Whatever your whisky love story is, we’re curious: how do you choose your drink? Are you team tested-and-trusted, or, are you open to trying new brands?  If you’re in the latter category, how do you decide what new brand to try out? Do you just glance through the label and follow your gut? Or are you drawn more by what your eyes can see?

While there may be no right or wrong way to make a decision, Sotheby’s has a guide that can give you an idea of what a bottle of whisky would taste like even before it hits your tongue. And even if you belong to the tried-and-trusted gang, it does not hurt to know that, should you decide to be more adventurous in the future, there is a foolproof guide to making the best decision quickly.

Now that that’s out of the way, here’s what to know

Whisky or whiskey? The spelling matters!

Not in a pedantic sort of way. However, there is a difference that is beyond the spelling. If it’s American or Irish, it’ll be ‘whiskey’. If it’s from Scotland, Canada or Japan, that will be ‘whisky.’

But the difference doesn’t end there. American and Scottish whiskeys are distilled twice while their Irish cousins go through distillation three times. That’s why they are also so smooth and buttery-soft.

Location too!

Of course, where a drink comes from determines how it tastes. The originating region influences the style, flavour and colour of every whisky. There are three classic regions in this regard: Scotland, Ireland, and America. All scotch comes from Scotland (of course) and must have been aged for at least three years. Irish whiskey is made from malted or unmalted barley and is typically triple-distilled, resulting in a characteristically smooth taste.

Whiskey from America’s South – which by the way is referred to as Bourbon –  is notable for its slight sweetness and richness and is made from a mash containing at least 51% corn, aged in charred wooden barrels (cypress or oak) and bottled at no less than 80% proof.

Japan is another notable player in the world of whiskies, although it does not have a long provenance like the other regions. The Asian country produces scotch-inspired whiskies that tend to be lighter (both in flavour and colour) with a slightly fruity taste.

Casks are important …

Casks are a crucial part of whisky production, as they are used in its storage and maturation. The type of wood used, and how said wood is treated imparts a distinct flavour on this deliciously golden liquid.

Casks are traditionally made from oak sourced from Europe and America, and in the United States, they are charred to remove traces of previous use and imbue the fluid with a rich flavour. Once the whisky is distilled (in a large device called a potstill), it’s poured into these wooden vessels for maturation. The length of time spent in the cask is noted on bottles as the whisky’s age.

Also, whisky distillers may state whether the casks are ‘first-fill’ or ‘refill’. A ‘first-fill’ cask is one that has never been used and will therefore transfer the most flavour from wood to spirit. A refill is just what it sounds like – a previously used cask. Refills are often used to balance and adjust mellowness in whiskeys initially seasoned in first-fills.

Sherry-seasoned casks are also commonplace, the wood imbuing a mild flavouring of the sweet wine to the whisky.

… As are the ABV and age of the particular bottle you’re looking to purchase

ABV, alcohol by volume, tells you what percentage of alcohol each whisky contains, while age indicates the amount of time the whisky spent maturing in the cask.

The average ABV for whiskies is 40-50 per cent. Scotch, by law, must have a minimum ABV of 40 per cent, while special ‘expressions’ ( whisky-speak for limited variations, or special editions) often boast of higher percentages. Special expressions are typically stronger, more complex in taste and, in some cases, bottled directly from the cask with no added water.

Some whiskies spend their entire lives in a single cask, with distillers regularly tasting to achieve the right flavours. However, the usual method is to move them from cask to cask during the maturation cycle to balance or shift their flavours. Age corresponds to a whiskey’s richness: the longer the maturing process, the longer the flavours have to develop. This doesn’t mean that younger vintages aren’t flavourful, but typically, they will likely be less complex.

And finally, mash, peat and smoke

You’re more likely to hear the word ‘mash’ from distillers than you are to see it on a bottle of whisky. Mash is the mixture of grains used to create the whiskey, with malted barley being the most typical grain used. There’s also corn and rye, and, depending on the region and variation, wheat.

Peat is primarily used in Scotch whiskey from the Northern Isles. It typically refers to a distinct, earthy, smoky flavour that is achieved when peat is used to dry malted barley as part of the whisky’s production. The length and intensity of exposure to the peat smoke will determine just how smoky the final product will be.

And there you have it. So, the next time you want to try a new bottle of whisky, maybe instead of trusting your gut, thoroughly read the label to make the right decision for you.

Source: Sotheby’s

The post What to Look Out For on The Label Before Purchasing a Bottle of Whisky first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

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With recent events, however, it seems that this is set to change, and it has got us wondering: is 2023 the year of the Nigerian cuisine global takeover?

Can African dishes be considered haute cuisine?

When we say haute cuisine, the focus is less on the classic French definition as it is on the dishes that incorporate its principles.

Back to the question above, you would probably say yes, but the reality is different. Most top culinary schools do not focus on African foods and ingredients, and, even when they do, there is usually no in-depth exploration of their capabilities. It is probably why African dishes are not considered fine dining, and also why you may be hard-pressed to find restaurants, whether top or mid-range, that include them in their menus.

Yet, as chefs like Chef Moyo and dining establishments like the Itan Test Kitchen are showing, our African dishes are as haute cuisine as they come, and it is only a lack of knowledge about their possibilities that has restricted their reach and adoption by non-African and even African chefs.

Until now.

Hilda Baci and the making of a world record

When Hilda Baci decided 5 years ago to break the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual, her goals were simple: “Put Nigerian cuisine on the map [and] … inspire young African women to chase their dreams.”

