13 minute read
Guest Editors: Guy Savoy, Xavier Rousset MS
Guy Savoy: Reflecting on the Past and Anticipating the Future of Gastronomy
Guy Savoy’s story is a testament to the art of fine dining and relentless pursuit of excellence. Born 70 years ago in Nevers, France, Guy Savoy grew from the son of a gardener and a taproom owner into arguably the world’s most renowned chef. His rise in the culinary world was marked by an early apprenticeship with the legendary Troisgros brothers, a pivotal experience that shaped his approach to cooking and set the foundation for his illustrious career.
In 1980, Savoy’s culinary vision materialised into reality with the opening of his own restaurant in rue Duret, Paris. This venture not only marked the beginning of his independent journey but also heralded a new era in French cuisine. By 1985, his Parisian establishment had already earned two Michelin stars, a recognition that was a testimony to his unique culinary skills and innovative approach. The zenith of his career, however, was the coveted third Michelin star, awarded in 2002, cementing his status as a maestro in the world of haute cuisine.
Savoy’s influence, however, extends beyond the borders of France. His eponymous restaurant in Las Vegas mirrors the excellence of its Parisian counterpart, with both establishments boasting multiple Michelin stars. Savoy’s empire also includes three other restaurants in Paris, each echoing his commitment to culinary perfection. The pinnacle of Savoy’s achievements came with the prestigious title of the Best Restaurant in the World, awarded by La Liste. This is a recognition he received a remarkable five times in a row. We asked Savoy for his thoughts on the current and future state of the hospitality industry.
ASI: 2023 was the first year of uninterrupted business due to a pandemic since 2019. How long will it be before the industry fully recovers? Will it?
Guy Savoy (GS): The foodservice sector has been hit hard, with restaurants remaining closed for extended periods for almost two years. Fortunately, we’ve been “fed” by aid. However, young and indebted restaurants are recovering with difficulty, or not at all.
Our sector has suffered in another way, one that is less often mentioned: the training of cooks and waitstaff. Those I call our students. Ours are not professions learned from books or online, but by practicing and observing. A two-year break from an apprenticeship has had enormous impact. Many young people destined for the hospitality industry have been unable to learn these trades and have therefore turned their backs on them. People are crying about the shortage of staff, but those of chefs and restaurateurs know exactly why this has happened.
ASI: The post-pandemic global economy has recently faced many challenges. What impact have these economic fluctuations had on the hospitality world, and on your restaurants in particular?
GS: From this point of view, the consequences of the pandemic and its aftermath were quite different. Indeed, the deprivation of all leisure activities, of all conviviality, of all the “good things in life”, created such frustration that, when the doors reopened, we witnessed an unbridled desire to rediscover all these pleasures. So, as soon as the restaurant reopened, the reservation book filled up and we couldn’t even satisfy all the requests, which far exceeded the physical capacity of our restaurant.
We didn’t make any changes to the way we received our guests, and the menu continued to change with each season, as always, because what our guests really wanted was to rediscover everything they had to give up.
ASI: Sustainability is a growing concern worldwide. Could you tell us how this trend has influenced your restaurant operations and sourcing practices?
GS: Sustainability is intrinsic to our business. In our restaurants there is no plastic. Everything is made of sustainable and/or recyclable materials: porcelain, ceramics, glass, cotton; no packaging. Everything is served on the spot. There is no waste. Everything is consumed. At least almost all of it. When it comes to produce, there is minimal transportation. Our suppliers are 90 per cent French, and most local. We serve no proteins raised using intensive breeding methods
I deeply believe that restaurants are the last civilised places on the planet.
or vegetables grown in heated greenhouses. Our producers work according to the ancestral practices of their terroir, which is also a guarantee of the protection of their biodiversity. For us, the carbon balance is not just balanced; it shows a strong surplus for the benefit of nature!
ASI: Have consumers changed because of technology?
GS: Yes, consumers are much better informed thanks to our presence on social networks, podcasts, and websites. They are informed in real time all over the world. It’s why we now have Thai, Filipino, Indonesian, Taiwanese, and Korean guests, for example, in our restaurants. These are nationalities we’ve never had visit us before. Thanks to the awareness technology brings, they come to us to discover our art of living. We show them the true face of French gastronomy, and that is something we know how to do!
ASI: What, if any, technological innovations have you incorporated into your restaurants?
GS: I believe that too much technology is detrimental to conviviality. A restaurant is a place where you are surrounded by attention, where your slightest desire is satisfied, even anticipated, by the men and women who are there to make your experience a moment of total happiness for one, two, three hours or more. I deeply believe that ‘restaurants are the last civilised places on the planet.’
ASI: What are your forecasts for the next twelve months as it regards consumer habits, wine trends and the restaurant industry in general?
GS: If I knew what was going to happen tomorrow, I’d do it today!
If I knew what was going to happen tomorrow, I’ll do it today!
Xavier Rousset MS: A Master Sommelier’s Vision of the Present and Future of the Restaurant Industry
Xavier Rousset’s journey into the world of wine and hospitality began at the young age of 16, sparked by a visit to a winery in Collioure. His early fascination with wine deepened when he came across an article about the renowned sommelier Gérard Basset, founder of Hotel Du Vin. Seizing the opportunity, Rousset reached out to Basset for a summer job, marking the start of a remarkable career spanning over two decades. At just 23, he achieved the title of Master Sommelier, becoming the youngest ever to do so. Rousset’s early experience included prestigious stints at the Hotel du Vin in Bristol and the two Michelinstarred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons with Chef Raymond Blanc.
Rousset’s innovative approach led to the creation of TRADE, the hospitality industry’s firstever private members’ club, later transformed into a comprehensive digital app offering a range of benefits for the hospitality community.
