Pure Inspiration • 110 Approachable Sophistication • 114 Shared Philosophy

Fresh clementine supremes, clementine sorbet, French meringue, cream parfait, and tuile 精选小柑橘、柑橘雪葩、 法式蛋白霜、奶油芭菲与脆饼 Fabien Vergé

灵感极简 可能无限 pure inspiration

Épure’s chef de cuisine finds modern ways to coax French flavors to new heights.

FABIEN VERGÉ only discovered his passion for the culinary arts as a teenager, when his father packed him off to help out at a friend’s restaurant in Alba, Italy. After three months of dutifully learning the ins and outs of various sections of the kitchen, it was Vergé himself who asked to stay on. “I was inspired by the way some chefs like Michel Guérard and Michel Bras talk about vegetables and other products,” he says. “They could take something like a clementine and BY clearly envision its transformation to the goal. They could MAMIE CHEN see what they were doing like this every day, and I thought I • could be that kind of person.” PHOTOGRAPHY BY Vergé went on to train under Yannick Alléno at three- SAMANTHA SIN Michelin-starred Le Meurice and then helmed his own Michelin-starred Taipei restaurant, La Cocotte. Now he joins Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred Épure as its newly appointed chef de cuisine. There, by starting with products and ingredients that speak to him, he daily demonstrates his ability to draw inspiration from the world around him and take those ingredients into unexplored territory. The

Fabien Vergé 在青少年时期，被父亲送去友人 在意大利阿尔巴的餐厅帮忙，因而发现了自己 对餐饮艺术的热情。整整三个月里，Fabien 于 厨房各部门勤恳学习，并提出了留任的要求。他 回想：「我深受 Michel Guérard 和 Michel Bras 等主厨对于鲜蔬食材及其他农产品 的热诚所启发，他们只需拿起一颗 小柑橘，便能清楚预见它蜕变为目 标菜式的过程。他们对自己每天的 工作如此了若指掌，我也想成为那 样的人。」 Fabien 之后于米其林三星餐厅 Le Meurice 拜师于 Yannick Alléno 门下，并在台 北开设米其林星级餐厅 La Cocotte。如今，他亦 以新任主厨的身份，加入香港米其林星级法式餐 厅 Épure。 在餐厅里，他选用认可的农产品与食材，

Blue lobster, carabinero, Hokkaido scallop, Périgord truffle, caviar, onion confit, leek, sea asparagus, marbled kombu sheet 蓝龙虾、西班牙红虾、 北海道干贝、黑松露、 鱼子酱、油封洋葱、 韭葱、海芦笋与石纹昆布

chef’s remarkable dessert of fresh clementine supremes, clementine sorbet, French meringue, cream parfait, and tuile shows off a broad range of textures, from pulpiness to chewiness to creaminess to crispiness. But the dish’s flavor profile remains purely and simply focused on the clementine. According to Vergé, three one-word concepts encompass his philosophy. “The first,” he explains, “is essentiel, which means less is more. I like to get to the point of the dish, usually with a maximum of three flavors. Here, even the edible flower garnishes have a green and fresh citrus flavor that elevates the clementines.” The remaining concepts are partage, which involves diners sharing and connecting over food, and voyager, which embraces the idea of traveling, looking around, and taking inspiration from experience. Vergé cites a historic illustration of voyager found in the white beans that are featured in classic French cassoulet. The original dish, he points out, was made with fava beans until white beans were introduced to Europe from South America and innovatively incorporated into the traditional dish. In that spirit, Vergé notes that while French cuisine typically adds beans to savory dishes, Asian cuisines commonly use sweet bean pastes in desserts, and so it would be entirely possible for a future Épure dessert to feature white beans. “Ultimately,” he says, “we’re a French restaurant and we focus on French food. But then again, if we find something that fits, and if it’s interesting, we do love to play and have a bit of fun.”