Not even she could have fathomed the reach her cook-athon would have: by day 2, her official cook-athon handle announced that over 1 million people had live-streamed the event. On day 3, not only had it started streaming on DSTV, a popular satellite TV service in Africa but organisers also had to close the gates of the venue to visitors as it had reached full capacity.

yeah, so this is our best performing tweet of all time with nearly 25 million news feeds reached https://t.co/iGBDw0qdLK

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) June 15, 2023

Upon announcing that she had indeed broken the record, Guinness World Records received so much traffic that they confirmed that their Twitter post announcing her win was their “best-performing tweet of all time,” and also that their “website crashed for two days due to the immense volume of traffic … received from her legion of loyal fans.”

It is safe to assume that the popularity of this single event has definitely caught the attention of chefs from other parts of the world, enough to pique their interest and set them on a path of discovering and exploring African dishes and ingredients.

Chuku’s Nigerian Tapas Restaurant: from Beyoncé’s approval to global dining stage

For Beyoncé, giving a grant to the businesses around the venues of her ongoing Renaissance tour was her way of saying thank you to the communities that welcomed her and showered her with so much love. For Chuku’s, a Nigerian tapas restaurant in north London, the $10,000 grant was the beginning of a new chapter, one that afford them the opportunity to introduce Nigerian cuisine to the world.

Chuku’s is owned and run by siblings Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick. It started off as a pop-up in 2016, and following years of success, the siblings decided it was time to move into a building, a decision they actualised in February 2020.

Sadly, their opening coincided with the global coronavirus-induced lockdown, and, in spite of the love they received from their community, they soon began to grapple with soaring costs and shrinking disposable income among their customer base. The struggle to keep their doors open was on, and, by the end of 2022, it was clear that they were running (an increasingly lost race) against time.

And then, the Renaissance Tour came along.

Ahead of her highly-publicised tour, Beyoncé, through her BEYGOOD foundation, had announced that small businesses in cities along her world tour could apply for the Black Parade Route initiative, a fund that highlights and supports small Black-owned businesses. One of the cities was London, and even better, the concert took place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 782 High Road, a few kilometres from Chuku’s 274 High Road address.

Entering the last 6 months of the year after a media STORM >>

ICYMI, news that @Beyonce’s @BeyGOOD foundation has awarded us $10,000 created a bit of a media frenzy last week – with our sibling co-founders @efrederick90 & @Ifey_Frederick featured in a whirlwind of interviews pic.twitter.com/7bv3CAUGOp

— Chuku’s (@chukusLDN) July 5, 2023

The Fredricks wasted no time in taking advantage of this opportunity: they applied for the grant before its April 27 deadline, and quickly spread the word that they would be open even past their normal hours to cater to the Renaissance crowd, encouraging the latter to pre-book and creating a healthy feeling of FOMO around their service.

Their efforts paid off. They sold out their tables, secured the £8000 grant and dominated the headlines of major media outlets in the UK and the US. With the publicity they received, they now have a bigger customer base beyond their local community and the UK.

2023: the breakout year for Nigerian/African cuisine?

It may be a bit of a stretch to think that 2 Nigerian culinary brands whose efforts have drawn more attention to African cuisine translates to global adoption and acceptance. But, this is an excellent step in that direction, and, because of their achievements and those of countless others who continue to introduce our dishes to people of other cultures, 2023 might just be the year you walk into the Waldorf Astoria in say, Dubai, and staring right back at you on the menu is a dish of amala rolls dipped in spicy gbegiri and tomato soup, and topped with mint leaves.

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The Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones collection

It is not immediately clear why Hennessy decided that fashion was the right blend to explore. In recent years, luxury brands have diversified away from their core products into niches that can be considered alien to their brand. Ferrari, once a luxury auto brand, now wants to be known as a lifestyle brand on its way to becoming famous, not just for its cars alone, but also for its fashion line and fine dining.

And then there is Aston Martin, whose foray into the world of real estate has seen it put up some incredible structures, from the Aston Martin Residences in Miami to the № 001 Minami Aoyama in Japan. Louis Vuitton, on the other hand, chose to focus on products that enhance the luxury fashion shopping experience, which is why its café and chocolate shop, as well as the planned LV hotel in Paris, exist.

For Hennessy, however, the path to haute couture – if indeed it is considering adding fashion to its portfolio – was not as straightforward. When Jones was developing the collection, he paid a visit to Hennessy’s library and museum in Cognac, France. There, he discovered some of the brand’s oldest bottles wrapped in twists of paper and studied the bottles housing the alcoholic beverage. The paper wrapping reminded him of the draping technique used in creating a clothing item, and the bottles, which appeared to be shaped “almost like a ball gown, in a sense,” inspired his designs for the collection.

First, he created the limited-edition masterpiece decanter shaped exactly like the tissue wrappings that had caught Jones’ attention at the museum. Made of titanium, it was dipped in gradient colours that mimic the shades of the Hennessy X.O blend.

Next was the bottle, which, although preserving its original shape, took on an additional ‘ready-to-wear’ golden aluminium ensemble that highlights its natural dips and curves, just like a well-fitted dress clings to every curve and bit of its wearer.

The final item is an unexpected pair of trainers whose cognac brown shade and design are also informed by the Hennessy X.O blend. Manufactured in an Italian shoe factory owned by LVMH, the parent company of both Hennessy and Dior, the HNY low trainers have a simple design with a grooved rubber sole imprinted with cognac vines on its base, and a nubuck leather upper. They come in a stylish oak box that recalls the barrels that housed the Hennessy drinks.

Is a Hennessy fashion collection on the way?

Maybe Hennessy will stick to its cognacs after this project. Or maybe it will decide it had so much fun with it that we will see future fashion capsule collections inspired by its beverages. Whatever part it decides to take, one thing is for certain: the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones collection is every bit as stylish as it is revolutionary.

