Day: 1 May 2025

Dame Shirley Bassey received a standing ovation at the 5th edition of the Grand Prix Maria Callas Monaco Gala & Awards, held on 25th April at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo’s Salle Garnier, where she was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Music Award.​

The Welsh-born diva, renowned for her powerful voice and timeless performances, was the first honouree of the evening.The award was presented by Greek opera singer and PR manager George Davlas, who also hosted the event and performed during the concert that followed. Bassey’s heartfelt acceptance moved the audience, marking a highlight of the gala.​

Organised under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco, the event was dedicated this year to children and orchestrated by Ioanna Efthimiou, a recognised painter and president of the initiative. The gala attracted distinguished guests from around the world, celebrating contributions to the arts and philanthropy.​

Other notable awardees included singer Plácido Domingo Jr., Princess Olimpia Colonna Di Paliano of Rome, philanthropist John Christodoulou, the humanitarian organisation AMADE, ocean advocate Fabien Cousteau, maritime innovation leader Nicolas Sarrut, and Greek yachting entrepreneur Vasiliki Grigoratou.​

A highlight of the evening was the performance by young musicians selected through the gala’s international competition. Their talent and stage presence brought fresh energy to the Salle Garnier and impressed the audience.

The evening drew to a close with a captivating opera concert featuring Plácido Domingo Jr., Victoria Bulieieva, George Davlas, Elena Kelessidi, Simone Piazzola, Greta Cipriani, and Giuseppe Vaccaro, each delivering powerful performances.

Meanwhile, the dramatic use of artificial intelligence to project a lifelike image of Maria Callas on stage was an evocative moment that stirred both awe and emotion among the audience.

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Main photo: Ioanna Efthimiou, Dame Shirley Bassey, Plácido Domingo Jr., and Georgios Davlas. Photo  provided

As summer returns to the Principality, the Fairmont Monte Carlo has reopened its trio of rooftop venues, offering a blend of dining, relaxation, and celebration overlooking the Mediterranean. The seasonal launch coincides with the hotel’s 50th anniversary, a milestone year for one of Monaco’s most recognisable addresses.

Leading the culinary offer is Amù Monte Carlo, the hotel’s Riviera-inspired rooftop restaurant that debuted last year. Named after the Monegasque word for “love”, Amù serves dishes rooted in Mediterranean tradition, including salade niçoise, grilled sea bass, and a house-made tarte tropézienne. Set against panoramic sea views, the restaurant offers a stylish yet relaxed dining experience.

See more: Fall in love with Amù Monte-Carlo

Next to the restaurant is Amù by the Pool, an extension of the concept for guests seeking a more informal setting. With light meals, drinks, and sun loungers available throughout the day, it provides a quieter retreat above the bustle of Monaco, without sacrificing the signature rooftop views.

On the opposite end of the terrace, Nikki Beach Monte Carlo returns for its 10th summer season. Known for its vibrant atmosphere and international appeal, the venue will host themed parties each Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, along with special events tied to Monaco Race Week, Ferragosto, and the Monaco Yacht Show.

See more of the official opening of Nikki Beach in our video reel below…

 

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Main photo of Amu, source: Fairmont Monte Carlo

Chef Yoric Tièche, who has led the kitchens of the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat since 2017, has been awarded the Gault&Millau d’Or 2025 for the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica, and Monaco region, recognising his signature blend of Mediterranean tradition, garden-led innovation, and refined technique.

The annual award is among the most respected in French gastronomy, and this year it shines a light on a chef known as much for his quiet precision as for his bold embrace of local ingredients. Working from one of the French Riviera’s most prestigious addresses, Tièche has built a culinary identity rooted in the landscape around him—from the sea to the mountaintop potager that supplies his kitchen.

At Le Cap, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Tièche’s menus are a direct reflection of the Mediterranean terroir. Dishes combine line-caught fish with produce harvested just hours earlier from the hotel’s garden overlooking Villefranche-sur-Mer. This vegetable-rich corner, where over a dozen varieties of tomatoes and aubergines are grown, has become central to his process. “The garden is more than a source,” he said in receiving the award. “It’s a rhythm, a way of thinking.”

Tièche’s style is anchored in contrast and restraint. Dishes such as his Patchwork of vegetables and herbettes are lifted with notes of Kalamata olive and pine nut, while red mullet with anchovy is paired with braised fennel and mussels from the Camargue. Across the menu, floral elements like coriander blossoms and wild fennel add subtle aromatic depth, carefully balanced against touches of tamarind, citrus, or sorrel.

As part of his commitment to transparency and terroir, Tièche often brings guests into the garden itself, offering what he calls “a sensory connection” to the source of their meals. His team includes pastry chef Pierre-Jean Quinonero and sommelier Alessandro Nigro Imperiale, Meilleur Sommelier d’Italie 2022.

“This is not just my award,” said Tièche. “It belongs to the brigade—passionate, talented, and deeply rooted in this region.”

Already awarded a Michelin star, this new honour from Gault&Millau reinforces Tièche’s status as one of the leading voices in contemporary Riviera cuisine, and affirms the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat’s place among the region’s finest gastronomic destinations.

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Main photo of Yoric Tieche in the vegetable garden, provided