Philippe Faure-Brac takes stock of the event that gathered over 500 people in the lounges of Pavillon Ledoyen, the three-starred restaurant on the Champs Elysées avenue.
Just elected at the head of UDSF in November 2016 Philippe Faure-Brac already evoked the idea to create an event that would both federate the members of the union, be beneficial in terms of image and attractive from a financial point of view. The first gala of the French Sommellerie Union organized on December 3rd at Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, met all his expectations.
“With more than 500 participants, the success exceeded our expectations and our image has been strengthened. Everything contributed to federate our members and partners around us. We had the right place, a quality dinner and a remarkable selection of wines to go with it. First I notice that the twenty chapters of UDSF were represented for another event than the annual general meeting or a contest. For us it was a real challenge and this massive presence showed what the association can bring to the profession of sommelier and the whole wine industry,” Philippe Faure-Brac underlines.
The profession’s commitment was a success but Philippe Faure-Brac also had other ambitions. “We wanted to show the partners that we had the ability to unite but also inform them about the two next big events of my first term. First, in next November, during the Parisian trade fair ExpHotel, the organization of the finals of the contest of the Best Sommelier of France. A competition to which I took the liberty of inviting all the students who entered a Complementary Sommellerie Course [Mention Complementaire]. Then on June 3, 4 and 5, 2019, we will all be in Champagne to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Association de la Sommellerie Internationale according to Andrés Rosberg’s wish. But on the French side, other anniversaries will be celebrated on that occasion. Indeed in 1969 the Association of Sommeliers of Paris took on its current form. And in 1969 too, the bases of UDSF have been set.”
On a different note this evening also helped strengthen UDSF’s financial position. Which also was an objective.
At last in the presence of seven other Best Sommeliers of the World (Piero Sattanino, Jean-Luc Pouteau, Jean-Claude Jambon, Serge Dubs, Olivier Poussier, Andreas Larsson & Paolo Basso), Philippe Faure-Brac, himself crowned in 1992, wished to take advantage of this gala to spotlight other players of the association universe. Wines given by the presidents of the regional chapters of UDSF have been auctioned on behalf of the endowment funds EREEL headed by Christine Salaün and supported by actress Marie-Anne Chazel. The funds raised will finance the program ‘Souffle de Violette’ that helps women with cancer.
In the same way Philippe Faure-Brac gave Yann Arthus Bertrand to express his fears about the stae of the Earth and warn the audience who was very atentive. The famous photographer also presented the guide he accepted to write a preface for and to illustrate. Intitled “Origine Nature” it lists the 500 restaurants who are motivated by “the taste of the terroir, thelocal produczers, the organic ingredients and the love for the planet”.
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