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But, challenges are never-ending, which is why it would always be a great idea to take advantage of special days to celebrate love, whatever that means to you and whether or not you choose to direct it to someone other than a romantic partner.

So maybe this year’s Valentine’s day may not be the perfect moment for extravagance, but it is definitely a superb time to celebrate the most enduring and universal emotion ever. And, to help you indulge in the beauty of love on this special day, our edit this year is on food, a theme that is just as universal and important.

If, like us, you believe a romantic meal is the best way to say ‘I love you’, check out these delicious ideas curated specially for you

Celebrate your love with The Atije Experience

Chef Moyo is no stranger to ASPIRE, and for good reason. For the Swiss-trained chef, cooking – and by extension, food – is a journey and one she is clearly not afraid to go on.

According to Chef Moyo, the Atije table is where new connections are made and old ones renewed. But for those of us who have sat at it, the table is an expression of love — love of good food and a deep-seated love for the dishes that have nurtured us from birth.

If you’re looking to celebrate your love over a 5-course meal that offers you an experience of Nigerian food like no other, book a seat at Ayanfe, the Atije’s special culinary pop-up for the month of February.

Express love with the chocolate packages from Chocolate Works Gourmet

What do you get when you combine ‘love’ and ‘food’ together?

Chocolate. Yes, we know that it isn’t food food, but the answer nonetheless is chocolates.

This Valentine’s day, express your love in the most creative and sweetest, most decadent,  way possible with a chocolatey-themed gift box from Chocolate Works Gourmet by Chef Oyin. And if you’re feeling a bit more festive, there is the option of adding fresh roses to your order.

Trust us, it does not get more Valentine-y than that!

Spoon Catering

It may not be a destination Valentine for you and your loved one this season, but you can explore different cultures with Spoon Catering Valentine’s menu.

From its shredded duck vegetable wrap to its goat meat & jollof rice croquettes and its charcoal buttermilk chicken roll nori mayonnaise, there is something in each plate promising an experience that transcends whatever location you would be having the meal at.

Although it says February 12^th is the last day for orders, you may check with them here to see if there would be an extension or a suitable alternative.

The post ASPIRE Velentine’s Edit: Say ‘I Love You’ with Deliciously Decadent Dishes first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

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Only recently, Emirates obtained exclusive rights to serve top champagne on its flights; specifically bubblies from Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon. This contract means that from 2023 to 2024, Emirates would be the only commercial airline offering champagnes from these brands. Dom Perignon will be served in first class across all routes globally; Veuve Clicquot will be served in business class on routes to the Americas and Europe, and, Moët & Chandon will be offered in business class on routes to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, including Australasia. Passengers in economy would also be able to purchase Moët & Chandon champagnes if they want.

No doubt, being the only airline to serve these top champagnes would increase the value of Emirates’ premium cabin. So far, Emirates has worked hard to ensure that its premium passengers enjoy the best bubblies: its Business Lounge in Dubai boasts a special Moet & Chandon bar and its unique wine cellar in France reportedly houses up to 6.5 million bottles that has allowed it to serve rare wines such as the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 Plenitude 2 on select routes.

For now, other airlines would have to contend with serving premium champagnes from other houses onboard while they work to include attractive luxury options in other categories like onboard amenity kits and even the meals served in-flight. Their wine list is no less remarkable — Qatar Airways serves Krug 2004 champagne in its first class while Etihad offers Champagne Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires 2004 in its own first class. Air France serves passengers Piper-Heidsieck 2006 Rare Millésime Champagne in its premier cabin while those in economy can enjoy a drink from the Fleur de Champagne Brut 1er Cru, the signature cuvée of a family-owned and independent wine producer since 1859.

But in the end, none of these champagnes are a Dom Pérignon or a Veuve Clicquot or even a Moët & Chandon. And having exclusive rights to serve them onboard has definitely put Emirates ahead. For now at least.

The post Emirates ups the ‘Flight Game’ with its In-Flight Exclusive Champagne Rights first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

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An Icon of Celebration since 1743

A long history of grand and festive events has made Moët & Chandon a global icon of celebration since 1743.

Served in the White House by the early 1900s and enjoyed at the coronation of Edward VII and Elizabeth II, Moët & Chandon has invited the world to create a sparkling ambience and shared unforgettable moments since its earliest years.

This holiday season will be no different: Moët & Chandon will once again deploy its legendary ‘savoir-fête’ to celebrate togetherness around the effervescence of its champagnes with spectacular lights to climax each event.

Effervescence Events around the World

The holiday season is about bringing people together to build and share memorable moments, marked by bubbles and lights. For the second year, Moët & Chandon will present a spellbinding display of illuminations and unmissable parties to share the joy of togetherness in more than 20 cities around the world.

It was a desire of Jean-Remy Moët, grandchild of the founder of the House, to make his champagne known to the globe and bring people together under its name and vibrancy. It is in the spirit of this that Moët & Chandon has put together a series of events — which started in mid-November and will end on New Year’s Eve — to celebrate the festive season around the world.

The Effervescence Events have been expertly designed to delight guests and Friends of the House and would include musical performances and entertainment, punctuated with cork-popping sounds and the joyful ‘savoir-fête’ of Moët & Chandon. The star of these exceptional gatherings is Moët Impérial, whose ability to appeal to all cultures everywhere has made it the most widely enjoyed champagne on earth. Its universal likability is the special ingredient of celebrations both grand and intimate.

