Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #38

ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS
GASTRONOMY
Hotel & Tourism
SMARTreport #38
2018 Spring Edition 17
OLYMPIC GASTRONOMY
At 47 years old, Frenchman Thierry
Balligand participated in his first
Olympics… in front of a hot oven! He
and his team from the restaurant La Table
du Pigonnet in Aix-en-Provence were
selected for a special task. Their mission
was to ensure the preparation of several
prestigious dinners for the members of the
organising committee.
Originally from the north of France,
this Chef has become one of the best
ambassadors of Provençal cuisine. The only
French Chef at the games, he commented,
“I am fortunate to be well-accompanied.
I arrive with competent people with a
lot of willpower. We have zero internal
pressure, just that we want to put in a
good performance, but all in harmony
and confidence.” As the only Frenchman,
Balligand was selected along with two
other chefs, one Korean and one American.
Among the menus envisaged: Ox-tail
soup, followed by a tournedos of Lotte
cheeks and a squid persillade with a
revered risotto, and for dessert, iced
Calisson (a speciality of Aix-en-Provence).
At “La Table du Pigonnet” in Aix, diners
can admire a view of Mount St Victoire,
venerated and painted from the very
same place by Cezanne. The hotel and
restaurant were bought a few years ago
by French actor Christophe Lambert and
a close associate, enamoured with the
property’s breath-taking architecture,
gardens and views
GREAT LUNCH! LET’S WALK IT OFF…
ON THE WAY OF ST JAMES
Australian-based outbound TO World
Expeditions has come up with a clever
idea, combining France’s renowned
southwestern gastronomy with the
legendary Way of St James, coined
as the “Food Lover’s Guide to the
Camino”.
Added to this is yet another
interesting element, as the popular
Australian TV host and author (i.e.
The Long Table – My Love Affair with
Food), Mary Moody, will be leading a
tour in September, 2018. Moody has
a holiday home in the region, but also
hosts walking and yoga tours in such
far-flung destinations as Nepal and
Mongolia.
Walking the Camino (Santiago de
Compostella) pilgrimage route has
become one of the most popular
European travel experiences. In 2017
more than 300,000 people from all
over the world travelled to Spain,
Portugal and France to walk sections
of this ancient pilgrim’s route.
With Ms Moody, walkers will
experience the joy of seeing some of
the most beautiful and historic villages
between Le Puy in Haute-Loire and
St Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrénées.
The focus of the trip – apart from the
pilgrimage walk – is to sample the
very best of the local cuisine and wine.
From the humble country auberge
to fine dining Michelin restaurants.
There will be cheese, wine and truffle
tastings, market visits and many
culinary delights along the way
Mary Moody
© Pan MacMillan