Excellence of the XIIIth Mumm Trophy

Contest Reims

Excellence
of the XIIIth Mumm Trophy

Passionate and cultured finalists

Over the years, the Mumm Trophy became more professional. In 2015, the finalists were all passionate about the wine world, helped by their teachers who invested themselves like never before. These youngs commented seriously, in front of the jury, on still wines and Champagnes, imagined harmonies between dishes and original wines and served with pertinence. The bachelors are, in Sommelerie mention, Agathe Karvaix, student in Chamalieres; in bartending mention, Valentin Lefevre, student in Montpellier.

The 5 finalists and the teachers of the Sommellerie Mention, their sponsor Philippe Faure-Brac, the jury, the chancellor Philippe Cabourdin, Michel Letter, vice-CEO of Maison G.H.Mumm and Richard Demoulin speaking on the microphone.
The Maison G.H.Mumm has been organising for thirteen years, in parternship with the National Education Ministry, the Mumm Trophy which is aimed at the pupils of hotel schools pursuing the sommelier or barman carreers. After written eliminating heats, ten candidates were invited to compete in the final in Reims, on the 16th of March 2015, at the Maison G.H.Mumm headquarters.
The XIIIth edition has proved itself of high category. The chancellor of the Academy of Reims, Philippe Cabourdin, could not hide his joy“of celebrating the professional excellence of these youngs, from all over France. They have the hunger for learning and knowing. They also have tenacity”. He gave his “congratulations to the ten finalists. The partnership University-Champagne Mumm implies a shared will and the pursuit of excellent at every level”.

The Winners of the Mumm Trophy: Agathe Karvaix in Sommellerie Mention and Valentin Lefevre in bartending Mention.

On the pupils' side, the preparation was meticulous. In those complementary mentions, the youngs are passionate about the gastronomic and wine world. The small number of pupils (10 to 15) allows the teachers to go further into the knowledges. The winners have normally some real life experience (several work experiences, maybe even a personnal cellar) and the will to surpass themselves, and spend all of their free time getting ready for the competition, which can become the springboard of their professional life.

Jury wise, the professionals like Magalie Marechal, oenologist at Mumm's, Philippe Jamesse, Head Sommelier of the Crayeres, and the teachers such as Jean-Loup Dezaphi from Lycee Chalon-en- Champagne or Antoine Woerle from the Lycee Ilkirch had to hone their questions. The finalists could answer to every single one of them, didn't fail on the classified vintages, nor on the number of hectares that the Champagne region relies on...

In the bartending mention, the chefs, such as Stephane Ginouves, Meilleur Ouvrier de France of Fouquet's Barriere in Paris, Johann Costet from Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, as well as Maurice Caudelier, teacher at Lycee de Montpellier, and Jean-Luc Barral from Lycee de Blois asked what the required licence number was to sell legally a cocktail in order to decide between some finalists.
Richard Demoulin, co-founder of the Mumm Trophy, teacher at the Lycee de Bazeilles, could only congratulate himself for the level reached. The selection of 2015 reached the objective of excellence given to these young talents in practising their careers. A function that nowadays attracts the best in beautiful set ups such as Le Bristol or La Perousse in Paris, the Pyramid in Vienna... The best will surely become the ambassadors of the French gastronomy of tomorrow, of its wines and of course the Champagne Mumm, which they will keep in their heart forever as the revelation of their talent.Marie-Caroline Bourrellis

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