16 ° C
Profile

Month: March 2023

First ever European Sushi Championship to be hosted by The Niwaki in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/03/2023
European Sushi Championship

10 of Europe’s finest sushi masters will go knife-to-knife at the inaugural European Sushi Championship in March, a competition set to be hosted by Monaco’s own The Niwaki.

Top tier sushi chefs from all across the continent – Lyfoung Vameng will represent Monaco – are coming together to compete for the title of European Master Sushi Chef in an event that will take Japanese haute cuisine to its limits on 27th March. 

“Sushi is an art in its own right, well-recognised in France, a country of gastronomy par excellence,” says Julien Panet, the event’s organiser. “The goal is to elevate this iconic symbol of Japanese gastronomy at European level. We have talented chefs who cultivate the excellence of this specialty, and all are inspired by their own cultures… The level will undoubtedly be very high!” 

The candidates will be competing for a panel of expert jurists including The Niwaki’s own Chef Wagner Spadacio, the vice-World Champion Sushi Chef in 2018 and French Sushi Champion in 2017. 

“In this competition, which offers an original format and leaves room for creativity, participants will be able to express their technique and their own interpretation of the art of sushi,” says Spadacio. “This event brings a whole new dimension to the art of sushi while promoting good practices in the consumption of seafood products.” 

The contestants will be tested on two criteria. The first is an hour-long preparatory exercise, where chefs must prepare the raw materials, presenting all products intended to be used to the jury. The second will be a 60-minute creative test, where the chefs will need to perfectly prepare 40 to 50 pieces of sushi, with nigiri, maki, uramaki, kazari-maki, kazari-sushi, vegetarian sushi and 15 pieces of sashimi all required. Additionally, the competitors will select two six-piece signature dishes, prepared separately, for tasting, with one being a vegetarian option using Koppert Cress microgreen products.  

“The technique will, of course, be analysed with precision. In a gastronomic competition of this rank, it goes without saying that the mastery of gestures and of the product is acquired. We will also give great importance to the chef’s sensitivity and to the visual harmony and flavours offered,” Panet enthuses.  

The winner of day will walk away €1,000 richer and after the event, which kicks off at 1pm, there will be a cocktail reception and awards ceremony to celebrate the day. It’s a “can’t miss” event for sushi lovers and fans of The Niwaki alike. 

    

Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

 

Photo by The Niwaki

Four chances to see the Monte-Carlo Opera’s rendition of Verdi masterpiece La Traviata

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/03/2023
la traviata monte-carlo

The Opéra de Monte-Carlo will host four spectacular nights of the renowned opera La Traviata this month.

Marie Duplessis, more commonly referred to as the Lady of the Camellias, was one of 19th century Paris’ most celebrated courtesans. She died tragically young in 1847 at the tender age of 23. Like many in her time, she was a victim of tuberculosis, which at the time had no cure.  

Her popularity and legend lived on however, and this sadly romantic tale was dramatised just five years later by Alexandre Dumas in the novel La Dame aux Camélias, which is known in English as Camille. Only a year later, in 1853, the story had been turned into an opera by Giuseppe Verdi and debuted at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice.  

Today, the Monte-Carlo Opera, under the helm of Cecilia Bartoli, is bringing this beloved favourite back to the stage. It will be directed by Bartoli’s predecessor, Jean-Louis Grinda.  

La Traviata will be presented to audiences on 17th, 19th, 21st and 23rd March. 

For more information, please click here.

 

Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

  

Photo by SBM 

Make-up Masterclasses at the Spa Metropole by Givenchy

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/03/2023

Learn how to do a smokey eye, change your beauty routine or give yourself the perfect complexion during a masterclass at Spa Metropole by Givenchy with make-up artist Joe Ghannam.

The art of make-up requires mastering certain techniques and choosing the right colours to suit your complexion. Hôtel Metropole Monte-Carlo’s make-up expert Joe Ghannam, creator of Monte-Carlo Make up, will orchestrate a series of 90 minutes sessions in limited groups, sharing his advice and giving you all his secrets.

The public are invited to sign up for one of four classes each day offered on 27th February, 23rd March and 13th April.

At just €50 per person, participants will be given personalised tips and guided through the steps of creating their own look, which they can reproduce at home for any glamorous occassion.

A free Givenchy lipstick will also be offered.

To register, email spa.givenchy@metropole.com or call +37793151370

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.  

 

Monaco re-elects Georges Marsan for sixth term as mayor

by: Elsa Carpenter
20/03/2023
monaco mayor

The long-time mayor of Monaco, Georges Marsan, has secured a sixth term in an entirely uncontested election. 

Not one candidate stood in the way of 66-year-old Marsan, who has led the Mairie de Monaco since 2003, and neither did anyone outside of his L’Evolution Communale group put their name in the hat for an official post at the townhall.  

Marsan’s sixth term represents an unprecedented tenure of the top spot in the history of Monaco.  

Voter participation at the election, which took place on Sunday 19th March, was noticeably low at less than 40%. In all, 7,605 Monegasque citizens were eligible to vote, but just over 3,000 made the trip to the polling station. 

In the last election of 2019, almost 46.5% Monegasques cast their vote. The number was higher again in 2015, at more than 60%.  

