Day: 6 August 2018

Tributes have flowed in from across the world for Joel Robuchon, the celebrated and much-loved chef whose death at the age of 73 was announced on Monday, August 6.

Widely recognised as one of the best chefs, his restaurants held a total of 28 Michelin stars across 13 countries.

In Monaco, he was best-known for his 2-star restaurant at the Hotel Metropole.

On his website, the restaurant is described as “a gourmet reference in Monaco.”

“Joël Robuchon inaugurated in July 2004 his first restaurant in the Principality in a stage set designed by Jacques Garcia. He entrusted the direction to one of his faithful disciples, Christophe Cussac. The experience is of course culinary but also visual thanks to the concept but also to the fantastic terrace view of Monte Carlo. A Mediterranean cuisine with Joël Robuchon’s note,” his website says.

In addition to Monaco, the “chef of the century,” as he was described by the Gault Millau guide in 1990, Robuchon had restaurants in Paris, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macao, Montreal, New York, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo.

Robuchon reached his peak at the same time as the much-derided nouvelle cuisine, but he himself believed in a more traditional French approach, with less emphasis on presentation and minimalism, adding to his popularity.

Long time MonacoUSA member Shaun Murphy has launched a new business Riviera Sailing Vacations, which sounds like fun, the Association said.

“Join us on August 12  for a wonderful day’s sailing along the Cote d’Azur aboard a lovely ocean-going sail yacht,” Shaun said.

“The adventure begins in Menton Garavan marina at a leisurely 10:00 and we sail across the beautiful Bay of Menton while you enjoy a variety of snacks and drinks. We then round Cap Martin into the Bay of Monaco sailing close to Monaco’s coastline and the anchored Superyachts before heading to the Bay of Plage Mala for a 2-course lunch with wine and a swim.

“We hug the coast on the way back and raise a champagne toast to a great day arriving around 16:30.”

The price is 110 euros per person and includes a day of sailing, from 10:00 until 17:00, snacks and drinks en route, drinks and lunch at anchor, and a champagne farewell toast to the day. Maximum 10 people. There is a 10 per cent discount for up-to-date subscribed members of MonacoUSA.

Membership can be renewed at monacousa.mc@gmail.com. To join the event: shaun@rivierasailingvacations.com, +33 6 87 82 61 06.

Monaco-based Scorpio Bulkers has received a commitment from ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale for a loan facility of up to $60 million.

The loan facility will be used to finance up to 60 percent of the fair market value of two Ultramax dry bulk vessels (SBI Perseus and SBI Phoebe) and two Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels (SBI Electra and SBI Flamenco).

The loan facility has a final maturity date of five years from drawdown date and bears interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 2.25 percent per annum. This loan facility, which is expected to close within August, would increase the company’s liquidity by approximately $21 million after repayment of the vessels’ existing debt.

The terms and conditions are similar to those set out in the company’s existing credit facilities and the loan facility is subject to customary conditions precedent and the execution of definitive documentation.

Scorpio Bulkers Inc. has an operating fleet of 57 vessels consisting of 56 wholly-owned or finance leased drybulk vessels (including 19 Kamsarmax vessels and 37 Ultramax vessels), and one time chartered-in Ultramax vessel.

Brazilian winger Gabriel Boschilia has signed a new contract with AS Monaco until 2021, and will shortly be joining fellow Ligue 1 side Nantes on loan until the end of the season, according to Foot Mercato and L’Équipe.

Meanwhile, Leicester City completed the signing of Algeria winger Rachid Ghezzal from Monaco on Sunday, according to ESPN.

Leicester beat a number of other UK Premier League clubs, including Watford and Southampton, who had also been chasing the 26-year-old this summer. Ghezzal, who has made 13 caps for Algeria and played at last year’s African Nations Cup, signed a four-year-contract.

“I’m very excited and very happy to be here,” Ghezzal said. “I know the coach from Lyon and this is where I want to be. It’s a good club and an ambitious one too. Leicester City has many great players and I hope we will have a great season.”