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Month: May 2021

New chef heading up Elsa at Monte-Carlo Beach

by: Stephanie Horsman
27/05/2021

Chef Manon Fleury has signed on as new Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Monte-Carlo Beach restaurant Elsa, where her dedication to responsible, sustainable and delicious food options aligns perfectly with the philosophy of the restaurant.

Elsa Restaurant will have a new chef at the helm this summer season with the addition of Manon Fleury who is completely in line with the restaurant’s aesthetics and a desire to produce amazing meals sourcing locally-grown products and using the “zero waste” philosophy. This entails complete use of every ingredient, head to tail, stem to stone, and flower to leaf.

Fleury will be following in the revered footsteps of Eileen Gray, Elsa Maxwell, and India Mahdavi at the first 100% organic, wild fish-only starred restaurant in the world. She is, at the age of 30, already an experienced chef, having worked at Le Marmoz in Paris, and earning the Young Chef Prize at the 2019 first edition of the La Fourchette awards.

Photo of Monte-Carlo Beach – Restaurant Elsa by SBM

“The invitation of the Elsa restaurant to come and sublimate the exceptional products of the Monegasque region through demanding cuisine was obvious,” said Fleury. “I know that my cuisine, rooted in its territory and ecologically conscious, will be able to flourish there and that our collaboration will strengthen the convictions and commitments that the restaurant Elsa and I have in common. It is also a recognition of the work accomplished, which I hope will inspire other women to carry out their projects and take on the highest responsibilities.”

Danièle Garcelon, Managing Director of Monte-Carlo Beach, is thrilled to have a chef onboard who has such a like-minded approach, saying, “The Monte-Carlo Beach wants to take care of people and nature on a daily basis. Thanks to Manon Fleury, we are going to take our restaurant Elsa even further in an approach combining organic, local food and zero waste. Her talent, personality and convictions made the difference, the chemistry was immediate!”

The new menu will be inspired by local products that are sustainably sourced. To this end they will work with nearby estates and gardens, including the Jardin des Antipodes in Menton for aromatic herbs and fruit, and the Domaine d’Agerbol on the heights of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, whose organic vegetable production gives Elsa a zero-kilometre source for the freshest produce.  

Some of the delicacies that diners will be able to enjoy, when Fleury officially starts at Elsa, will be Gamberoni from San Remo with a raspberry and nasturtium flower jelly, a vegetable and herb pie from the garden of Agerbol, and a sea bream cooked in fig leaf with steamed rice and a virgin sauce.

Photo of Monte-Carlo Beach by SBM

The eco-friendly approach extends beyond the kitchen at Elsa, where a moderate use of water and energy resources are highlighted, as well as a policy of reducing or recycling waste in the most efficient ways.

The Monte-Carlo Beach itself has also made upgrades in the past year to keep in line with the environmentally astute philosophy, notably the finalisation of reclaiming the original beach from the 1930s whilst protecting the site using a sophisticated underwater reef dyke that promotes a fish population as well as being positive impactful.

Manon Fleury will be serving up her delicious new menu from 28th May.

 

 
Photo of Chef Manon Fleury provided by SBM
 
 

Discover Monaco’s cultural side at Associations’ Forum

by: Stephanie Horsman
27/05/2021

The 8th Forum of Cultural Associations, an event designed to introduce the public to the many cultural organisations available in the Principality, will be held this July.

Organised by the Monaco Department of Cultural Affairs, the 8th edition of the Forum of Cultural Associations is a chance for people to discover the diverse range of groups, clubs and associations in their own back yard.  

The event, which happens every two years, has something for everyone, and participants will share their passion for their activities in a variety of subjects such as plastic arts, creative hobbies, music, dance, art, theatre, food, literature and intercultural exchanges.

Each participating association will have their own stand and there is even the chance for them to make a short presentation explaining what they do. In the past, roughly 40 organisations have been on hand, and this year promises to be the same.

The event will be held from 5th and 6th June at the Rainier III Auditorium.

Entry is free and the hours are 2pm to 6:30 pm.