Holiday Season 2022 Limited-Edition Bottle

To accompany its end-of-year festivities, Moët & Chandon is pleased to present a special 2022 Holiday Season bottle, allowing champagne lovers and collectors to take home a memento of the House’s legendary ‘savoir-fête.’

The special bottle, dubbed The Spark of Light, comes in the classic 75cl size and is dressed in a bespoke golden, cheerful firework pattern on a white background, symbolizing displays of radiance that have illuminated the most extraordinary celebrations throughout the history of Moët & Chandon.

A piece that defines a holiday table; a treat for families and friends; a treasure for passionate collectors; a new journey of adventure and discovery for those who are enjoying it for the first time, or, an appreciated detail for those who have it all: The Spark of Light is the gift transforming each gathering into a festive moment. This limited-edition bottle will be available exclusively during this year’s holiday season.

About Moët & Chandon:

Moët & Chandon was founded in 1743 by Claude Moët and elevated to international renown by his descendant, Jean-Rémy Moët, who dreamt of “sharing the effervescence of Champagne with the world.” From royal court to red carpet, Studio 54 to Grand Slams, Moët & Chandon has been bringing people together around thrilling, extraordinary moments. With the largest, most diverse vineyards in the region, the House offers a universal & versatile portfolio of champagnes for every occasion and palate. Easy to love, each creation – from the iconic Moët Impérial to the refined Grand Vintage Collection, the glamorous Moët Rosé Impérial to the refreshing Moët Ice Impérial – dazzles and delights with a broad spectrum of flavours and aromas to capture the astonishing breadth of its terroir. Through Natura Nostra, Moët & Chandon’s long-term sustainability program, the House works to protect biodiversity in the region and, since 2009, Moët & Chandon also supports philanthropic initiatives through Toast for a Cause. For nearly three centuries, Moët & Chandon has been the champagne of choice to mark both significant events in history and personal celebrations, enhancing each toast with the spark of effervescence.

The post Effervescence Events: Moët & Chandon illuminates the Holidays with Sparkling Champagne and Lights first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

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Now, the French champagne Maison has announced yet another Hotel Clicquot pop-up. The location is once again Australia, but instead of Byron Bay, the hotel will set up temporary residence in Noosa, another beachside town in Queensland.

What to expect at Hotel Clicquot Noosa

It appears that Veuve Clicquot is replicating the decor, activities and services from last year in this year’s pop-up. Guests will be welcomed by a driver once they arrive at the Sunshine Coast and driven to the hotel in a Tesla. The interior of Hotel Clicquot Noosa would feature the same bright white/yolk-yellow accents and retro-inspired touches, a theme that extends to the exterior also.

Visitors will also have the option of participating in early-morning yoga sessions, enjoying relaxing massages and spa sessions, as well as surfing lessons. But, instead of a car ride that was offered in the Byron Bay pop-up, there would be private boat cruises and a cinema experience if visitors are not up for outdoor activities.

Another new addition to the list of activities to partake in at Hotel Clicquot is a cruise along Noosa River on a kitted-out mahogany speedboat – dubbed the Clicquot Dreamboat – which will end in a bespoke picnic flowing with Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé. This would cost an additional $1000 AUD, so, should you choose to add this to your package, you would be paying $8000 AUD instead of the standard $7000 AUD per couple.

For food, expect a chef’s table experience around a fire pit with locally caught seafood for dinner. On your second night, Byron Bay chef David Moyle will helm a “garden gastronomy” degustation menu paired with La Grande Dame vintages to cap your experience at Hotel Clicquot Noosa. Breakfast will be prepared by the in-hotel private chef and guests looking to eat beyond mealtimes have the choice to order whatever they like from the hotel’s on-demand menu.

What is a champagne hotel without champagne? From the moment they step into the hotel, guests would be greeted with a glass of champagne that would go on to make appearances several times throughout the day, either at mealtimes or during a guided Champagne journey with an experienced sommelier.

How to snag a stay at Hotel Clicquot?

Since this is a pop-up as opposed to a standard hotel, bookings can only be done at specific periods of time, This year, Hotel Clicquot Noosa will be open to visitors from November 4 to 13. The first allocation of dates seems to have already been booked out but the official website has opened expressions of interest for when more dates become available.

The post The World’s Only Hotel Clicquot pops up for the Second Time in Australia first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

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The study that made the discovery

Xiaying Li, a researcher at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, alongside his colleagues, reviewed 19 studies, which included more than 1 million adults across 8 countries. They found out that the more cups of tea a person consumed daily, the more benefits they recorded. For example, participants in the study who drank one to three cups daily had a 4% drop in their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Those who consumed more per day had a higher percentage drop.

In a separate study published in August, researchers found that drinking two or more cups of black tea per day lowered the overall risk of death by 9% to 13% among 498,000 people in the U.K. during a 14-year period, as compared with those who drank no tea. The study also found a link between drinking multiple cups of tea per day and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

Are all teas equal then?

Short answer: yes.

The researchers believe that the polyphenols they contain, which are naturally-occurring compounds in plants with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, are the reason why tea can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and even heart disease and stroke.

Since all teas — with the exception of decaffeinated teas — have polyphenols, then it does not matter what type you choose to have: as long as you’re taking several cups daily, you are sure to reap its benefits.

But, if you are really particular, then the Wush Wush green tea which originates from Ethiopia has the highest polyphenol content. But, we cannot all have access to this type, so really, whether you love black tea, green tea, or oolong, at least 3 cups a day can help keep diabetes (type II) at bay.

Does it matter how you have your tea?

Maki Inoue-Choi, PhD, a staff scientist at the National Cancer Institute told NBC News that she and her colleagues found that adding milk or sugar did nothing to reduce the health benefits of teas. She however noted that the participants tended to use those ingredients sparingly.

