The Gosset Matchmakers 2024 competition reached its final showdown at Le Cordon Bleu London’s Cord Restaurant on Fleet Street on Monday 23rd September, with chef and sommelier pair, Chef Oliver Grieve and Sommelier Camilla Bonnannini from Albatross Death Cult, Birmingham taking home the title. Pitted against other chef and sommelier teams from Frog by Adam Handling Restaurant, Heron in Edinburgh, Pahli Hill in London and The Ritz London, the team swayed the judges with a dish of Quail, Nam Jim, and carrot prepared in three different ways created to match perfectly with Gosset Petite Douceur Rosé.
The finalists were also asked to concoct a dish using a box of surprise ingredients, including a filet of smoked eel which had to be used as an essential element of the final dish. The teams had only limited time to conceive and execute a dish that would harmonise with Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs. The winning team used the smoked eel as the dish’s main element, carameled it in butter and finished with a blow torch. They used Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs in a beurre blanc with kohlrabi pickled in elderflower vinegar. It was served with a garnish of kohlrabi Parisienne cooked in a dashi butter, and apple that was soaked in the Champagne itself, finishing with a little dill, to give a bit of liveliness.
Matthieu Longuère MS, Wine Director at Le Cordon Bleu London and Chair of the judging panel commented “The level of the finalists were really impressive overall. In a closely matched contest, it came down to the level of cooperation and collaboration between the winning team, in producing two very good dishes, which influenced the final decision.â€
Matthieu was assisted by experts in matching wine with food, including Tina Gellie from Decanter Magazine, Leona di Pasquale from Camellia and Vine and Benjamin Ferra Y Castell from Pavyllon restaurant along with Thibaut Le Mailloux from Champagne Gosset and Will Oatley from Louis Latour Agencies
Now in its ninth year, Gosset Matchmakers continues to celebrate harmonising fine wines with food along with this collaboration between chefs and sommeliers.
Photo Credits John Scott Blackwell
Gosset Matchmakers extends their thanks to everyone who entered this year’s competition including the four runners up.
– Chef Steven Howell and Sommelier Jordan Ingram from Frog by Adam Handling Restaurant, London
– Chef Joseph Hendry-Burgess and Sommelier Erin Donnelly from Heron in Edinburgh
– Chef Anurag Singh and Sommelier Henna Zinzuwadia from Pahli Hill in London
– Chef Robert Veitch and Sommelier Davide Santeramo from The Ritz London