 
 

Conquering Covid with a pill?

by: Stephanie Horsman
27/05/2021

Clinical trials for a pill targeting the Covid-19 virus are in progress at Pfizer facilities in the United and States Belgium. Will this be a game-changer in the fight against the disease?
In two locales on two different continents, tests are taking place with up to 60 healthy adult volunteers, aged between 18 and 60. These volunteers have all signed up to try out a pill being developed specifically to stop the coronavirus pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the planet for the past year and a half.
If all goes as hoped for, there is a chance that an over-the-counter treatment for Covid will be hitting pharmacies and drug stores as soon as the latter part of this year.
The molecule that is making the magic happen has been dubbed PF 07321332. Not very glamorous, but if it works, this antiviral molecule could be the silver bullet the world has been waiting for. It was designed to attack the “spine” of the Covid virus to prevent it replicating in human hosts. The technology is similar to that currently used in treating another deadly virus, HIV, with the use of protease inhibitors.
The drug was almost certainly tested in labs before moving onto humans by giving a dose to infected live tissue cultures, including lung tissue cultures, to obtain results. The testing then moved onto animals, where it found “no significant risks or safety events of concern” nor did it “cause any side-effects at any dose levels that will be used in clinical studies.”
“If they have moved to this stage, they will be quietly optimistic,” Professor Penny Ward told The Telegraph. Ward is a visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London and was part of the team who developed Tamiflu, the antiviral drug that combats seasonal and pandemic flu. “The question will be about how the drug is tolerated. They will be going like the clappers.”
This particular pill has been created specifically for Coivd-19. The first seven milligrams of the drug were turned out in July, an incredibly small amount, but by October, there were 100 grammes of the new drug. A fortnight later, an entire kilo had been produced, thanks to the work of 210 researchers working flat to the boards.
Pfizer is not revealing details of the trials, but they have said the pill has shown “potent in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2.” Additionally, it has shown promise against other coronaviruses, meaning that a cure for the common cold may be within reach, as well as cures for future viruses that threaten global health.
“We have designed PF-07321332 as a potential oral therapy that could be prescribed at the first sign of infection, without requiring that patients are hospitalised or in critical care,” said Mikael Dolsten, Chief Scientific Officer and President of worldwide research, development and medical at Pfizer in an official statement released last month.
Those who have agreed to participate in the trials have a rigorous schedule. The trial is split into three phases and lasts for 145 days, with another 28 added for “screening and dosing.” All those involved will be asked to spend several nights in the lab facilities for observation.
PF-07321332 will be given to participants in combination with low doses of Ritonavir, an antiviral used to treat HIV. It acts as a “booster” to increase the amount of the drug in volunteers’ blood.
Phase 1 of the trial is designed to see how it “is tolerated as the dose is increased, alone or with ritonavir, if there are significant side effects, and how people feel after taking it”, say the official documents given to potential volunteers obtained by The Telegraph.
Phase 2 will be much of the same but with “multiple doses”. In phase 3, both tablet and liquid forms of the drug will be tested, as well as monitoring what the addition of food to the mix does.
Even if all goes swimmingly in the trials, there is still much to be done before it can be made public. Who is to say it will be ready for human consumption before the threat of the virus subsides? In any case, the possibility of a cure-all in a pill is enticing and could lead to the ability to stop future potential pandemics in their tracks.
 
Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash
 
 

UPDATED: France toughens restrictions on UK travellers

by: Cassandra Tanti
26/05/2021

France has added the UK to the list of countries from which travellers are obliged to quarantine for 10 days due to concerns over the rising circulation of the Indian variant of Covid-19.
Government spokesman Gabriel Attal made the announcement on Wednesday after a meeting with the Defence Council, saying that France would introduce “compulsory isolation” for all arrivals from the UK.

The isolation will need to last seven days, Clement Beaune, France’s junior minister for European Affairs, later said on Twitter, adding that visitors would also need to present a Covid-19 test carried out less than 48 hours before departure.

The measures are expected to come into force on Monday 31st May.

The UK brings to 16 the countries that are currently subject to mandatory quarantine, including Brazil, India, Argentina and Turkey.
 