“The sweetened tea from the store has a lot more sugar,” she said. “We should still follow the dietary guidelines to avoid too much sugar and too much saturated fat.”

Should we all be drinking more tea then?

If you already love drinking tea, then increasing your daily dose should not be a problem. And it does not hurt to take up tea drinking as a hobby if it isn’t already a part of your lifestyle.

However, it is not mandatory. And since more research would need to be carried out to back up the conclusion of existing studies, then drinking several cups of tea a day to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and improve your overall well-being is not so much an order as it is a suggestion.

The post We may all need to ‘Spill the Tea’ for a Healthier and Diabetes-Free Life first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post We may all need to ‘Spill the Tea’ for a Healthier and Diabetes-Free Life appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

Including here in Africa. Currently, the Business Development Director for the region Africa, Middle East and Global Travel Retail for Maison Moët & Chandon, Charles de Pontevès, is touring the continent following his appointment back in March 2021. We sat down with him when he came to Lagos to learn more about the Moët & Chandon brand and why it is loved globally.

In conversation with Charles de Pontevès begins now

ALM: Is this your first time in Africa?

CdP: It’s my first time in Africa … I started to really visit Africa early this year. I tried last year, but last year, with the COVID, it was very difficult to travel. I managed to go to Dubai in November 2021, you know, which is kind of different.

But since January, I visited South Africa, I visited Ivory Coast, Kinshasa, Israel. And today, Lagos – very, very happy to be here. And I need to continue to really understand as much as I can this beautiful diversity that you have in Africa. It’s completely fascinating, and I am really enjoying that very, very much.

ALM: In your role as Business Development Director AFME & GTR for Moët & Chandon, what have you found to be most surprising so far?

CdP: The way that the brand is understood in Africa amazes me. People are completely connected, especially in Nigeria. But also … you have this very strong link between the brand and people: there is an understanding of the quality, understanding of the image. And this is really spontaneous. There is an immediate connection both with Moët & Chandon and Don Perignon.

I could see that yesterday in Lagos – each time that we had a chat with people, there is this very strong connection which for me is fantastic. And wine and food pairing, it works. History, everybody understands. Precision of the quality, everybody understands. This is amazing … and there is a fascination also about how these brands have evolved, have been created. So for me, it is a great surprise.

ALM: What inspired your career path?

CdP: At the very beginning of my professional career, I was into computers – nothing to do with wine – and I moved into champagne a bit by passion. I knew nothing, and I started in 1990 with Ruinart, which is a fantastic champagne house. And I learned really most of what I know today being on a daily basis with the serving master of Ruinart who taught me a lot about Ruinart, about champagne. And then I moved to Moet&Chandon and Don Perignon, and I continued to learn.

This world is in fact very complex and you don’t stop learning. And I believe that I really enjoyed very much discovering this world which is moving all the time, improving all the time, changing, becoming more and more complex. And it is also a world where you meet people, and I like to share, just like with you now (smiles). I really like to meet people, exchanging, sharing passion; we don’t necessarily always have the same point of view, but it is a world where you’re really connecting a lot.

ALM: Is there anything you still do not know about the brand?

CdP: Oh yes, there are so many things!

First of all thanks to … well, I think it’s good news for you. I am fortunately not in charge of making a bottle of wine. (we laugh) It is extremely complex. You have the choice of the grapes, how do you analyse them, then how do you blend them, Each step of the process is very technical, you know, up to the end of the process, where you’re adding a little dosage … and all that. These steps are very, very precise, and you need to be an expert to make that happen.

On the sales side, I am a little bit more knowledgeable; on the marketing side as well. But even so, I continue to learn every day. Today, for example, we’re very much into sustainability. We’re really paying attention on making sure that our soils are as clean as possible. We did not know 20 years ago that when we were adding products, fertilisers, sometimes it was not a good idea. Today we know that what we have done in the past sometimes was not really optimal.

For example, today, we’re putting ‘vertes’ between our vines – grass. Why? Because we discovered that the grass reduces the evaporation of the water and also grass reduces the erosion. Many of our vineyards are on slopes and 90% of our own vineyards today are [covered] with grass. Of course, we need to work a bit more in order to ensure that the grass is not growing to eat too much of the food which is for our vineyard.

This is a recent discovery and we keep discovering new things. And I think that as long as all the people on our team continue to be passionate, we will progress, slowly, but we will progress.

ALM: Which of the Moët-Hennessy brands would be the best for a new convert?

CdP: Ehrrr, Moët &Chandon (we laugh)

And now, I am going to explain to you why. Moët &Chandon … the vision of Moët &Chandon is to propose champagne for every palate and every moment of consumption. So, in fact, the number of qualities that we have is extremely large. It goes from Moët Imperial which is a fantastic brut, but it is a brut which is very versatile, very easy to drink. Because we are blending one-third, one-third, one-third basically – chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot Meunier – and as a result, the champagne is not aggressive, it is very round, it is very smooth when you drink it. It has some aromas – white flowers, citrus notes – but you can drink it for brunch, you can drink it during your lunch, you can drink it for an aperitif, you can drink it at night. You’ll never have a headache with Moet Imperial. And if you like this brut style, it’s very very nice. It is not too rough, we don’t put too much pinot noir, we don’t put too much chardonnay which is another style. So it’s a very approachable quality [drink].

If you have a sweet tooth, you have Nectar Imperial with the dosage which is different. The notes that you will get are very much into tropical fruit notes like the pineapple, the mango, this direction. It is a completely different experience, but, if you like this kind of taste, it covers this palate. And Nectar Imperial is fantastic with spicy food. So, if you enjoy spicy food, you will enjoy Nectar Imperial.

