A Grand Chapitre, whether international or national, is always a wonderful opportunity to showcase one's country and its specialities. This year in Bordeaux, the team led by Sabine Tachot, Secrétaire Générale of Chaîne International, offered us an unforgettable experience.

The opening evening took us to the Bassin des Lumières, a spectacular venue created in 2020 by Culturespaces in a former submarine base. This digital art centre, the largest in the world, features monumental immersive exhibitions dedicated to the great artists of art history and contemporary creation. Dining in this unique setting was an exceptional sensory experience, blending art and gastronomy.

During the Grand Chapitre programme members had the opportunity to taste prestigious wines, such as those from Smith Haut Lafitte and Pape Clément. However, the wine tour included a visit to La Cité des Vins, which unfortunately did not live up to expectations.

Meetings
On Thursday 16th the Conseil d’Administration had a full day of deliberations. Friday morning saw the annual meeting of the Conseil Magistral - attended by 50 “red ribbons” together with permitted observers. At the Annual General Meeting on Saturday 18th all resolutions were passed unanimously.

Induction Ceremony
Each year, the Chaîne celebrates its values of tradition, conviviality, and culinary excellence through the induction of new members. At the Ceremony in Bordeaux’s Palais de la Bourse, attended by some 140 members and guests and which was presided over by President Yam Atallah, we had the honour of inducting a significant number of distinguished members, reinforcing our commitment to promoting culinary arts and sharing best gastronomic practices.

Peter Musa (Switzerland) received the title of Grand Commandeur for his 60 years of dedication to the Chaîne. Mohamed Hammam (Denmark) was inducted as an Officier Commandeur for his 30 years of service, and Yves Leon (Türkiye) was named Commandeur for his 20 years of commitment.

Additionally, four new members were welcomed to the Conseil d'Honneur: Rolf Braend (Norway), Benoit Fragnière (Switzerland), Mohamed Hammam (Denmark) and David Tetrault (Canada). The latter three having stood down as Members of the Conseil d’Administration. This recognition highlights their exceptional contributions to the Chaîne.

To replace the three retirees, new members who joined the Conseil d'Administration were Tony Catanese from Canada and Thomas Kuhn from Switzerland and Joe Prasobsook Thawilvejjakul from Thailand. Unfortunately, Joe was not able to be present to be inducted. The Conseil Magistral also welcomed new members, two of whom were inducted at the Ceremony, namely Chloe Balanos from Cameroon and Eng Fook Hoong from Singapore. Lastly in the list of senior officers, Mounir El Arem was inducted as Bailli Délégué of Tunisia.

All inductions strengthen our global network of gastronomy enthusiasts and culinary professionals. Each member brings a wealth of knowledge and traditions, contributing to maintaining and promoting the fundamental values of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs: culinary excellence, fraternity, and sharing. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to them and look forward to their future contributions enriching our community.

Gala Dinner featuring Camus Cognac
The Gala Dinner orchestrated by La Maison Camus brought together more than 300 guests from across the world (39 different nationalities). For the occasion, three generations of the Camus family were present. Jean-Paul Camus (Member of the Conseil d’Honneur), his son Cyril Camus (Professionnel du Vin) who is the current head of La Maison Camus and his son Ryan Camus, who had been inducted earlier in the evening as a Professionnel du Vin.

Ryan gave a moving speech in which he expressed how much this recognition meant to him. He emphasized the importance of friendship beyond ages and borders, proudly stating that he had so many brothers and sisters within the Chaîne.

As usual, Camus Cognac went all out in delighting us by presenting their latest creation on the tables much to the guests' pleasure.

The Gala dinner also provided an opportunity to support a local initiative: the Java Bordeaux choir. This choir of children and teenagers meets once a week with their choirmaster, with the goal of bringing young people from diverse backgrounds to the highest level of musical expression and sharing choral singing with a wide audience. The values of secularism, tolerance, and openness promoted by Java Bordeaux resonate deeply with those of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. Including young people from different social and cultural backgrounds enriches this beautiful initiative.

In summary, this International Grand Chapitre in Bordeaux was a brilliant celebration of gastronomy, the art of living and the values of sharing and friendship that are at the heart of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

Adapted from two articles prepared by Geneviève Groslière, Chargée de Missions of the Bailliage of France, to whom we express our warm appreciation for her permission to use them.

NB. The complete gallery of photos will be available online soon.