 
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
 
 
 

Monaco mourns with Italy

by: Cassandra Tanti
26/05/2021

Prince Albert has sent a letter of condolence to the Italian president following the crash of a cable car in northern Italy that killed 14 people. Meanwhile, investigators say the system’s emergency brakes had been deactivated to overcome a fault.
The cable car in the Piedmont region had been carrying 15 people on the 20-minute ride between the resort town of Stresa and Mount Mottarone. It was a few metres from its destination when it plummeted 20 metres into the woods below, shortly after midday on Sunday.
A five-year-old boy who is in intensive care at Regina Margherita hospital in Turin was the sole survivor of the tragedy, believed to have happened when a lead cable broke and the emergency brakes failed to activate, causing the cabin to hurtle backwards before falling.
The child’s parents, who are Israeli nationals resident in Italy, his younger sibling and his great-grandparents were all killed. The other victims, including a six-year-old boy, were Italian and one man who was born in Iran and lived in Rome.
In a letter addressed to President Sergio Mattarella, Prince Albert wrote:
“Mr. President, The Princess and I learned with great sorrow of the dramatic fall of a cable car in Stresa-Mottarone. With the people of the Principality, we would like to express to you our very deep sadness following this tragedy which has left families in mourning and plunged your country into sorrow. Our thoughts are also with the seriously injured child for whom we extend deep sympathies. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurance of our unity of thought and of my highest consideration.”
On Wednesday, investigators revealed that three people had been detained, including the owner of the firm that manages the aerial tramway, for allegedly making a “conscious gesture” by “tampering” with the emergency brakes in order to avoid disruptions to the cable car service.
The service had resumed on 25th April when Italy lifted some lockdown restrictions. While technical checks had been undertaken over the past seven months to “remedy inefficiencies”, they had not been “decisive” in resolving issues, investigators said.
Had the emergency brakes activated, they would have held the cabin steady after the cable snapped. The move was made “in the belief that a cable breakage could never have happened”.
Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into suspected involuntary manslaughter and negligence.
 
 
Photo source: AP
 
 

SBM Artistic Director Jean-René Palacio dies at 67

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/05/2021

Homages are pouring in after the announcement of the death of Société des Bains de Mer Artistic Director Jean-René Palacio at the Princess Grace Hospital on Tuesday.

Naturalised Monegasque Jean-René Palacio was the creator of the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival, as well as Artistic Director for both the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) Summer Festival at Le Sporting and the Jazz à Juan Festival in Juan-les-Pins.

He was a true music lover and was the orchestrator of countless major concerts and events over the decades and has brought the biggest stars in music to the area, including legendary soul artist James Brown, disco diva Diana Ross, French chanteuse Vanessa Paradis and beloved singer-songwriter Pascal Obispo.

Known for exacting standards despite having a rock n’ roll attitude, he created top-quality, professionally arranged shows that drew huge audiences year after year.

Palacio launched the Sporting Monte-Carlo Summer Festival in 2001, created the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival just four years later in 2005, and became artistic director at Jazz à Juan 11 years ago. This would be a full plate for any mere mortal, but friends describe him as more.

“With Jean-René Palacio we are losing a great man of music and the arts, a talent, a friend,” said Jean-Luc Biamonti, Deputy Chairman of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer. “The artistic legacy he leaves to our Group and to Monaco is immense, we thank him for it and send our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”

General Manager of the Tourist and Convention Office in Antibes Juan-les-Pins and director of the Juan-Les-Pins Jazz Festival Philippe Baute told France Bleu Azur that Palacio “brought an extra soul and love for artists, and I am losing a very dear friend.”

Antibes Mayor Jean Léonetti added to this saying, “This is someone who has taken on his passions, and who has gone to the end of his life with his passions. With excellence and kindness, he has greatly contributed to the cultural influence of the Côte d’Azur, in particular Antibes and Monaco.”

Named Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2011, and Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Culturel Monegasque in 2014, Jean-René Palacio worked for 22 years for the SBM Group and the Principality.

Palacio and his wife were granted citizenship in Monaco by Prince Albert II in 2020.

 
 
Photo source: SBM