The evening of Saturday, September 20th, marked a pivotal moment for the Bailliage of Mauritius. The recently appointed Bailli Délégué, Gerhard Hecker, the newly constituted Managing Committee and freshly inducted members were formally welcomed into their roles within the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

For the Bailli Délégué and his Committee, the induction represented a fresh chapter; an opportunity to bring the Bailliage to greater heights. As for the inducted members, the evening marked the beginning of lasting relationships with fellow members across the world.

The Induction Ceremony unfolded with protocol and solemnity. A procession filed into the room with grace. Inductees, the Managing Committee and the Grand Officer d’Honneur led the way for Inducting Officer Shabnam Nayer, who is a Member of the Conseil Magistral and Bailli Délégué of Kenya.

Flanked by sword bearers, the parade advanced towards the stage on the deep, sonorous notes of the cello. Entrusted with the formal pouvoir in the name of President Atallah, Shabnam welcomed dignitaries and guests and recounted the rich history of the Chaîne before administering the oath upon the inductees.

A harmonious ‘I do’ echoed across the room, after which the inductees were called onto the stage, one by one, to receive the regalia appropriate for their Chaîne grade. With a ceremonial tap of the sword on the shoulder, the Inducting Officer welcomed them into the Bailliage.

Those inducted were:
- Bailli Délégué Gerhard Hecker
- Chancelier Dipna Gunnoo
- Conseiller Culinaire Emmanuelle Coquet Madoo
- Chargée de Missions Tarweeza Sooba
- Chargée de Missions Suneeta Motala
- Chargé de Missions Herman Suhirman
- Chargé de Presse Bilal Adam
- Échanson Anthony Coombes
- Dame de la Chaîne Kate Odendaal
- Chevalier Sanjeeven Ramasawmy
- Chevalier Hugues Zindel

A short musical interlude followed. Cellist Anna Chauveau-Dhayan and the mezzo-soprano Caroline Villain filled the hall with melodious arias and hymns before the cocktail reception.

Laughter soon flowed through La Cathédrale of Il Corallo at Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa during the cocktail reception where members and guests were charmed by Champagne Driant Valentin 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs. Its finesse and purity was a wonderful pairing to the canapés.

The Gala Dinner followed with a delicious menu which hit all the taste buds. It began with a luscious brown butter risotto, seared prawns and black truffle coulis. The earthy umami notes of the truffle deepened the briny sweetness of the prawns. Paired beautifully with a distinctively mineral and complex Riesling Grand Cru ‘Kirchberg de Barr’ 2019 Domaine André Lorentz. True to its age, the Riesling revealed hints of honey and lavender on the nose.

The second course proved a wonder for the tastebuds. Confit fish fillet with furikake crust rested on a bed of pickled daikon, snow pea and edamame salsa, buckwheat emulsion and coriander oil. The sweet and sour sharpness of the pickled daikon heightened the delicate flavour of the flaky white fish. Coupled with a citrusy Chablis 2023 Chartron et Trebuchet, the course epitomised freshness and balance.

Refinement and true elegance seemed to be the theme of the Gala Dinner. Slices of perfectly roasted lamb loin with puffed quinoa crumble and vegetables were carefully arranged on speckled blue plates and paired with a ruby-toned Château Phélan Ségur Saint-Estèphe.

Dessert delighted chocolate enthusiasts! A rich chocolate mousse hiding a molten chocolate heart, encased in a crisp chocolate shell. A delicate Porto Messias 10 yrs made dessert even more decadent.

On behalf of the Bailliage of Mauritius, we wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs International Headquarters in Paris and to Shabnam Nayer for their unwavering support.

We also warmly thank Trou aux Biches Golf Resort & Spa for graciously hosting the Chaîne a second time and Seaboxx Ltd and Vinalia Trading Ltd for their exceptional wines and spirits.

Finally, our sincerest thanks go to our distinguished guests who made this evening another resounding success, and we eagerly look forward to many more memorable moments shared.

Vive la Chaîne!

The Chaîne Mauritius Team