This is why I am suggesting Moët & Chandon. You have the Rose Imperial, you have the Grand Vintage, you have Ice Imperial – if you prefer to enjoy champagne on ice, you take a bottle of Ice Imperial, you add 3 ice cubes and then you will still get also a different experience.

ALM: If you were not doing this, what would you be doing?

CdP: I’ve tried always to do something where I was passionate. And I am really passionate now with champagne, you know, it has been quite a long time. So, to quit champagne, I don’t know. I’ll probably continue to move in the direction of the wines, because I find that there is really a lot to still discover, both in Europe where we are producing wines — but we’re changing as well the way that we are approaching wines — and also in the new world wines. There are fantastic opportunities, so I don’t know.

Otherwise, computers, why not? Because you know, I was not bored, I just wanted to discover a new world, But I believe that my first direction would be wines or perhaps hospitality because I also enjoy very much meeting people, sharing passions … You’re helping me discover what I could do next! (we laugh)

ALM: What are the 3 largest misconceptions about your job?

CdP: I would say that because we’re always sharing, enjoying celebratory moments, perhaps, sometimes, we give the impression that this is an easy job. And also, we’re always having a good mood, we smile, we laugh and this is normal because the moment is one of celebration. In reality, I believe we are also very precise, very serious, and that is something that people don’t necessarily see. On the other hand, I think – who said that? – the people who never smile are not necessarily serious people. So, we like to do very, very well: we’re passionate about what we do, but we do it with a smile.

We can be perceived probably sometimes as a bit artificial? Then, there is a second dimension of which we are very careful. This is the link with the alcohol. You can enjoy our champagnes without being drunk. As a consequence … we don’t want young people especially to become drunk. So we have lots of programmes to educate our younger ones. We do that through hotel schools, but also through lectures in universities or écoles or schools in order to explain that you can really enjoy your bottle of wine, your bottle of Don Perignon with really one glass, two glasses…

And we organise radio rallies, presentations, lectures[and] tastings with these young ones in order to educate them. We also organise events in sometimes nightclubs. We educate as well, we distribute tests [breathalyser] to check if you can drive or not. And there is internally … we have a lot of control … because we really don’t want to associate our champagnes … we don’t want to associate our brands with exaggeration, consumption exaggeration.

And then, there’s perhaps a third point, since you asked me [for] three points. There is a perception that when you are a large champagne house like Moët & Chandon, it is a bit less qualitative. And in reality, in champagne, because of the fact that the vineyard is very much north, one harvest, we’re going to have fantastic grapes in this piece of vineyard, but the next harvest is going to be a disaster.

So, in order to really have a very high quality consistent year after year, you need to have supply from many, many different vineyards in champagne. And the larger the champagne house, the better. This is why we can achieve this quality with this volume because we have this very, very large source of supply. Either through our own vineyards – and then we own about 50% of what all the champagne houses own. The champagne appellation, it is 35,000 hectares. All champagne houses together own about 3,000 hectares, 10%. We own 1,200hectares, almost 50% of the total champagne houses. This is huge, you know. And when you add the vineyards owned by Veuve Cliquot, which is our first cousin, we are more than 50%, because Veuve Cliquot owns 450 hectares roughly.

So, as a group, we are really extremely strong with our vineyards, and we are actually showing the champagne region how to improve the culture of our vineyards because we are sharing of course, what we are discovering with everyone. So, to be big in champagne is a great advantage. And that is not necessarily understood because very often … you know sometimes small is beautiful, this is what we keep in mind very often. In champagne, it is not the case.

ALM: There have been lots of partnerships between luxury brands recently. If you were to pick an African luxury brand to collaborate with any of your own brands, which would you go with?

CdP: Nigeria (But what brand in Nigeria?) Nigeria is a brand (laughs) Nigeria is a fantastic brand: Nigeria and Nigerians. When I look at all the fantastic things you’re doing in Nigeria and outside Nigeria: I mean you have so many fantastic talents. There is a lot of creativity. And this is probably what also helps connecting (sic) Moët and Don Perignon with Nigeria. There is really an understanding; you have a lot of refinement in fashion. This is amazing. In cultural (sic), in art, you have a beautiful story. So all that creates wonderful touchpoints, contacts. You understand wine and food pairing intuitively.

We had a dinner yesterday evening, it was amazing… at least I enjoyed it very, very much. And so this is why I am saying Nigeria, because it goes in all directions. And you’re also extremely good in having great, young Nigerian students targeting the newest technologies. Somebody from our team recently decided to join Bitcoin technology. Fantastic, fantastic! This is why I don’t want to limit my answer to something too tiny because I would be unnecessarily restricted. This is why I said Nigeria.

ALM: How do you enjoy your champagne?

CdP: Oh, every day!

But how? I enjoy them at different times of the day with moderation. I enjoy them as an aperitif; I enjoy them by the beach; I enjoy them during lunch or dinner. And then I don’t only drink them; [but] really, I find you’re not tired. They have this style which is very nice because you can drink them on a regular basis without being tired. And I can tell you that [because] I have been 30 years in this area. So, I don’t drink them a lot, but I drink them regularly.

ALM: Do you find a difference in the way Africans consume your brand in comparison to the rest of the world?

CdP: There is more passion in Africa. There is an instinctive connection, There is a huge understanding of the complexities to produce Moët, to produce Don Perignon, and there is a huge respect behind it.

