For the first time since October 2020, fans were allowed in to the Salle Gaston Médecin to support AS Monaco Basketball, where they handily won against Le Mans 75 to 52.
Smiles on faces, clapping hands and cheers for the teams punctuated the first night back for 800 fans of AS Monaco Basketball on Thursday night when they played against a determined Le Mans team, winning their fifth straight game.
“A big thank you to the fans for the warmth and support they gave us,” Team Captain Dee Bost said after the game. “They gave us extra energy for the end of the season. We must not make a wrong step, but we have a group that can do it.”
Mathias Lessort scored the first points of the game, followed by a beautiful three-pointer by JJ O’Brien. It was a nice way to start, and it just got better from there.
There wasn’t a quarter where the Roca team didn’t outscore their opponents. The first quarter ended with 26 points to 20, the second they made 19 points to Le Mans’ 10, in the third, it was 19 to 15 and in the final quarter Monaco had 11 points and Le Mans seven.
The Roca cheerleading girls were also back, adding a bit more fun to the party atmosphere, and at the end of the first quarter, We are the Champions by Queen was played to celebrate the Roca team’s Euro Cup title.
“It was a great time to be able to find our fans,” said Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic. “They gave us energy. We needed to share with them. It was difficult for Le Mans tonight, with a small roster. We have to manage this end of the championship with very close matches and defend our first place. The team is behaving very well, the group is making every effort.”
AS Monaco made 28 shots out of 65, with six for 25 of those being three-pointers. The team had an enormous 42 rebounds, with Damien Inglis claiming 12 of his own. They recovered 16 stray balls, had 16 assists and stole the ball 18 times.
Captain Bost was high-scorer with 14 points on the night, followed by Lessort and Fall Faye who clocked up 11 each.
The Roca team are back on the court Tuesday 1st June where they travel to Chalons-Reims.
Monaco Life with AS Monaco Basketball press release, photo by Manuel Vitali, Government Communication Department
MonacoTech signs partnership with Canadian accelerator
MonacoTech has announced its third partnership with an international incubator, this time with ACET in Canada to support companies from the two accelerators in their overseas marketing efforts.
MonacoTech said on Thursday 27th May that it had signed the partnership with ACET, an accelerator for the creation of technological companies. The agreement formalises a collaboration that began a few months ago and will strengthen the cooperation between the two accelerators.
The collaboration will allow startups to benefit from the networks of the two incubators, increase opportunities and strengthen their competitive advantages through meetings with key players in the ecosystem.
“This collaboration with ACET is based on a common vision of innovation and support for our startups internationally,” said Lionel Galfré, Director of MonacoTech. “This agreement is fully in line with our strategy and our desire to offer project leaders supported by MonacoTech an opening to other markets and ecosystems abroad. Startups will now be able to benefit from the support and collaboration of an expert and renowned accelerator in Quebec, the gateway to the North American continent.”
The project will also aim to seek possible synergies between the different startups. Young companies will be supported when they want to validate their value proposition and test their products in new markets. These two accelerators will therefore have a role of proactive facilitator.
“This partnership is a wonderful opportunity for ACET and MonacoTech to exchange best practices in supporting technology companies,” said Ghyslain Goulet, CEO of ACET. “But above all, it is a golden opportunity for ACET companies to benefit from a leading business network from a very well-established accelerator in order to penetrate European markets.”
ACET’s mission is to identify innovative and daring technological projects, to support entrepreneurs in their development and to propel new innovative companies with a positive societal impact. Supported by a committed business community, ACET offers personalised support, from seed to internationalisation, access to various sources of funding including its own investment funds, the expertise of its market intelligence service and the power of its networks so that entrepreneurs can transform their passion, their vision and their innovations into a successful business.
The agreement follows similar partnerships with Capsula in Israel and APUI – IMT Lille Douai in France.
From cold soups with broth extraction and king crab, to lasagne and sugar-free meringue, guests of the new restaurant Yannick Alléno at the Hermitage Hotel are being treated to “simplicity” in modern cuisine.
He is a Rockstar of the gastronomic world, celebrated for his visionary approach to the culinary arts, twice rewarded three stars in France, holder of 14 Michelin stars, and member of the exclusive circle of the greatest chefs in the world.
With restaurants in Paris, Courchevel, Seoul and Dubai, his latest venture means that lovers of fine food need only travel as far as the Hermitage Hotel in Monte-Carlo.
On Tuesday 18th May, local press including Monaco Life were joined by Minister of State Pierre Dartout, National Council President Stéphane Valeri, SBM CEO Jean-Luc Biamonti, Hermitage Hotel General Director Louis Starck and government ministers for an exclusive introduction to Yannick Alléno at the Hermitage Hotel.
On the remodelled Mediterranean garden terrace of the hotel, surrounded by olive trees, citrus fruits and jasmine, Yannick Alléno laid out his gastronomic vision for Monaco in eight perfect plates. Photo of the Yannick Alléno à l’Hôtel Hermitage terrace by SBM
Joined by five of his staff from Paris, Yannick Alléno walked into the kitchens of the Hermitage Hotel four months ago to start a new chapter in the life of Monaco’s prestigious palace, forming a powerhouse team with the chefs and staff of the former Vistamar.
“They are very happy for the opportunity to have a new challenge,” Yannick Alléno tells Monaco Life of his new team. “My priority was to be accepted by them and I feel that this has happened. After a certain period of time, they started to trust us.”
Trust is essential in the high-performance kitchens of Yannick Alléno, whose charismatic nature masks a burning compulsion for perfection. His dishes are elegant, precise and instantly understandable.
Yannick Alléno calls it “simplicity”. Photo of Yannick Alléno in the kitchen by SBM
Drawing on Monaco’s location, the weather, and the clientele, the chef has created cold pea soup with wild strawberries, lobster in cold bisque with roasted pistachio whipped cream, and cold vegetable ravioli with his trademark extraction broth and olive oil – clean, uncomplicated, renaissance cuisine.
“I think we are losing certain things,” says the chef. “Cold dishes, for example, have disappeared from the menu. But what do you want to have when the sun is shining and it is hot? Just a salad, or cold fish with a light sauce, a cold soup with a flavoursome broth… dishes that also give your metabolism what it needs? That is the direction that I like to go in.” Photo of lobster in cold bisque by Monaco Life
That “comfortable simplicity” extends to the hot dishes at the Hermitage, where his signature steamed cheese soufflé and blue lobster spaghetti sit alongside rack of lamb with lemon balm and ‘Luigi Taglienti’s’ lasagne (Michelin starred chef from Milan).
“We created the menu with our customers in mind,” says Yannick. “I thought to myself, ‘If I live in Monaco, what kind of restaurant do I want to go to?’. There are a lot of exceptional restaurants here, many starred restaurants, but for every day, what do you have? People who live here are also looking to find a place that is simple and comfortable. It is very tough to do simple.”
In 2013, with the help of French scientist Bruno Goussault, Yannick Alléno created a unique and revolutionary process called ‘Extraction’, which allows for the concentration and perfection of flavours. In regular kitchens, the concentration of flavours is achieved by evaporation using heat. Extraction, on the other hand, uses correct cooking temperatures to preserve the elements from destructive heat and brings the products to the fore so that they render and develop their purest flavours without the need to add any fat or other ingredients. Alléno’s modern sauces are a blending of several ‘Extractions’. Photo of rhubarbe confite en croute by Yannick Alléno at the Hermitage Hotel, SBM
His avant-guard approach is summed up in the sugar-free desserts that he creates: Candied crust rhubarb with herbed sorbet, Monte-Carlo mousse with strawberries in vanilla, and gluten free almond paste crisp with cherry jelly.
Creative, technically perfect, structured and delicate, Yannick Alléno’s dishes are served in a particular sequence to offer the diner a majestic experience of flavours.
And with menus from 68€, the chef aims to make gastronomic cuisine available to everyone, even in the Principality of Monaco.
“When I was a commis chef at Le Royal Monceau in Paris, I wanted to impress a young lady at a one-star restaurant,” reveals Yannick. “It was December, and of course the maître d’ sold me a truffle menu. I had to pay what I get in one month for that meal, and trust me, I was afraid to go back into a restaurant again. That is what we have to break. The three stars are too far away from the expectations of normal people, we have to make it accessible to the younger generation, to everyone. Photo of Yannick Alléno by Monaco Life
“The positive thing that Covid has taught me is reality – there are no Chinese, Japanese or American tourists right now, so what are we doing? We have to bring back our conversation with our neighbours and say: ‘Sorry, we have made a mistake, sorry we forgot about you. If you would like, you can have a 12€ starter, or if you want caviar, you can have caviar.”
Within the year, the Hermitage Hotel will flourish even more at the hands of Yannick Alléno’s designer from Paris, Chahan Minassian, who will transform the restaurant into a Mediterranean version of the Pavillon Ledoyen – Yannick’s six-starred establishment in Paris – complete with open kitchen.
“The Pavillon project is what I love,” says the chef. “I love to be behind the counter and in those conditions. A table is a circle, and it is very difficult to go inside a circle, for the service and for a chef. But when you are in front of people, you are in the life of people, with discretion of course. It is a different kind of relationship.”
His flagship restaurant Alléno Paris was awarded three Michelin stars after just seven months of opening. His two other restaurants within the Pavillon Ledoyen, the sushi restaurant L’Abysse and gastronomic counter Pavyllon, were awarded two stars and one star respectively in equally impressive time.
