By Robert Giorgione on October 16, 2012
Back in 1997, if it weren’t for my passion for wine and a chance encounter with the legendary Thierry Tomasin, then I may not have made the decision to become a professional sommelier. At the time, I was part of the management team at Oxo Tower Restaurant on London’s South Bank and Thierry was the [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Videos | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Angelus, Book, Chef, Court of Master Sommeliers, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Interviews, La Tante Claire, Le Gavroche, Oxo Tower, Pierre Koffmann, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Sommeliers Club of Great Britain, Thierry Tomasin, Videos, wine blogs |
By Robert Giorgione on July 2, 2012
As it’s the first Monday of the month, it’s time for my regular blog post – an article entitled“An Interview with…”. This may be a fellow sommelier, a chef, restaurateur, winemaker, blogger or person from within the wine and hospitality industry. It will enable you to catch a glimpse from ‘behind the scenes’ into someone’s [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, Brett Graham, Dawn Davies, eBook, Enomatic machines, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Interviews, Nobuko Okamura, Philip Howard, Pierre Koffmann, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Selfridges, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, The Ledbury, The Square, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wonderbar |
By Robert Giorgione on March 16, 2012
I would just like to make it clear that this blog article is a little different and much longer than my usual scribblings. Hence, I have split it up into nice, easy to digest, bite-sized chunks. Essentially, it is a ‘snapshot’ of a day in the life of a sommelier. This is the fifth and [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Sommelier Stories | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Anthony Bourdain, Book, Chef, Court of Master Sommeliers, Customer Service, Danny Meyer, eBook, Fifth Floor, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gary Vaynerchuk, Hospitality, Kitchen Confidential, Orrery, Oxo Tower, Pierre Koffmann, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Ronan Sayburn, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tom Cannavan, Union Square Cafe, Waiter Rant, wine blogs |
By Robert Giorgione on March 6, 2012
I would just like to make it clear that this blog article is a little different and much longer than my usual scribblings. Hence, I have split it up into nice, easy to digest, bite-sized chunks. Essentially, it is a ‘snapshot’ of a day in the life of a sommelier. This is the fourth part and [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Sommelier Stories | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Anthony Bourdain, Book, Chef, Court of Master Sommeliers, Customer Service, eBook, Fifth Floor, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Hospitality, Kitchen Confidential, La Tante Claire, Orrery, Oxo Tower, Pierre Koffmann, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Waiter Rant, wine blogs |
By Robert Giorgione on February 25, 2012
I would just like to make it clear that this blog article is a little different and much longer than my usual scribblings. Hence, I have split it up into nice, easy to digest, bite-sized chunks. Essentially, it is a ‘snapshot’ of a day in the life of a sommelier. This is the third part and [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Sommelier Stories | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Anthony Bourdain, Book, Chef, Court of Master Sommeliers, Customer Service, eBook, Fifth Floor, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Hospitality, Kitchen Confidential, La Tante Claire, Orrery, Oxo Tower, Pierre Koffmann, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Waiter Rant, wine blogs |
By Robert Giorgione on October 22, 2011
Food and wine matching by Roving Sommelier Here is a hearty recipe, which was given to me by a friend and former boss. It’s a kind of dish which is very enjoyable, especially when the weather starts to get colder. But also the recipe does not require too much technicality, nor a long list of ingredients. However, before we get stuck into the [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Recipes, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Book, Cambridge Road, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, La Tante Claire, Martinborough, Ox Cheeks, Pierre Koffmann, Recipes, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Syrah, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on October 30, 2010
I have admired chef Bruno Loubet for many years. In fact, he has been one of my favourites ever since he had his eponymous restaurant originally in Soho many years ago. He was a culinary protege of the great Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire. Once Bruno had established his own place and his reputation [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Videos, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Bistrot Bruno Loubet, Book, Bruno Loubet, Chef, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, La Tante Claire, Pierre Koffmann, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, The Zetter Hotel, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on October 4, 2010
