Thursday, January 1, 2015

Celebrating Creole Cuisine – The Award Ceremony

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

In September, I wrote a post about the Academy of Culinary Art for the Creole World's participation in the Fête de la Gastronomie, which included three days of celebration of Creole cuisine.

The Academy falls under the aegis of l’Institut Le Monde Créole (Creole World Institute), whose mission is to promote and defend Creole culture around the world. The Academy’s particular charge is to safeguard, promote, and defend Creole gastronomy.

Part of that mission was fulfilled when, on December 20, 2014, the Creole World Institute held its first award ceremony to celebrate the best of Creole cuisine in the Francophone world.

Trophées de l’Art Culinaire Créole award

The goal of the award ceremony, called Trophées de l’Art Culinaire Créole (Trophies for Creole Culinary Art), is to highlight the contributions that Creole cuisine has made and continues to make to French cuisine. Several categories of awards have been created, including:

Trophée Entrepreneurs (Entrepreneur Trophy): for those who respect Creole culinary traditions and promote them through their preparation of traditional, modern, and innovative dishes

Trophée “avenir” (“Future” Trophy): for a young culinary professional who particularly distinguished himself or herself over the course of the last 1-2 years

Trophée d’Honneur (Trophy of Honor): for persons (whether culinary professionals or not) who demystify and passionately promote the recognition of Creole cuisine

Grand-Prix de l’Academie de l’Art Culinaire du Monde Créole (Grand Prize of the Academy of Culinary Art for the Creole World): for a person selected by the Academy

Grand-prix d’Honneur de la l’Art Culinaire Créole (Grand Prize of Honor for Creole Culinary Art): for a person, institution, or geographical entity (city, region…) that has particular distinction in the domain of culinary culture.

Prix d’Excellence (Excellence Prize): for a person who has devoted his or her life to the defense, promotion, recognition, and dissemination of knowledge about Creole cuisine.

The ceremony took place at the Espace Reuilly in the 12th arrondissement. It was organized with the patronage and support of George Pau-Langevin, France’s Minister of Overseas Territories; the Department of Mayotte, which was recently named as a French territory; and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, among others.

Ceremony attendees

Eleven prizes were awarded in front of a crowd of ~300 persons. The winners (see below) hail from Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion Island. They conduct their professional activities in these locations, as well as in Monaco, Toulouse, and the Paris region.

Three of the laureates work in the Paris region:

Babette de Rozières, winner of the Grand Prize of Honor for Creole Culinary Art, operates a restaurant called La Case de Babette. It is located in Maule, a small town in the department of Les Yvelines.

Babette de Rozières
Grand Prize of Honor for Creole Culinary Art

Gustave Monpierre, winner of one of the four Trophies of Honor awarded, operates a restaurant called DouDou Kréyol. It is located in Alfortville. Monpierre and his restaurant were the winners of the Marmite d’Or, another gastronomic prize awarded to excellent African and Caribbean restaurants, in 2010 and 2012. DouDou Kréyol participated in the Fête de la Gastronomie in September.

Gustave Monpierre
Trophy of Honor

Marie-José Le Guen-Geoffoy, winner of a Trophy of Honor, serves as the head chef for France’s Ministry of Overseas Territories. She has been at the helm of the kitchen there for 14 years.

Marie-José Le Guen-Geoffoy (podium) - Trophy of Honor
Minister of Overseas Territories George Pau-Langevin (background)

*THE WINNERS
1) Trophée Entrepreneur - Cuisine Traditionnelle
*Eddy BIAS (Martinique)
Restaurant Le Pignon Nouvelle Vague
Anse à l'ane/Trois Ilets, Martinique

2) Trophée Entrepreneur - Cuisine Moderne
*Andjizi DAOUECHE (Mayotte)
Television show - Mayotte 1ère
Pamandzi, Mayotte

3) Trophée Entrepreneur - Cuisine Novatrice
*Jimmy BIBRAC (Guadeloupe)
Restaurant Aux Epices
Bouillante, Guadeloupe

4) Trophée "Avenir"
*Jean-Rony LERICHE (Guadeloupe)
Restaurant Le Riche des Saveurs
Toulouse, France

5) Trophée d'Honneur
*Christian ANTOU (La Réunion) -
Association GOUTANOU
Petite Ile, Ile de la Réunion

6) Trophée d'Honneur
*Gustave MONPIERRE (Guadeloupe)
Restaurant Doudou Kréyol
Alfortville (Paris region), France

7) Trophée d'Honneur
*Naomi MARTINO (Guadeloupe)
Artisan chocolatier
l'Ecrin du Chocolat
Baie Mahault, Guadeloupe

8) Trophée d'Honneur
*Marie-José LE GUEN-GEOFFOY
Chef de cuisine - Ministère des Outre-mer
Paris, France

9) Grand Prix de l'Art Culinaire Créole
*Marcel RAVIN (Martinique)
Chef of the kitchens at Blue Ray
Monte Carlo Bay, Monaco

10) Grand Prix d'Honneur de l'Art Culinaire Créole
*Babette de ROZIERES (Guadeloupe)
Restaurant la Case de Babette
Maule (Paris region), France

11) Prix d'Excellence
*Jean-Charles BREDAS (Martinique)
Maître-restaurateur
Le Bredas
St Joseph, Martinique

All photos courtesy of l'Académie de l'Art Culinaire du Monde Créole.

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