It is clearly only a matter of time before Chef Yannick Alléno is delivered another Michelin star in Monaco.
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
Monaco targets French, EU travellers with new campaign
‘Monaco for you, at last!’ is the catchphrase of a new Europe-wide tourism campaign aimed at drawing visitors back to the Principality after a year put on hold by Covid.
The world is slowly returning to normal, the desire to travel is no longer considered a taboo, and Monaco has strict health measures in place to protect the population and visitors.
Therefore, it’s time for the Monaco Tourism Board to help revive the local economy by drawing back visitors. It is doing this by sending a message that marks both the end of a long wait and the beginning of hope.
The words “at last!” (Enfin) has been added to the tourism campaign that was conceived before Covid struck the planet, to now read: “Monaco FOR YOU. At last!”
Through photographs and videos, the campaign focuses on 10 themes that embody Monaco’s tourism offer: wellbeing, gastronomy, culture, family, romance, sport, responsible tourism, games and casinos, weekend getaways, and shopping.
The summer campaign will target the French – primarily Paris and regional capitals – and European markets, and will be featured on television ads, in travel magazines and other professional media both print and digital, as well as social networks. https://youtu.be/fEaHGtz3ahM
After travel restrictions are eased internationally, the campaign will go global and be broadcast on the American, Asian and Oceania continents from the second half of 2021.
Like all major destinations in the world, Monaco has suffered significantly from the loss of tourists since March 2020, the extent of which will be revealed on Friday when Jean-Luc Biamonti, CEO of Monaco’s largest employer Société des Bains de Mer, delivers the company’s annual financial report.
Nod to South Africa at this year's Television Festival
South African drama Reyka will open the 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival this June, while organisers have also revealed who will be judging this year’s top international series.
As the Monte-Carlo Television Festival approaches, the organisers are gradually revealing the details of this anniversary edition, including the World Premiere Opening Screening and the jury members who will meet in Monaco to decide the winners of the Golden Nymph Awards 2021.
The glamorous red carpet opening ceremony for the festival takes place on 18th June at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco. A glittering array of acting and creative talent from around the world and this year’s eminent jury members will join H.S.H. Prince Albert II, Honorary President of the Festival, who will officially declare the commencement of the five-day event.
The two juries, made up of leading exponents from the worlds of television drama and news, will be officially presented during the opening ceremony, before starting to screen together all of the nominated fiction and news content from across the globe.
Fiction Jury President is Swedish writer, director and producer Måns Mårlind (The Bridge, Midnight Sun, Shadowplay) who will preside over fellow award-winning jury members, French actor Arnaud Ducret (Parents mode d’emploi, Mensonges), German producer Moritz Polter (Das Boot, Freud), iconic French actor and singer, Joey Starr (Polisse, Mafiosa, Le Remplaçant), British screenwriter and Direcror Kay Mellor (The Syndicate, Band of Gold) and Norwegian producer Anders Tangen (Lilyhammer, Home for Christmas).
Meanwhile, President of the News Jury, independent filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky (Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom, Cries From Syria) will be joined by the following jury members: Monegasque journalist Leila Ghandi, Italian producer Gisella Marengo, Editor of France Télévisions Hugo Plagnard and Spanish RTVE international & investigative TV reporter Pilar Requena.
The 60th Opening Ceremony of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival will conclude with the worldwide premiere of South African drama Reyka, a crime thriller starring Kim Engelbrecht (Dominion, The Flash), Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey) and Thando Thabethe (How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding). The series’ director is Zwelesizwe Ntuli (Hard to Get) and the producer Serena Cullen (Lady Chatterley’s Lover).
The story: haunted by her past, a flawed but brilliant criminal profiler returns to her hometown to solve a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer amongst the sugarcane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal. Having been abducted as a child, Reyka is traumatised by the experience but this also helps her enter the minds of Africa’s most notorious criminals and turn them inside out. Being mixed race in a country where one is expected to choose, her refusal to pick a side gives her the ability to see what others cannot, but her gift has consequences for her and those she loves.
“We are very pleased to welcome such an eminent line-up of jury members who will screen all competing programmes in Monaco during the festival, with the very difficult task to select the ultimate winners, to be awarded on 22nd June during the Golden Nymph Awards Ceremony,” said Festival CEO Laurent Puons. “It is also my greatest pleasure to open this 60th anniversary with the series Reyka. Beginning the festival with a South African production has a very special touch, especially in light of the close ties that exist between South Africa and the Principality of Monaco. This dynamic drama looks set to be a global hit and we’re thrilled to be able to kick off our festival with this worldwide launch.”
Previous opening screenings and premieres at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival include, among others, Crossing Lines, Empire, Absentia, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and L.A’s Finest.
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