On 14th September 2021, we hosted the final of Gosset Matchmakers 2021 at Le Corton Bleu’s Cord restaurant.
Not only did the finalists have to present their dish to match with either Grande Reserve Brut NV or Grand Blanc de Blancs NV, but they also had to create a second dish to match with Gosset’s Grand Millésime 2012 with a mystery box of ingredients on the day.
The winners were: Matthew Davison and Adam Eyre from Fischers, Baslow Hall, Derbyshire with their dish of Hand-dived Orkney scallop with nori salt, baked celeriac, fermented ceps, XO sauce, umeboshi furikake paired with Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs NV. They have won a magnum each of Champagne Gosset Grand Blanc de Blanc Brut, as well as a 3-day trip to Champagne as guests of Champagne Gosset. They will visit the chateau and vineyards, tour the cellar and get a masterclass in blending and tasting with the chef de cave, Odilon de Varine.
Pictured: Matthew Davison and Adam Eyre from Fischers, Baslow Hall with Julien Cointreau, Director at Champagne Gosset and their winning scallop dish (Tucker Images).
The other finalists were:
Lucy Meza-Ortega and Sammy Benouhoud from 67 Pall Mall.
Their dish of Champagne-infused jelly with lime zest and a touch of lavender flower, crème patissiere infused with apricot, robed with honey, apricot and a smoked thyme coulis was paired with Gosset Grand Blancs de Blancs NV.
Vic Watkins and Emily-Rose Lucas from The Creameries.
A take on a gateau Breton with a brown butter biscuit base, prunes cooked in manzanilla and irish sheeps’ cheese ice cream was match to Gosset Grande Reserve Brut NV.
Emeline Gigaud and Francesco di Flumeri from Sketch
Their dish of Trompe l’oeil of Granny Smith apple poached in oyster and champagne dressing, scallops coral foam with blanc de blancs jelly was paired with Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs NV.
Emily Klomp and Seri Nam from Where The Light Gets In
Onion and scallop entrail sauce, emulsified with butter, soy and plum wine, topped with hawthorn oil, pickled samphire, sea purslane and maromi was matched with Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs NV.
Our thanks to the judges this year:
Svetoslav Manolev MS, Head Sommelier at 67 Pall Mall; Mathieu Longuere MS, Wine Director at Cordon Bleu; Louise Gordon, Head of Wine and Bars at Heckfield Place; Laetizia Keating, Head Chef at The Pem; Julien Cointreau, Director at Champagne Gosset and Will Oatley, Managing Director at Louis Latour Agencies.
Since 2016, Champagne Gosset has supported emerging talent in restaurants by offering chefs and sommeliers with less than 5 years experience in the trade the chance to showcase their skills and win a trip to Champagne.
Previous winners include:
For more information, please contact Rebecca Fraser from Louis Latour Agencies.
In the press: