Naoko Tomita and Hideko Kawa, sommelier and pastry chef at Gordon Ramsay’s three-Michelin-starred London restaurant on Royal Hospital Road, have won the Wines of Roussillon Dessert Trophy.
The duo beat three other finalists from London’s Galvin at Windows and Roussillon Restaurant as well as Hotel du Vin Winchester.
Contests had to serve an original dessert creation paired with a Roussillon Vin Doux Naturel from AOC Banyuls, Maury, Muscat de Rivesaltes or Rivesaltes.
Tomita and Kawa served a chocolate Gianduja parfait with roasted pear and pecan, Banyuls syrup with pear and cardamom foam matched with a Banyuls Grand Cru, Domaine Vial-Magnères, Cuvée André Magnères 1996.
Judge Xavier Rousset, master sommelier and co-owner of Texture Restaurant, said: “The standard of the competition was really high and we would all have been very happy to be served any of these dessert and wine pairings in a fine dining environment.
“The Wines of Roussillon Dessert Trophy illustrates how important it is for front and back of house to taste food and wines together and shows what can be achieved when chefs and sommeliers work as a team.”
As the winning pastry chef Kawa will attend a four-day course at the École Internationale de Pâtisserie in Perpignan, while Tomita will be offered a four-day visit to producers of Roussillon’s finest wines.
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By Kerstin Kühn
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