on 14 November. Other lots which far surpassed pre-sale estimates … [Read more...]
The Fork and Spoons organises 12 Days of Christmas in aid of charity
There are 15 once in a lifetime experience packages on offer in the first 12 Days of Christmas being organised by The Forks and Spoons in Hong Kong in aid of charity. From 1 December to 12 December, The Forks and Spoons will sell 15 packages on a special website that is being created specifically for the sale. The packages will be available on a first come first served basis and all proceeds that are raised will be donated to the Chicken Soup Foundation, a private charity that assists children and elderly who are facing tough times. Once uploaded on the website, the gifts will be available for purchase for the next 48 hours. A number of chefs from around the world have teamed up to help Fork and Spoons organise the event. It enables food lovers to purchase experiences including Zoom cooking classes with chefs, visits to food markets and also a number of dinners among others. Celebrated British chef Simon Rogan, best known for his international restaurant ventures … [Read more...]
Hisa Franko’s storehouse in your home
KOBARID: Food lovers in Europe can get a taste of Slovenia thanks to an initiative by Ana Ros and Valter Kramer of Hisa Franko to open their storehouse for delivery. Goods are shipped by GLS to Europe on a twice weekly basis. With the restaurant closed for the second time, the restaurant is making a number of its cheese and wines available for purchase as well as a huge selection of home made jams, crackers, butter, chutneys and more. “If you cannot come to the Hisa Franko, Hisa Franko will come to you,”. Among the goods available is Ana’s new book Sun and Rain that was published earlier this year. The Sun and Rain package includes the book, a bottle of selected Slovenian wine, aged Tolminc cheese from Valter’s cheese cellar, honey from a neighbour and Franko’s homemade marmalade. From the storehouse one can find rustic crackers, a selection of cheese from Slovenia including a Cheese platter from the restaurant, apple and pear butter, a selection of different marmalades … [Read more...]
GELINAZ!: Happening hopefully at a city near you (the full line-up)
Earlier this week, GELINAZ!, a collective of chefs from around the world announced that a new gig was taking place. In these difficult times, when planning anything beyond tomorrow has become close to impossible, GELINAZ! is back with the second stay in tour but this time the aim is to give a voice to chefs around the world that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Now, more details have emerged of the restaurants and chefs that will take part in this edition that will take place on 3 December and will follow with a second performance some time in the new year. Over 130 chefs from around the world (and the number is constantly on the increase) will be taking part in this performance. In every city taking part, there will be one host who will take the role of curator and organiser of the event. They will invite fellow chefs to work on the matrix recipes that they will receive from the ‘silent voices’. These silent voices are chefs who have lost their restaurants because of … [Read more...]
Retrovino temporarily becomes Retrocaffè in Rome
ROME: Alessandro Miocchi and Giuseppe Lo Iudice of Retrobottega in Rome are not new to innovations. When they opened their restaurant in Rome, it was innovative not just for the food but also the way they approached the restaurant business. No reservations and two large communal tables were all part of the offering. And they have been slowly expanding their offering in the Pantheon neighbourhood opening Retrovino and Retropasta before COVID-19. Now, to combat the closure of restaurants in the evenings, Alessandro Miocchi and Giuseppe Lo Iudice are turning their wine shop Retrovino into Retrocaffè. The idea is to open a cafeteria that serves coffee from 8am to 6pm in the evening serving 100 per cent arabica coffee from different parts of the world. They will be serving the coffee either in the form of an espresso to various types of filtered coffees. "And because we love traditions, we will also serve moka coffee," they announced. Retrocaffè is open seven days a week and … [Read more...]
The Gelinaz! Strikes Back: Giving a voice to ‘Silent Voices’
Last year’s GELINAZ Stay at Home tour could not have been more pre emptive. What started off as a political message ended up being the prelude to a world that is today defined as pre-COVID and post-COVID when in the most global manner, most of us have been forced to stay at home. The GELINAZ! is striking back with a second The Grand GELINAZ! Shuffle Stay in Tour - Silent Voices. This time, it is being played in two parts. It is also giving a voice to chefs that have lost their voices during the pandemic either because they have had to close their restaurants, or because they are in lockdown or because they found themselves in between projects. “Silent Voices because we really need to support these talents,” says Andrea Petrini, the man who continues to run the GELINAZ! collective of chefs from around the world who are ready to take risks and send powerful messages to the world. This time, Silent Voices on Tour will come in two phases and with two different chapters. The first … [Read more...]
The Douro Boys in the time of the pandemic
When the Douro Boys group was created, the aim behind the idea was not to work together commercially but rather to put the Douro on the wine map. That required a lot of travel both from Portugal and the Douro valley where the wineries are but also into the region. Today, 17 years later and as the group approaches its 20 years since its existence with a pandemic in between, the five wineries which have put the Douro on the wine spotlight are reflecting as to what the future holds. The Douro Boys was set up by the owners of five wineries, Quinta do Vallado, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta Vale D. Maria, Quinta do Vale Meão and the port wine house Niepoort to raise awareness for the Douro region worldwide. Over the past weeks, I sat down (albeit via Zoom) to speak with a representative of each of the wineries to discuss the impact that the Douro Boys have had on Portuguese wine in particular but more importantly what changes they are considering particularly given the COVID-19 pandemic … [Read more...]