汲取各地的灵感并大展身手，探索食材未知的潜 力。主厨引以为傲的甜点 – 精选小柑橘、柑橘雪葩、 法式蛋白霜、奶油芭菲与脆饼 – 展现出各式口感， 或软糯、或嚼劲、或绵滑、或酥脆，应有尽有， 然而这道甜点的焦点依然放在小柑橘上。 Fabien 透露，他的厨艺哲学围绕着三个核心 概念。他说道：「首先，是『本质』，少即是多。 我喜欢精确展现菜式的核心，通常呈现不多于三 种味道。在这道甜点里，即使用以装饰的食用花朵， 也带有清鲜的味道，足以提出小柑橘的风味。」其 他两个概念分别是「分享」，让宾客透过分享餐点 以使感情加温 ; 以及「追寻」，鼓励旅行，游历四方， 并从环游世界的见闻中汲取灵感。 为说明「追寻」，Fabien 以法国乡村经典名 菜「卡酥莱砂锅」里的白腰豆为例。他指出，这 道菜的原始食谱使用的是蚕豆，而当白腰豆从南 美洲引进欧洲后，便被巧妙地运用在这道传统菜 肴之中。 Fabien 由此推理，既然法式菜肴经常选用豆 类制作咸食料理，而亚洲料理则常在甜点里采用 甜味的豆馅，Épure 将来的甜点出现白腰豆的身影， 也算是顺水推舟，合情合理。 他表示：「说到底，我们是一家法式餐厅，主 要提供法国菜，但若找到了合适的食材且能做出 很多新变化，我们当然乐于尝试、发挥创意。」

Guillaume Brochard 蒋伯怡

DAVE MARCO

亲民贵族 approachable sophistication

Guillaume Brochard is known as an accomplished entrepreneur who in 2004 cofounded high-end jewelry brand Qeelin. Recently, he leveraged his years of experience with luxury goods to create G. Brochard, his distinctive brand of fine French wines personally selected to suit every occasion. Brochard speaks to TK about his journey. § 蒋伯怡（Guillaume Brochard）是位成功的企业家，他与合伙人在2004年共同 创立高级珠宝品牌 Qeelin。最近他凭借在奢华商品方面积累下来的经验，创立了卓越的法国葡萄酒 品牌 G.Brochard 柏弈，一系列由他亲自严选的葡萄酒可满足不同饮用场合的需求。蒋先生与TK分 享了他创业路上的心路历程。

How did your deep connection with Chinese culture come about? My parents were fascinated by China and my childhood was filled with stories about it. I studied history with a focus on China and then worked in the region for many years. I thought the future of luxury was in China and identified the market that was the least branded – jewelry – and then launched Qeelin.

And how about your interest in the wine business? Every French person has a connection to wine in one way or another. Wine culture is family culture in France – wine was part of conversation at home from when we were very young. And my family spent holidays in the Champagne region when I was a kid.

What prompted your shift from jewelry to wine? Even when I was working in jewelry, I was a wine lover. And when I sold the jewelry business, I decided I was too young to retire. It didn’t take me long to decide on wine, since it had been a passion for many years. It fits my lifestyle – I live between China and France, and wine is a good excuse to travel. I like big cities but I also like the countryside, and wine is made in the countryside but sold in big cities. 您是如何建立与中国文化的深厚渊源？

我的父母很喜欢中国，所以我的童年里充斥着 各种关于中国的故事。我专研中国史，并在内地工 作多年。我认为，中国是奢华商品未来的主要市场， 并在市场调查后发现珠宝品牌相当具有开发潜力， 继而决定创立 Qeelin 珠宝。

您是如何开始对经营葡萄酒行业有兴趣？

葡萄酒与法国人的关系几乎密不可分。在法国， 葡萄酒文化可说是家庭文化。从小以来，在家中谈 起葡萄酒已是家常便饭，我小时候也常和家人在香 槟区度假。

是什么原因促使您从珠宝业转战葡萄酒？

我从事珠宝工作时就是个葡萄酒爱好者，卖掉 珠宝品牌时也还未到退休的年纪。我这么多年来都 对葡萄酒充满热爱，因此我很快就决定了要转行从 事葡萄酒业。因为经营葡萄酒，成就了我最向往的 生活方式，让我能在中国与法国两地奔走，有机会 到处旅游。不论是生活在大城市或农村，我都很喜 欢，而葡萄酒正是在农村生产再销往各大城市。

COURTESY OF GUILLAUME BROCHARD

Don’t make pleasure too intellectual – speak to the heart and not too much to the brain. 享受快乐时应倾听自己的内心， 不用过于理智。

Do you see any link between fine jewelry and fine wines? When talking about both jewelry and wine, the language used by experts can be complicated. But luxury is all about feelings and enjoying a dream. So we shouldn’t talk too much about the product itself, because people are less interested in technical matters and more into emotions. Don’t make pleasure too intellectual – speak to the heart and not too much to the brain.

Where are the wines produced? Most are made in Bordeaux. I settled there and bought chateaux there and they’re made from our properties in the region.