In 2007, Rousset launched his first venture, Texture, which earned a Michelin Star, followed by the 28-50 Wine Bars in 2010. His ventures didn’t stop there. He continued to make his mark in the industry with roles as a judge on key panels and as a teacher with the Court of Master Sommeliers. 2015 saw the opening of Blandford Comptoir in Marylebone and Comptoir Café & Wine in Mayfair. The following year, he partnered with Gearoid Devaney to open Cabotte.
Rousset’s innovative approach led to the creation of TRADE, the hospitality industry’s first-ever private members’ club, later transformed into a comprehensive digital app offering a range of benefits for the hospitality community. Continuing his entrepreneurial journey, Rousset recently opened The Black Book, a wine bar in Soho, and Old Brompton, a wine and cheese bar in South Kensington. In this interview with ASI, Rousset shares his insights on emerging trends in the wine and hospitality industry, drawing from his extensive experience and innovative ventures.
ASI: How did your time with Gérard Basset inspire you?
Xavier Rousset (XR): When I was 18, I was completing my A-levels, and considering going the wine industry. At the time the quickest way was through restaurants and hotels. At the same time my mom showed me an article in the local paper, about this man Gérard Basset doing very well at Hotel du Vin in the UK (United Kingdom). He was from a small place in France, like me, and doing incredibly well as sommelier. My mom said to me, ‘why don't you write to him to spend a month in England?
So, I did. One night, he called me in France, and he said, ‘okay, you can come for a month.’ This was August 1997. After that time with Gérard, I was hooked. I loved Gerard, I loved the wine. I loved everything. It was amazing.
ASI: You had a lot of success early in your career. What accounts for your personal drive?
XR: There was so much energy around me during my time at Hotel du Vin. This led me to take exam and do wine competitions and keep learning about wine. When I got my MS (Master Sommelier) and UK Sommelier of the Year title I was very young. It took me 10 years to open my own place, in 2007. I was only 28, which meant I was young, crazy, and naive enough to open a restaurant. I'm not sure I would do it again, but I don't regret it. Let's put it this way. It was more trying to prove to myself, at the time, I could do it. From then on it was just one target after another. Now I have six locations in London.
ASI: 2023 is the first year where we really haven't had the pandemic interruptions, since 2019. How long is it, do you think, before the industry fully recovers from its impact? Will it?
XR: It will take some time. I think, fundamentally, the global restaurant scene has changed permanently. There is a global staffing crisis, which is a direct result of COVID. As result, people changed their work lives and lifestyles. Restaurants won’t ever be the same. For our restaurants in London, for example, we've changed opening hours, and number of days we are open to accommodate as a way of adapting, the best can to this new reality. As for the question of have we as an industry recover. The answer is ‘not yet.’
ASI: Has the consumer changed?
XR: I don’t think so. Once we reopened customers were so happy and grateful, we returned. They’ve been very positive and supportive. I think their behaviors have returned to normal lately, and they are still being supportive, despite the impacts of rising prices because of inflation. I'm grateful that they still go out and spend money in our restaurants.
ASI: As a sommelier are you seeing any changes in what wines consumers order?
XR: They like biodynamic, but hat's been a trend for quite some time now. We are seeing a lot more interested in local wines, especially English sparkling wines. And I think people love the fact that they are local, often made within a 50-mile radius of the restaurant. There are quite a few restaurants now using as many local ingredients as possible which has a positive impact on our carbon footprint. This is great news.
ASI: How is technology playing a role in restaurants?
XR: It’s been massive. Customers are increasingly knowledgeable about wine, cocktails, and spirits. We are having more in-depth conversations with our guests about the specifics of producers, vintages, and the people behind the products we serve, which also includes our food offerings. This makes staff training more important, as this expansion of knowledge, because of technology, keeps us on our toes. It’s positive as it pushes staff to be knowledgeable and forces them to stay current.
ASI: Are you incorporating technology in other ways in your restaurants?
XR: We are considering switching to iPad wine lists instead of the traditional printed list, but we haven't crossed that bridge yet. Technology like this, and use of QR codes, was more relevant during COVID, but personally I am slightly old-fashioned when it comes to our wine lists. I prefer an old-fashioned wine list instead of some wireless version. There is an also a danger of relying too much on technology. I think having customers talk with their sommelier, and waiters is important. Watching their eyes open up when they talk about a specific wine, or a dish brings a lot of value to hospitality experience.
ASI: What trends will be driving the wine lists of 2024?
XR: I’ll be a bit boring here as we've been talking for a few months, even years, about the same things. It will be wines with higher acidity, less oak, and less alcohol. This applies not just to new cool climate regions, but this is also a trend we are witnessing in Spain, Australia, South Africa, and California, for example. There is not specific grape, like in the past, driving the trend. What is trendy is a great drinkability. Customers are now willing to experiment up to a point. If the customer is spending over 100 pounds per bottle, they don’t want to risk it on something they don't really know. Less than that and they are happy to experiment. This has allowed me to put on some different crazy wines by the glass at time, such as a sweet wine from Romania, or a Chinese Cabernet. By the glass programmes are great ways to introduce consumers to these new styles because it allows them to try them without committing to a full bottle.
ASI: Perfect. Finally, did you create the TRADE app?
XR: Prior to COVID we opened a hospitality members club in a basement in Soho, London. It was designed as a place to welcome hospitality staff hours. COVID kicked in, and then we realised it was going to be tough. The space is now called Black Book, which is open to the public. Following COVID, we took spirit of TRADE and transitioned it into, a digital world. Basically, how it works is it allows trade to get discounts and special offers, when you go out.