And then, there is a great connection in celebrating. With Don Perignon, [it is] a bit also a status symbol, you know, ‘I am going to have a lovely moment with my friends, I am going to celebrate something special, I take a bottle of Moët, I take a bottle of Don Perignon.’ This, in more mature countries, is not necessarily the case. There is this kind of ‘I love the brand,’ which is not necessarily as much the case in ehhrr, countries which perhaps drink Moët since longer time. (sic) There is intuitively an understanding in Africa, and in Nigeria in particular.

ALM: What are your 3 favourite African cities and why?

CdP: That’s a difficult question because in fact … before being in charge of Africa, I was in charge of France and before that, I spent 10 years in Belgium. Before that, I was in North America. So I don’t know yet very well the African continent.

I visited Johannesburg, I visited Abidjan, I visited Kinshasa and now Lagos. But, I love each of them completely, passionately. Because each time you have the history, you have the culture, you have a lot to discover. You have stars in the eyes of … or bubbles in the eyes of the people I meet, which is really energetic for me. It transmits a lot of passion and understanding of the brand. And so I want to continue to discover. And I will continue to travel a lot and come back to Nigeria. I really enjoy very much Lagos, but it is difficult for me to give you a definite answer because I need to visit more (African countries).

ALM: Do your products appeal to people as an alternative investment option?

CdP: I am sure that many people do it, especially with champagnes that you can age a bit. So the champagnes you can age are definitely Don Perignon, the Grand Vintage of Moët &Chandon. The Imperial range of Moët &Chandon is produced to be consumed in the next 3-5 years max.

But some people do … because you know, champagne is a wine I would say, ehrr … I hope that they are successful. We are producing our champagne to be consumed, I would say between 3 years for the Imperial range, up to 10-15 years for Don Perignon. It is not necessarily produced originally to be kept for a long period of time.

In fact, for a bottle of champagne, we’re taking out of the bottle just before being sold … we’re taking out the yeast, you know the sediment. So the evolution of a bottle of champagne is not like a bottle of wine. It’s going to be a lot slower, and you’re not going to gain – the ageing process is done in our cellars.

I’ll say yes, of course, you can buy some bottles; unfortunately, the price of the bottle is going up and up every year – so you can certainly capitalise a bit on that. I’ll be just careful… and I don’t want to give advice on something that I really don’t control: I am a bit careful about that.

ALM: Complete the following sentences

• I never leave home without…

CdP: Giving a huge hug to my wife.

• I never go into a meeting without…

CdP: Smiling. As I like to say… I think that if you go to a meeting with a [frown] you should cancel the meeting because you’re going to give a negative energy and it is going to be a catastrophe. So I like to transmit passion and be positive as well.

ALM: What are you doing in Nigeria for the next few days?

CdP: Oh, I have a huge program… meeting people, training, visiting as many points of sales to understand… But as it is, I am already fascinated by the way. So yea, meeting people, doing lunches, dinner, field visits, restaurants, to understand even more. Discovering also your beautiful cuisine cos I love it! I have a sensitive palate, so spices are not for me. But the chef understands so usually, they bring it down. But really, I enjoy it very much.

The post In Conversation with Charles de Pontevès, Business Development Director AFME & GTR, Moët & Chandon first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post In Conversation with Charles de Pontevès, Business Development Director AFME & GTR, Moët & Chandon appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

“What is Nigerian food exactly? I cannot say that I know. And that is the beauty of our cuisine. We have over 250 ethnic groups, and that means we have over 250 methods of cooking. It might be [that the] asaro from Ijebu is different from [the] asaro in Abeokuta. And those variations really open us up … and it also shows our similarities. We all eat native rice, we all eat zobo, (sic) we all eat asaro in different ways.”

“Nigerians, I think in some ways we can have a sense of unity but when it comes to our food, we can be a bit tribalistic. People are like, ‘Ah! Me I don’t eat amala: what is that black Yoruba food?’ You might think it is not your food, but have you tried it? Have you truly experienced it?”

I first met chef Moyo at the premier Atije Experience pop-up back in May. Like other diners, I was shocked to see everyday dishes take on new forms and different food items, that I would have sworn before that day could not be eaten together, appear on the same plate. For example, the sweet potato puree and the egusi. I have seen the odd mix – egusi and white rice, egusi and bread – but uziza-flavoured egusi and sweet potato puree? That was a definitely first, and the main reason why the Atije Experience exists.

“I think one of our primary goals is just to encourage Nigerians to enjoy our food in different ways. I think Nigerian, West African food, we kind of relegate it to home food, celebration food, but it is not like special food, it is not like fine dining,” explains chef Moyo. “It is like we can all cook rice, we can all do this, but I think it’s opening our minds – including myself – to see that Nigerian food has more potential.”

Since Awari, Ms Odunfa has gone on to host two other food tasting events – Asiri and Ajowa. For now, she is focused on these pop-ups, which happen every 4-6 weeks, rather than on opening or running a traditional restaurant. “I guess in a sense, [what I do] is not very common, but I think it is something that a lot of chefs do. Even if I were to open a restaurant, I don’t think it would be typical. I think I would still want to do like a set menu. We might have different types of set menus, maybe for different days, or maybe like lunch versus dinner … but I don’t think it will be the regular ‘oh, let’s choose something off the menu.’ I think we would still use this concept because I really enjoy doing it.”

Moyo may have fallen into some sort of routine for the culinary pop-ups at the Atije Experience, but the challenges she faces in bringing people together to discover Nigerian food in a whole new way have not abated in any way.

“Nigerians, we love our food [but] if I can just get people to come, that is usually the major [challenge]: convince people to just come. Once they come, we [can] have beautiful experiences together and … show [them] what we do. Because people can be a bit dismissive of Nigerian food like ‘Ah, we know it, we don’t want to go out and eat it.’ So, truly being able to convince people that this is a worthwhile experience for [them is] just something.”