What differences do you find between the Chinese and European wine markets? The Chinese wine market hasn’t reached maturity yet. Wine remains a beverage for gatherings and celebrations, but in France, it’s more of a daily drink. China likes brands, but in France, people prefer small chateaux and independent winemakers. The main issue is trust – the Chinese may not be able to decipher the label or know where the wine comes from, and there’s a history of counterfeit wines in China. In France, you wouldn’t suspect that a product could be fake wine. I try to simplify the message so the Chinese will consider me a trustworthy brand.

What is your winemaking philosophy? Commitment to quality and different levels of sophistication. Some of my friends lack self-confidence when it comes to wine, but you don’t need to be a specialist to enjoy wine. Ours are high-quality wines, but I want to make it easy for consumers. I have a passion for wine, and I want my wines to be related to happy times and to trust. 您认为顶级珠宝和高级葡萄酒有 何关联？

专家在谈论珠宝和葡萄酒时 使用的术语都相当复杂。奢华商品 融入了情感与梦想，所以我们不太 谈论产品本身，因人们通常对产品 技术较不感兴趣，反而追求精神层 面的满足。享受快乐时应倾听自己 的内心，不用过于理智。

葡萄酒的产地来自哪里？

大多数来自法国波尔多产区。 我在那里定居、经营酒庄并生产制 造葡萄酒。

您认为中国和欧洲的葡萄酒市场 有何不同？

中国的葡萄酒市场尚未发展 成熟，葡萄酒仍是在聚会和庆祝活 动时才会饮用。但在法国，葡萄酒 更像是一种日常饮品。相较中国喜 欢大品牌的葡萄酒，法国更看重小 规模的独立酒庄。 两者主要的差别在于信任方 面。在中国，部分市场存在产品标 签虚假或难以辨识葡萄酒来源等情 况，以往也曾经发生假酒售卖的事 件。但在法国，则不会有人质疑酒 的真伪。我尽量将资讯简化，清楚 标示，以说明我的品牌是值得信赖 的。

您的酿酒哲学是什么？

提供卓越的品质和制造风味 不同的葡萄酒是品牌的承诺。我有 一些朋友因为不了解葡萄酒，因而 也不敢评论，但其实不是内行人也 能尽情享受萄萄酒。我们提供的都 是优质葡萄酒，但我希望使它们的 感觉更平易近人。我对葡萄酒情有 独钟，希望我的葡萄酒能成为人们 的幸福泉源与信任之选。

酒逢知己 shared philosophy

The friendship of two Hong Kong sommeliers blossoms into a thriving wine consultancy.

Reeze Choi and Wallace Lo

REEZE CHOI AND WALLACE LO have amply demonstrated their knowledge, experience, and tasting skills across the vast world of wines and spirits by winning multiple distinctions at international sommelier competitions. But vying for awards in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and around the globe also brought them together as friends, forging a bond that would later see them joining forces at Somm’s Philosophy, their beverage and sommelier consultancy that BY has quickly made a name for itself. CHRIS DWYER They’d talked about teaming up since 2017, given that • they were both born and raised in Hong Kong and hold PHOTOGRAPHY BY similar philosophies. “It’s the way we think about what a SAMANTHA SIN sommelier is,” says company founder Choi. “We’re servers, not superstars, and we listen when we talk about wine, because wine is for everyone.” Such an open and honest approach made them firm favorites with chefs as they grew in their careers: Choi worked in the wine program at L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon and Lo at such renowned spots as Haku. “We really love to work with chefs,” says Lo, “because we’re the ones who see the end users consuming their products. We spend a lot of time studying pairings, understanding what goes on between the beverage and the food.” At Somm’s Philosophy, they take on everything from designing wine lists to crafting wine-pairing menus and running specialized, tailor-made training for staff alongside other consultancy services. Their scope even extends to conducting wine-appreciation programs in private homes. 曾获无数国际大奖的 Reeze Choi 和 Wallace Lo， 在各大赛事中展现了他们丰富的侍酒知识、经验 和品酒技巧。他们曾参与香港、内地及世界各地 的赛事，也因而结下了深厚情谊，这也是其后 共同创办 Somm’s Philosophy 餐饮顾问公司的契 机。 藉由相同的成长背景和理念， 两人从 2017 年便开始着手创业的计 划。创办人之一的 Reeze 说：「我们 对于侍酒共有的理念，让我们决定 一起合作。我们都认为侍酒师是侍 者，不是镁光灯下的焦点。葡萄酒 不专属于侍酒师，而是属于每一个人，因此侍 酒最重要的并非介绍酒品，而是倾听他人的想 法。」 以「倾听」为核心的侍酒理念，让他们一 直以来都是各大餐厅的宠儿。Reeze 曾于香港 的 L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon 法式餐厅服务，而 Wallace 也曾与香港的 Haku 等知名餐厅合作。 Wallace 说：「我们很喜欢跟厨师合作。我们很 清楚消费者是如何看待这些酒品的，也花了很多 时间研究酒品和食物的搭配。」 Somm’s Philosophy 提供全方位的酒品顾问 服务，包括酒单的设计、酒品和餐点的搭配、客 制化的侍酒人员专业培训等等，未来甚至计划要 提供私人到府的品酒教学服务。