Each Monday, I will post an article entitled “An interview with…”. This may be a fellow sommelier, a chef, restaurateur, winemaker, blogger or person from within the wine and hospitality industry. It will enable you to catch a glimpse from ’behind the scenes’ into someone’s life, to listen to what they have to say and to start [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, Camille Koffmann, Chef, eBook, food blogs, Interviews, La Tante Claire, Pierre Koffmann, Recipes, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, wine blogs |
By Robert Giorgione on May 15, 2010
It is typical for most restaurants within London, especially the more ‘high-profile’ ones to have a few days of ‘soft openings’. Usually, it is an opportunity for friends, family, perhaps even work colleagues, and, of course, the usual suspects of restaurant critics doing the rounds to experience the food, wine, service and hospitality. Having been involved [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged Alexis Gauthier, An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gauthier Soho, La Tante Claire, Pierre Koffmann, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roberto della Pietra, Roussillon, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on May 14, 2010
I have known William Curley for a few years now. In fact, we were both alumni of the great chef Pierre Koffmann at his gastronomic temple La Tante Claire in London. However, whereas William worked as pastry chef for him in the 1990′s, I was the head sommelier between 2000 and 2002. Thus, we never actually [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Product Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Belgravia, Book, Chef, Chocolate, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gewurztraminer, Hallgarten Druitt, La Tante Claire, Marsala, Moscato, Muscat, Pierre Koffmann, Port, Recipes, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Suzue Curley, Tasting Notes, William Curley, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting |
By Robert Giorgione on January 19, 2010
Food and wine matching by Roving Sommelier On a very cold and windy January Monday afternoon, in between a busy day of wine tastings, I sauntered through the back streets of Belgravia along to William Curley’s eponymous chocolate shop on Ebury Street in Belgravia. It was a wonderful opportunity to take a little bit of a [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Recipes, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Anton Edelmann, Belgravia, Book, Chocolate, Chocolate Truffles, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Hot Chocolate, La Tante Claire, Marco Pierre White, Pierre Koffmann, Raymond Blanc, recipe, Recipes, Richmond, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Savoy Hotel, Sommelier Stories, Suzue Curley, William Curley, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting |
By Robert Giorgione on December 15, 2009
Food and wine matching by Roving Sommelier This is a recipe for Pierre Koffmann’s roast pheasant with Brussels sprouts and chestnuts. My old mentor very kindly gave me this delicious and traditional recipe. Who says the turkey has to rule at Christmas or Thanksgiving? Cooking time: 10 mins to prepare, 40 mins to cook. Ingredients: [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Recipes, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, Clos Ste Anne, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gisborne, James Millton, La Tante Claire, Millton Vineyard, Naboth's Vineyard, New Zealand, Pheasant, Pierre Koffmann, Pinot Noir, recipe, Recipes, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on November 24, 2009
During its final week on the roof top at Selfridges, I went to the restaurant of my former boss Pierre Koffmann. However, a little-known fact I wish to share with you is that chefs (and former Koffmann culinary university alumni) Eric Chavot and Bruno Loubet were in the kitchen working solidly for the past two [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, Bruno Loubet, Chef, Claude Lamarche, eBook, Eric Chavot, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Helena Puolakka, La Tante Claire, Pierre Koffmann, Pop Up Restaurant, Raphael Duntoye, Recipes, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Selfridges, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tom Aikens, Tom Kitchin, William Curley, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on October 14, 2009
It was a Friday lunch in November 1996. This moment stood out for me and eventually became the turning point in my gastronomic education. Up until then, almost every time I ventured up from my home city of Bristol to London, the coach drove me up Royal Hospital Road to Victoria station. I always looked [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, Bruno Loubet, Chef, Claude Lamarche, eBook, Eric Chavot, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gordon Ramsay, Helena Puolakka, Jason Atherton, Julian Robinson, La Tante Claire, Marco Pierre White, Mark Askew, Oxo Tower, Paul Rhodes, Pierre Koffmann, Pop Up Restaurant, Raphael Duntoye, Recipes, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Selfridges, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tom Aikens, Tom Kitchin, William Curley, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
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