Gastronomy
Who’s cooking with who?
> One of the busiest restaurateurs in the business, Jason Atherton, signed a deal with Moët & Chandon, launching paired tasting menus in several of his London restaurants, which include City Social, Social Eating House and Hai Cenato.
> Krug hosted a £395-a-ticket festival in Hampshire last year called Into the Wild, where Argentine chef Francis Mallmann and his team used sand pits, trenches and dome-shaped frames to serve smoked and roasted meats, pairing each dish with a Champagne from the Krug portfolio.
> Earlier this year, Champagne Pommery named Sophie Michell as its chef ambassador for its English and French sparkling wine brands.
> This year Bollinger stepped up its focus on experiential marketing, working with chef Phil Howard on the launch of its 2004 R.D. cuvée. The chef created a bespoke dish (roast zander with lentils, baked celeriac and smoked eel) to pair with the Champagne that will be available at his London restaurant, Elystan Street, for a limited time, alongside a by-the-glass offer of the new R.D. cuvée.
> US chef Wolfgang Puck has long held an association with Lanson, and hosted a pop-up of his LA restaurant Spago in London last year, to which the Lanson’s owner donated 12 magnums of 1982 from his private cellar. The producer has also agreed a tie-up with French chef Jean Imbert, who will be incorporating the brand’s organic Green Label at his two-month pop-up at Disneyland Paris.
> Veuve Clicquot benefits from an understated association with multi Michelin-starred chef Joël Robuchon, who insists that the house Champagne at his restaurants be Clicquot’s Yellow Label, from magnum.
From brand ambassadors to chef ambassadors, a slew of brands, including Krug, Lanson, Pommery, Bollinger and Moët & Chandon, have, in the past year alone, aligned themselves with some of the world’s most famous culinary figures. Last year, Krug hosted a £395-a-ticket festival in Hampshire, called Into the Wild, where Argentine chef Francis Mallmann and his team used sand pits, trenches and dome-shaped frames to serve smoked, roasted and charred meats, pairing each dish with a Champagne from the Krug portfolio.
This year, Moët & Chandon confirmed a deal with chef Jason Atherton, launching tasting menus in several of his Michelin-starred London restaurants. Veuve Clicquot, meanwhile, benefits from an understated and organic association with Joël Robuchon, who insists that the house Champagne at his restaurants be Clicquot’s Yellow Label, poured from magnum no less.
Lanson has maintained an association with US chef Wolfgang Puck, who hosted a pop-up of his LA restaurant Spago in London last year, to which Lanson donated 12 magnums of 1982 from his private cellar. The producer has also agreed a tie-up with French chef Jean Imbert, who will be incorporating the brand’s organic Green Label at his two-month pop-up at Disneyland Paris.
Regardless of any renumeration gained by either party, Paul Beavis, Champagne Lanson managing director UK and international, stresses that such associations emerge because the chef has chosen a particular wine, not because they have been approached by a brand. This philosophy fits with consumers’ evolving perception of quality.
“Maybe 10 years ago it was more flashy,”says Beavis. “However, nowadays consumers want to make their choice based on an informed decision, where a combination of quality, taste and image all play a part. In hotels and restaurants the chef is the star and we, as a brand, play our part in that experience.
But the values have to be aligned, and it comes back to the understanding of what the values of both your brands are. It’s about understanding what that chef or restaurant is trying to do and working together to make the experience as enticing as possible. It is less about how big your promotion is. It’s about how the sommelier and/or chef feels about your brand so that they can talk about your Champagne in a genuine way.”
Last month, Champagne Pommery named chef and food writer Sophie Michell as chef ambassador for its English and French sparkling wine brands. Michell, who has held positions at the Michelin-starred Le Gavroche, The Greenhouse, The Lanesborough and The Embassy, is the only female chef to have become an ambassador to a Champagne house, which chimes with Pommery’s foundations: the house was founded by Louise Pommery, a pioneer of social reform, pension plans for staff, childcare and education, in 1836.
“Sophie’s passion helped her to break through barriers as a young female executive chef,” Sara Hicks, director at Champagne Pommery, says. “We see her as a role model for successful women, as well as a genius in the kitchen.”
Gastronomy has, of course, always been integral to the marketing strategy of Champagne, but the way in which that message is communicated has changed, with consumers demanding more of an experience and a more authentic interaction with a brand.
“Over the years, the main changes to our marketing strategy have not been in the message itself, but in the way we communicate and reach out to the consumer,” adds Hicks.
“The role of social media has never been more important than it is today, and when used well can be really effective in reaching one’s target markets. The role of ‘influencers’ has been an interesting development in the marketing world too, so it’s important for us to adapt and work with lines of communication that best engage with the consumer.”
Bollinger, for example, has stepped up its focus on experiential marketing this year. Having worked with Raymond Blanc and Phil Howard to support its sponsorship as the official Champagne of Royal Ascot last year, this year it has extended its partnership with Howard for the launch of its 2004 R.D. cuvée.
The chef has created a bespoke dish (roast zander with lentils, baked celeriac and smoked eel) to pair with the Champagne that will be available at his London restaurant, Elystan Street, for a limited time, alongside a by-the-glass offer of the new R.D. cuvée.
“The partnership was born out of a genuine relationship,” stresses Carfantan. “Phil’s cuisine is outstanding, and I felt it was the perfect complement to Bollinger R.D. 2004.”
