Entering the fast-paced, competitive, risky business of food and beverage in Hong Kong takes confidence, experience, planning, and ingenuity. Competing among the 12,000 restaurants of Hong Kong stands IFC Hong Kong�s new restaurant �The French Window�, which opened in early December 2009, and is showing signs of success as it plows past the barriers of conventional practices in French cuisine and aims for a more modern appeal; what invokes the interest of Hong Kong�s food critics and fastidious palettes is the combination of a few special tangible and intangible components: a tall-ceilinged, windy, maze-like chamber fused into the contours of a chateau interior; cellared wines in a two storey glass anterior that are bursting to be tried and enjoyed, an attentive and intuitive group of staff, and a stunning view of the harbor, to name a few�

Behind the scenes, Singaporean celebrity chef Justin Quek and French prodigy chef Mickael le Calvez play around with fresh ingredients to create sensual dishes that push the limits of traditional French cuisine. Their crafty yet approachable menu includes: Wagyu Beef Carpaccio Rossigny and Perigord Black Truffles; Taiyouran Organic Egg, Morel Cream, Green Asparagus; Roasted Bresse Pigeon, Beetroot Confit, and Spiced Red Wine Sauce.

Today, agriculture is radically morphing to meet certain 21st century challenges and expectations of society. This movement to mobilize research and development training for farmers and agriculturalists calls for a creative innovation. Several players in the research, training and development of agricultural practices in France have congruently decided to create a place for dialogue and policy coordination, exchange of experience and leadership, to create synergies between their actions. By collaborating together, they can to produce, identify and more effectively disseminate innovations and new agricultural practices to be applicable to the majority of farms in France and allow the development of competitive agriculture while at the same time maintaining high quality performance. To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), APCA (Permanent Assembly of Chambers of Agriculture), ACTA ( the network of institutes of branches of animals and plants), AgroParisTech (The Institute of Life Science and Industry and the Environment) and ONEMA (National Water and aquatic environments) came together on March 3 2010, and created a scientific interest group named (GIS) �Agricultural Renewal", which will be widely opened to other actors in research, training and development.

After a long suspenseful period, France has announced its representative for Bocuse d'Or Europe � which will take place next June 7th and 8th in Switzerland, which will overlap the new hall that is called Gourmet Geneva. At the age of 31, Jerome Jaegle has managed to win the National Artistic Cuisine Contest in 2010. This achievement allowed him to take his place among the best chefs during this prestigious competition. "It's a childhood dream, I am very happy," said the chef of the restaurant T�tedoie Christian in Lyon. Being a previous winner of the national culinary competition Pierre Taittinger and earning the national trophy Toqueshow, he will bounce back in training and face this challenge with his very best. The dishes that will be presented in Geneva include: a rack of veal "six rib", and a Sterling White Halibut from Norway weighing five to six kg. The top12 winning countries represented in the Bocuse d'Or Europe will qualify for the finals during Sirha � the global hotel and food service trade show - at Eurexpo in Lyon. Every two years, 24 leaders are selected to be the chefs that go to Lyon to carry out incredible performances where they prepare two exceptional dishes over 5 hours and 30 minutes in front of a wide audience that involves the press and a jury. This occurrence has been a long tradition ever since 1978 and has developed into a grandiose spectacle where the most exquisite and finest culinary creations in the world are showcased under one roof.

www.bocusedor.com

Everyday Bordeaux is an annual wine program in Hong Kong where 100 bottles of wines are chosen by a panel of sommeliers and wine experts during a two-day long blind tasting of red, rose, white, and sweet wines. This year, 274 bottles of Bordeaux wine �supplied by 57 importers- were sampled. Since the very first Everyday Bordeaux Program in 2007, the amount of Bordeaux bottles submitted has increased by 43%. Let us tell you why� Bordeaux here, Bordeaux there, Bordeaux is everywhere! At big parties or intimate dinners, Bordeaux suits your every day�food-pairing needs: from modern to classic, robust to sweet, this guide is the go-to for buying, storing, serving, and tasting Bordeaux wines. Next to each of these 100 wines is information on its: appellation, grape varieties, tasting notes, retail price and supplier contact. In addition, �How to enjoy Everyday Bordeaux� and some helpful tips from experts are there to help consumers discover more secrets about Bordeaux as they delve into a deeper appreciation of France�s largest wine producing region.

In the late 1800s, the Phylloxera louse nearly killed away all Proven�al viticulture. Luckily, with the industrial development of the northern Europe railway link, Provence could supply its rich cultural heritage again and benefit from an upturn in tourism over the past decades, using the influx of tourists to its advantage. Today, Provence has made a notable stand as a prominent, wine producing region and is no longer known just for its breathtaking scenery. Provence is considered the home of ros� wines, but also enjoys a distinctive range of other varieties. At least 13 varieties are allowed in Cotes de Provence that are responsible for creating dry ros�s, firm, spicy reds and dry, gentle and aromatic whites. The main grapes are: Grenache, Cinsaut, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon (red); Rolle and Vermentino (white). Roughly four-fifths of all Provence wine production is comprised of pale pink dry ros�s � a style which is gaining more popularity as a result of better quality control. This does not detract from attention on red wines, which represent 20% of Provence production and whose varieties and are used to add structure and flavor and also reaching new heights. So much has it influenced gourmands and wine lovers of the world that Provence has made its way to Asia and will make its presence known at Vinexpo at the end of May this year. If you are in the trade and want to gain a better understanding and acquire a taste for the best of Provence, come and take a look for yourself.

A university degree unique to Europe has been opened and is already gaining popularity. Its course includes an individualized training on cheeses, an introduction to gourmet cheese and its cultural importance, sales techniques and marketing skills... all to become "experts of cheese�! Proposed by the University of Tours and the European Institute of History and Culture of Food, this training program includes modules that are fully adapted to the demands and needs of students, some of which can even be taken online. The courses offered depend on each individual University (history and geography of heritage and cheese, dairy, and cheese industries; anthropology and consumption of cheese and food, sociology, commercialization and distribution, etc...). Students graduate with a degree that includes: practical knowledge of cheese with a pluralistic and interdisciplinary principle of the culture associated with the manufacturing and marketing of cheese - knowledge of soils, cheese-making, social values, the consumption of cheese, and a good command of the cheese varieties in the world. This training, which starts from September 2010, is offered to a variety of audiences: students holding a baccalaureate level +2, people working in production enterprises, people working in restaurants, trade and catering, and professional students.

www.univ-tours.fr

For white grape varietal Sauvignon Blanc to supplant Chardonnay, the most internationally traded varietal, is no small feat. The increasing popularity of Sauvignon, which gives good dry white wines a lively, dense and aromatic character, has encouraged professionals to create a Bordeaux World Sauvignon Competition, to be held in Bordeaux, 2010. This competition will take place on the 25th and 26th of June, at Plan�te Bordeaux, the regional headquarters of the union, in Beychac and Cailleau. A jury of 50 tasters will be present, and the wines will be judged on the following categories: dry, semi-dry, sweet, sparkling, woody, unoaked, overall quality, etc�this competition is entrusted to the Worldy Competition in Bruxelles, who will ensure that for everything form the tastings and technicalities will be professionally carried out due to their experience and confidence to serve the event. The Sauvignon grape represents more than 20,000 hectares of crops in France, and covers 50,000 hectares globally. Its presence is widespread- in Bordeaux, Sancerre, Bergerac, Languedoc, and also New Zealand, California, northern Italy and Chile in particular. � 2010 - JDV - DT

www.cmsauvignon.com