Louis Latour Agencies

Meet the Gosset Matchmakers Judges

16 June 2022

Introducing our judges for the upcoming Gosset Matchmakers Competition.

 

Laetizia Keating, Head Chef at The Pem

Head Chef at The Pem, working with fellow judge and sommelier James Shaw, working in harmony to create everything that this competition embodies, matching the most exquisite of dishes with the greatest of wines. Keating is a Michelin-trained Chef in French cuisine, having worked at the Harwood Arms with Sally Abé, before being headhunted to join The Pem. Keating was a judge last year and being invited again is a testament to her skills and knowledge.

 

Odilon de Varine, Champagne Gosset Cellar Master

The man behind the wine being the Chef de Cave at Champagne Gosset since 2016, having been at the house for over 10 years, tasting and blending to create the most difficult of jobs in the Gosset style. De Varine, a proud Champenois, tastes hundreds of samples blind, using technical analysis to support his conclusions. Let’s see how his wines match up to the dishes this year…

 

Matthieu Longuère MS, Wine Development Manager at Le Cordon Bleu

Longuère, hailing from the land of food and wine (France), moved to England in 1994, seeing him traverse some of the finest sommelier positions the country has to offer from the five-star Lucknam Park Country House Hotel, as well as the infamous Hotel du Vin. Awarded best sommelier in the UK In 2000, became a Master Sommelier in 2005, the highest accolade for a sommelier in the world. Being the Wine Development Manager at Le Cordon Bleu means he is perfectly placed to judge in this year’s Gosset Matchmakers.

 

James Shaw, Head Sommelier at The Pem

Shaw has 16 years industry experience, ranging from cooking simple charcoaled meals on the North coast of Spain, to some of the finest 1, 2 and 3 Michelin starred establishments in the business. Wine was his calling however, and now his true love at The Pem with Sally Abé and fellow judge Laetizia Keating, focusing on what is in the glass, and offering his dinners something truly special. His ethos is in keeping it simple and serving great food with great wine.

How to enter?

Each team will be challenged to create an inspiring and innovative dish to match Gosset Grande Reserve Champagne which they will then share, by posting either a photograph or a simple video of their dish and Champagne pairing, being as creative as they would like to be, on social media, tagging #gossetmatchmakers.

 

For more, read the Harpers and Sommelier Collective articles here.