But it’s clearly the fine points of wine pairing that they most enjoy. “We also pair food with shochu, sake, whisky, and mezcal,” says Lo. “At Haku I served a red wine with Hokkaido tuna and then a shot of whisky with Chef Balbi’s Wagyu beef. It was mind-blowing to have that on a tasting menu! There are so many aspects and elements that impact wine, so the details are crucial. If the temperature increases by even one degree, for example, it can change the experience. Reeze and I always disagree with each other – my palate is more edgy, squeezing and spraying, his is more classical.” Collaborating with chefs constantly inspires them as their different ways of thinking spark them to come up with wholly new pairings. They name-drop an A-list of Hong Kong restaurants, including Estro, Mono, VEA, and Tate Dining Room, as especially intriguing partners, thanks to their modern gastronomic styles and use of unusual flavors and techniques, like fermenting and pickling, that make for challenging pairings. The pair are well aware of recent multiple changes in the local dining scene. “Hong Kong is a very mature market,” says Choi, “but we both see room for new ideas. Some restaurants now can’t afford a full-time sommelier to work on the floor, but they still deserve a very good beverage program at a reasonable price. We help train staff to become wine servers able to give suggestions on wines and we train them how to communicate about wines and sell them. Not many sommeliers, with all their knowledge, can use it to really understand flavors and bring that to the table so that diners can experience what wine should be.” As Somm’s Philosophy continues on its upward growth curve, Choi and Lo formulate possibilities for the future. “I want to see more local Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong and one day craft pairings with dim sum or dai pai dong cuisine,” says Lo. “Chinese, Japanese, Western, casual, fine-dining restaurants – there are so many opportunities to play with different things.”

“Hong Kong is a very mature market, but we both see room for new ideas. 虽然香港品酒市场的发展相当成熟， 但我们认为还是有进步的空间。”

Reeze Choi

“I want to see more local cuisine and one day craft pairings with dim sum or dai pai dong cuisine. 我期待在未来，香港的侍酒师可以设计出 适合粤菜、港式点心、大排档的酒单。”

Wallace Lo

不过，对两人来说，工作中最大的乐趣 莫过于设计美酒美食之间的搭配。 Wallace 说： 「除了葡萄酒外，我们也涉猎烧酒、清酒、梅 斯卡尔酒等。在 Haku，我会以红酒搭配北海 道呑拿鱼，以一口威士忌搭配 Balbi 主厨的和 牛料理。这些搭配都相当绝妙！很多因素都 会影响葡萄酒的风味，所以细节很重要。举 例来说，在酒品的温控上，温度每升高一度， 葡萄酒的风味就会有所不同。我和 Reeze 常 常意见相左 – – 我的口味比较前卫大胆，他的 相对传统一些。」 和各大餐厅主厨合作，让他们持续创 新，想出许多新主意。他们列举了一些香港 本地餐厅，像是 Estro、Mono、VEA 和 TATE

Dining Room 等，这些餐厅的风格新颖、餐点 口味特殊，大量使用发酵、腌渍等特殊料理 手法，会使推荐酒品的任务更具挑战性。 酒品和食物的搭配，也会因各地饮食文 化而异。Reeze 说：「虽然香港品酒市场的发 展相当成熟，但我们认为还是有进步的空间。 有些餐厅没办法负担全职侍酒师的成本，但 他们还是需要好的酒品顾问。我们能提供相 关人员的训练，让服务人员有能力介绍、推荐， 甚至是推销酒品。不见得所有专业的侍酒师 都可以参透酒品的学问，更遑论让顾客体会 到酒品真正的风味。」 随着 Somm’s Philosophy 的业务发展，

Reeze 和 Wallace 对未来充满希望。Wallace 说：「我期待在未来，香港的侍酒师可以设计 出适合粤菜、港式点心、大排档的酒单，甚 至是专属于中国菜、日本料理、西餐、平民 小吃、高级料理的酒单 —— 酒品和食物的搭 配充满了无限的可能。」