A Magical Meal to Celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Champagne Billecart-Salmon

Written by Allison Levine on May 10, 2018

Lifestyle Food Wine

This story originally appeared in ATOD Magazine.

A Culinary Evening of Sheer Magic

Celebrate the 200^th Anniversary of Champagne Billecart-Salmon

From the moment I pulled up to the doors of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, I knew that a night of elegance and celebration was ahead. Guests had already started to gather and walk towards the opulent and spacious floor-level of Jean-Georges and one by one we were escorted to our tables. As we took our seats, we were about to embark on a magical meal in celebration of Champagne Billecart-Salmon’s 200^th Anniversary. Champagne Billecart-Salmon is the oldest continuously family-owned and operated house in Champagne, France. Founded in 1818 by Nicolas François Billecart and his wife Elisabeth Salmon, Billecart-Salmon is currently managed by the family’s seventh generation, brothers François and Antoine Roland-Billecart.

To honor its 200th anniversary, Billecart-Salmon has embarked on a six-city gastronomic tour around the world. Hosting intimate luxurious dinners in Singapore, Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and London, the celebration will conclude with an elegant garden party in June at the Billecart-Salmon family’s estate in Mareuil-sur-Ay.

Billecart-Salmon partnered with three-star Michelin Chef Alain Passard of l’Arpege restaurant in Paris for the world tour. In addition, two-star Michelin Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten joined Passard for the New York and Los Angeles dinners, hosting them at his restaurants.

I had the honor to be seated next to François Roland-Billecart, the current president of Billecart-Salmon, as well as his wife and daughter.

M. Roland-Billecart, with his heavy French accent, welcomed everyone to the dinner, and expressed how at Billecart-Salmon, ‘we aim to produce better and better [wine] every year.’

Billecart-Salmon is known for finesse and elegance. The wines are not heavy or powerful. They are balanced wines that will give pleasure to all who drink them. Perhaps that it why Billecart-Salmon is somewhat of a cult darling among sommeliers.

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Dubrovnik Food Story

Written by Allison Levine on May 5, 2018

Travel Lifestyle Food Wine

Visiting a city for a first time, a city tour may be on one’s agenda. Perhaps it is self-guided, perhaps it is with a tour guide. Perhaps you will focus on architecture or perhaps you will focus on historical monuments. For me, I like food tours. I want to explore a city and learn about the cuisine(s), what were its influences and what is both traditional and contemporary to eat (and drink). With Dubrovnik Food Story, it is a food tour and more! It is also a history lesson, a cultural tour and it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Dubrovnik Food Story is a family-run business owned by two sisters, Marija & Ana. Marija, who graduated from Management in Tourism and worked in travel agencies and hotels, started offering food tours as a side business and started Dubrovvnik Food Story in 2013. Ana, who graduated with a degree in Aquaculture where she studied Mariculture, got her tour guide license and joined her sister in 2016. Both share passion for food, tradition and hometown and the food tours are a fusion of local history and gastronomy.

We met Ana near the 15th century Onofrio Fountain, across from the 14th century Pharmacy in the Old Town of Dubrovnik. She greeted us with a plate in her hand and we met the others in our group. All tours are generally two to eight people (10 max). Read More +

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Restaurant 360 Dubrovnik

Written by Allison Levine on April 28, 2018

Lifestyle Food Wine

Sitting on the Old Wall of Dubrovnik, overlooking the harbor on one side and the mountains on the other, we sat down for our first meal in Croatia. Add to that delicious food at Restaurant 360, a newly minted Michelin Star restaurant, it was a magical first evening in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Restaurant 360 Dubrovnik is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Restaurant 360 is literally set within the great walls of Dubrovnik itself. Located just outside the Ploče gate, we entered the contemporary space surrounded by the old stone walls. We were escorted downstairs and across a patio where we saw the open kitchen where the chef was at work. And then we were escorted back up some stairs to the tables along the wall.