“[In terms of putting together the menu for each experience] having to do a new menu every month can be challenging, it can be interesting, it can be exciting and balance is very key for us. And that is another thing that can be a bit tricky because … let me use Ajowa as an example. To me, I think when we think of asaro, a lot of times, we eat it with fish – smoked fish, dried fish. But initially, I wanted to do the dish with chicken because I wanted to use fish for the main course. But we had to switch that around because we realised that no, this dish is simply eaten with seafood, so we had to keep that there and change the main course to accentuate that. So, even when we start off thinking that this is what we want to do, we realise that no, there has to be balance, everything has to flow. You cannot give people a palate cleanser and then a very spicy and overpowering dessert – the palate cleanser would have had no effect at the end of the day. So, we really try and make sure that everything … makes sense even as a person is eating it.”

“[Lastly], having the faith to put out that menu actually [is another challenge we face]. Because, if I use Ajowa as an example again, the desert was zobo. And it went through so many iterations because we really tried … at the beginning, it kinda tasted like a palate cleanser because zobo can be very light, and we were thinking, ‘ok, how do we make this a dessert? Something that people would actually, you know, want to relish and it’s sweet and all that.’ And, even after the dessert was done, I wasn’t sure that it was the right thing. And people loved it! I couldn’t even believe it! So sometimes, it’s really just that courage to believe that what we’re doing is good enough. What we’re doing is worthy of being experienced. As much as I believe in Nigerian food … there’s a difference between ok I believe in Nigerian food and I believe in my own Nigerian food. Having that faith to say I am putting this out, and I am going to believe that people would enjoy it. I am going to make sure that it is good enough to be enjoyed. And I think with every menu – even menus that we have done before – sometimes it’s just to click that button to say ‘post’ that can be a daunting moment but so far so good, we’re making it work.”

But in the end, the entire process appears to be paying off on both sides. “I think people have been surprised. Sometimes when people come, they’re sceptical. And they say, ‘let’s just go, sebi it’ll be a nice time.’ [But they] are surprised at the amount of networking they have there at that long table because it can be daunting. [But] the ice actually breaks over time, and [they] are surprised that the food tastes how it tastes. Because, they think, you know, in Nigerian restaurants there is a lot of hype. There is a lot of glitz and glamour, and the food might not actually meet up to your expectations. So people are actually surprised that [the] food is actually nice, [it] tells a story and they learn. They go home with new information about Nigerian food. ‘Oh, I didn’t that that dawadawa and iru were the same. I did not know that native rice, Abakaliki rice is also the same as ofada rice but not just fermented’ So that knowledge really really makes a difference, I think.”

“I have [also] learnt a lot! I have learned the importance of having a full overview of this kind of event [which] has been really important. Because for me, I am a chef, but doing this kind of thing, I have to wear so many more hats: to be a sommelier and think about wine pairings; to be an events planner; to be logistics [manager] … everything, too many moving parts at every time and it has taught me the importance of teamwork.”

“When it comes to the kitchen, honestly speaking, it has taught me that there is really no boundaries. This last Ajowa menu, we were trying to play on ileya and ram, and we had to buy a whole ram, so that we could control the parts of the ram that we were cooking. And that for me was something I would have felt afraid of before, but once you set your mind to something, truly truly – and it might sound cliché – but you’ll do it if you have to do it and that just gives you more boldness and courage to do it another time.”

Chef Moyo may be intentional about reintroducing us to our food in ways we did not think possible, but for her, the Atije Experience is deeper than that. The Atije table is the foundation of relationships. And the success it has recorded so far has actually amazed her.

“The networking has surprised me. When people sit on a table, sometimes we’re really privileged to have someone who is like a very engaging person and just draws everybody in. I don’t know, especially Fridays, Fridays can be so … they don’t even want to listen to me talk anymore: they’re talking to each other, they’re sharing about their careers. One time, someone was even playing their song because she was like a musician. I’m so encouraged when I see everyone truly just connecting. And there was even a person who said someone was sitting opposite him at one dinner and he didn’t say a word throughout dinner and he thought ok, he didn’t really want to talk. Later on, he sent a message on LinkedIn saying, I met you here, I would like to connect. You know, and those things, they really, I don’t even know how to say it, they really bring me joy because … that thing of, we’re actually eating together. We can all sit on one table from different walks of life, different tribes, different languages, different cultures. We can all eat together and it has an effect on all of our lives afterwards.”

At the moment, chef Moyo is planning a new pop-up that is set to happen from the 23^rd to the 25^th of September. And this time, the experience is a bit special. “This time last year, we were in a competition called The Kitchen, Nigeria, and I think that was an opportunity to really test out the Atije concept in general, like in public. [Now] we’re bringing that menu back so that people that did not get to experience it then [can do so]. [We’re] bringing it back a bit better, revamping some of the recipes, rethinking them. But still bringing back the same stories and the same essence.”

“So this menu is Atije, literally the original Atije, meaning how we eat. We’re exploring in general how we eat as Nigerians … we have dishes from Calabar, dishes from the South West … things like abula, things like banga and we’re really just bringing … I think a lot of the dishes were really delicious, and we are trying to think of a way to bring it back even better and enable our guests who didn’t know about us then to try it out once again.”

Want to get a feel of what The Atije Experience is? Register for the upcoming pop-up at www.atije.com  or click on the link in the bio of the Atije Experience page on Instagram.

The post At the Atije Table, Chef Moyo Delivers an Elevated Fine Dining Experience first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post At the Atije Table, Chef Moyo Delivers an Elevated Fine Dining Experience appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.