 

Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

 

Photo credits: Mairie de Monaco

 

 

CFM Indosuez partners with SCM to fund the “Noah’s ark for coral”

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/03/2023

CFM Indosuez Wealth Management and its subsidiary CFM Indosuez Gestion have entered into a partnership agreement to support the conservation activities of the World Coral Conservatory (WCC), a collaborative programme between the Scientific Centre of Monaco (CSM – Centre Scientifique de Monaco) and the Oceanographic Institute.

“We are in a race against time to save coral reefs,” says Dr Didier Zoccola, co-coordinator of the World Coral Conservatory and researcher at the Scientific Centre of Monaco. “In the global context of global warming, ocean acidification and anthropogenic pollution of all kinds, the IPCC, based on indisputable data, is predicting that coral reefs will disappear by the end of the century. The scientific community, through the organisation of an international network of aquariums and research institutes initiated in Monaco, is deploying in-depth action to safeguard these jewels of the ocean for future generations. The long-term commitment and essential support of partners such as CFM Indosuez are enabling the WCC to deploy its strategy to achieve this Noah’s Ark for coral.”

The work of the WCC is organised around the collection, cultivation under controlled conditions, and scientific study of almost a thousand species of coral. Each species is harvested according to a strict protocol and is divided into three different nurseries for safety reasons, to avoid its disappearance in the event of a technical problem. The corals are propagated by cuttings to enable them to be reintroduced into the natural environment under scientific supervision.

At the same time, the results of programmed genomic studies (DNA, RNA) should form an international and open database. Among other things, it will enable studies to be carried out on the assisted development of corals, to help them better cope with climate change and changes in their environment.
Under the leadership of Dr Zoccola, and supported already by CFM Indosuez, Océanopolis and Explorations de Monaco, an initial WCC assignment was undertaken in October 2022 in the Indian Ocean to confirm the working method: 21 species were collected.

A new assignment is now scheduled to take place in the Philippines early next winter.

“Our company is committed to protecting the oceans through the responsible investments and financing it offers its clients, as well as by supporting key players such as the Oceanographic Institute and the Scientific Centre of Monaco and their high-impact projects,” explains Mathieu Ferragut, CEO of CFM Indosuez. “This is why we support the World Coral Conservatory in preserving these vital coral reef ecosystems.”

Its subsidiary CFM Indosuez Gestion will make an annual donation of €30,000 to the CSM for the World Coral Conservatory, an amount that corresponds to the management fees from the company’s investment fund CFM Indosuez Environnement Développement Durable.

Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

 

SEE ALSO:

Can coral help solve the mystery of childhood cancer?

 

By Monaco Life with press release. Photo by Monaco Life

Basketball: Roca Team advance to Coupe de France final

by: Luke Entwistle
20/03/2023
ROCA TEAM FINAL

Despite an early scare against Le Mans, AS Monaco Basket reached their first cup final of the season with a win on Sunday (87-78).

After a disappointing exit in the LNB Pro A Leaders Cup in February, the Roca Team were on the hunt for silverware in Trélazé this weekend. The Principality side comfortably dispatched Pau-Lacq-Orthez on Saturday (78-98) to make it through to the semi-finals the following day.

Mike James-less Monaco to face Asvel in the final

Monaco set up a semi-final against Le Mans on the Sunday, with a place in the grand final in the AccorArena in Paris on 22nd April up for grabs. Le Mans gave the Roca Team a scare in the first quarter (26-15), but Monaco woke up in the second; Alpha Diallo levelled the scores (28-28) with an unreplied 10-point streak.

Nonetheless, Monaco went into the break with a narrow deficit and, without the suspended Mike James, had to find the solutions to construct an advantage. Matthew Strazel (17 points), Jordan Loyd (17 points), Chima Moneke (11 points) and Elie Okobo (11 points) were all pivotal in a solid collective second-half performance.

Monaco wrestled back control of the match in the fourth quarter in a game blighted by poor discipline and a mammoth 89 free throws. Ultimately, however, the victory was secured (78-87), and the Roca Team advance to a final against arch-rivals Asvel, who beat Strasbourg later that evening.

“Despite the circumstances, (66 fouls, 89 free throws), we found a way to win. I am happy with the qualification. It was an objective at the start of the season,” said Sasa Obradovic post-match.

Fourth successive success in the Euroleague

Prior to the weekend’s cup action, Monaco won their fourth Euroleague match on the bounce against Virtus Bologna (81-68) at the Salle Gaston Médecin. With all the talk pre-match revolving around James’ absence, the Roca Team did their talking on the court and produced some brilliant sequences to beat their Italian rivals.

Sasa Obradovic and Matthew Strazel by AS Monaco Basket

Okobo (21 points), Loyd (15 points) and Donta Hall (13 points, seven rebounds), who has forged a good understanding with John Brown III (six points, seven rebounds), were all key in a controlled match on Monaco’s part.

Crucially, the victory allows Monaco to take fourth place in the Euroleague standings, which ensures a home-court advantage in the end-of-season playoffs.

“Reaching the playoffs is important for Monaco, for France, for French basketball. We must continue like this,” said Obradovic.

Monaco face Le Portel in the Betclic Elite on Tuesday before hosting Valencia Basket at the Salle Gaston Médecin on Friday.

 

Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Photo by AS Monaco Basket