Monaco will become the centre of luxury caviar for one day on November 6th, as the Yacht Club de Monaco hosts the second edition of the World Caviar Awards.
The international competition will bring together premium caviar producers and merchants from 20 countries, including Russia, Iran, France, Italy, China and the United States, to compete for top honours in a blind tasting judges by Michelin-starred chefs and gastronomy experts.
The event, founded by caviar specialist Laurent Morin and held under the high patronage of Princess Yasmine Murat, Princess of Pontecorvo, marks a significant step up from its inaugural edition at Saint-Émilion Grand Barrail in October 2024.
How the competition works
Each caviar entry will be evaluated under strictly controlled conditions, with identical temperatures, portions, and unmarked containers to ensure complete impartiality. Two sworn bailiffs will oversee the juggling process, where jury members will asses samples individually without consultation.
The competition features two distinct categories: producers who farm their own fish and create caviar, and merchants who source, refine and sell caviar from various farms. Separate juries will judge each category.
Judges will score entries on appearance, texture, balance and length of flavour on the palate, with results determining the year’s most outstanding caviars.
When it comes to the judging panel, among the notable names are GĂ©rald Passedat from Marseille’s Le Petit Nice, Pascal Garrigues of Monte-Carlo Beach, and Pierre Casiraghi, Vice-President of the Yacht Club. The panel also includes multiple Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) title holders, world freediving record holder Pierre Frolla, and Christian Garcia, chef to Monaco’s princely palace.
Beyond the competition
The blind tasting, scheduled from 10am to 2pm, represents just part of the day’s festivities. Some 220 guests will enjoy a premium cocktail reception followed by an exclusive ten-hands caviar dinner, where renowned chefs will collaborate on specially created dishes for the occasion.
“Caviar is no longer reserved for an elite few,” said Morin, who has worked in the caviar industry for over 15 years. “Thanks to the creativity of chefs, it’s now regarded in haute cuisine as a full-fledged ingredient, while retaining its aura of rarity.”
The event aims to celebrate caviar’s diversity while providing an international platform for producers, much like the already established competitions for wine and cheese
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Main photo credit: World Caviar Awards