Tag Archives: luxury hotels in mauritius

Blue Penny at Constance Belle Mare Plage

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Preshal Guness and guests

Preshal Guness is a lovely host

The Blue Penny is a unique restaurant in Mauritius. Located at Constance Belle Mare Plage, it represents the highlight of the culinary skills of Constance Hotels Experience.

Preshal Guness is a lovely host and combines conviviality and elegance like no other. Discrete and stylish, he and his young and talented team offer a living definition of the expression ‘casual chic’.

The wine list at Blue Penny is impressive (more than 850), and has received the prestigious Wine Spectator award for its excellence.

Under the guidance of Constance celebrity head sommelier Jerôme Faure, sommelier Yann Hangouet has qualified for the semi-finals of the best young sommelier of France.

Dining at Blue Penny

A dinner at Blue Penny should always start with a visit to the wine cellar and the sommelier’s secret room behind it. There, you can enjoy a selection of fresh and joyful wines that will tickle your appetite…

Fillet of red mullet at Blue Penny

Chef Goisset’s fillet of red mullet filled with local shells, crispy pigs’ trotter, tomato “rougail” and squid ink jus.

Chef Frederic Goisset has been creating behind the stoves of Blue Penny for more than 5 years. He started his career in France at L’Ousteau de Baumanière, at Mr Ducasse’s Louis XV and at L’hôtel du Castellet. He is extremely talented and sensible, and enjoys more than anything cooking with local produce.

Five course discovery menu

On the menu, Chef Goisset proposes different options that can be matched with suggestions from the chef sommelier. He also boasts a 5 courses ‘discovery menu’.

Only the name of the basic ingredient is known to the guests (lobster, squab, pineapple, etc…) and the chef takes care of the rest. A great way to understand the real culinary expression of the place!

Wine dinners every Saturday evening

Luxury food at Blue Penny

A dinner at Blue Penny is always a feast

The complicity between sommelier Yann and Maitre D’ Guness is evident – they regularly create new wine dinners that are presented every Saturday evening.

The concept is the sommelier chooses wines that are interesting to discover. They share feelings on the characters of these wines all together and define the aromatic lines that should be followed to be matched by the food.

Then the chef works at creating the best match possible. What is expected is a balance between food and wine. One component should not overpower the other. The menus are tested and tested again until we reach the desired balance.

Have you eaten at the Blue Penny?

If you’ve eaten at the Blue Penny restaurant at Constance Belle Mare Plage, we’d love to hear about your favourite meal.

Special offer: save 40% on honeymoons at Constance Belle Mare Plage

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Honeymoon dining

Honeymoon dining

Head to paradise for your honeymoon and enjoy a 40% discount for one adult at Constance Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius.

This beautiful luxury hotel is set on one of the island’s most stunning beaches along the sheltered East coast.

The offer is valid from 16 April to 20 October 2012, in one of our Prestige Rooms, Junior or Deluxe Suites.

Minimum 5 nights stay, the package includes:

  • daily breakfast and dinner
  • a bottle of wine and canapés
  • flower petals and candles in the room/bathroom
  • seafood candlelit dinner and photo souvenir
  • departure gift

Find out more about this great honeymoon deal, including terms and conditions, on the Constance Belle Mare Plage website.

 

 

Rum in Mauritius

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In Mauritius, fields of sugar cane can be seen all around the island.

Belle Mare Plage bartenders and our collection of rums

Belle Mare Plage bartenders and our collection of rums

The Constance group was originally involved in the culture of sugar cane, and later developed into the world famous hotel group that we know today.

Rum at Constance Belle Mare Plage

So it’s natural that Head Bartender at Constance Belle Mare Plage, Guillaume Graffeille, chose to pay tribute to the legendary beverage – rum.

Available at the main bar are more than 40 rums from French and British West Indies including the jewels of Martinique, probably the best rum in the World. There are also rums from Latin America, Asia, and of course Mauritius.

 

There’s a full range of rums, from those made out of the distillation of molasses, to the rums based on pure sugar cane juice, and of course the aged rums. These are proposed in different vintages: 5, 6 or 12 years old, and up to 25 years old for the rarest one.

Head bartender - Guillaume Graffeille

Head bartender - Guillaume Graffeille

All are raised in oak casks which allow a good exchange between the air and the rum and ensures the quality of the maturing process.

There are many ways of enjoying rum. It’s used in various classical and signature cocktails, enjoyed after dinner with a cigar or forms part of the composition of different punches or homemade ‘arranged’ rums.

Different flavoured rums

Constance Belle Mare Plage offers different flavoured rums, all with natural fruits: lychee, mango, passionfruit, pineapple, and so on but also with spices or even herbs: cinnamon, star anise, thyme, rosemary…

 

Chamarel Mauritian rum

Bottles of Chamarel Mauritian rums and homemade flavoured rums can be purchased at the resort. They are presented in special packaging and make the perfect present to be brought back home. Don’t miss it!

Interview with Nadia Periasammy, sommelier at Constance Le Prince Maurice

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Nadia Periasammy is a sommelier at Constance Le Prince Maurice, Mauritius. Here she tells us what drew her to working as a sommelier, and how women are finding more opportunities in this traditonally male role.

Nadia Periasammy

Nadia Periasammy

1. What made you decide to become a sommelier, and how has your career developed?

I have never been so proud of my job since I met wine. I first discovered wine when I was in South Africa for a wine package trip. I met Mr Razvan Macici, the cellar master, who takes care of his winery to improve the quality.

He made us visit and taste many different varieties of wine. I was very impressed by the diversity and fascinating job behind all this, and I decided then to develop my career in this role.

2. What does your job involve?

I’d say, good knowledge in general about wine, making our guests feel comfortable, giving advice so guests can choose the right wine, and knowing which food pairs well with which wine.

3. What qualities do you need to be a good sommelier?

  • Good palate.
  • An ability to relate to people about wine.
  • A good follow up about the service.
  • Skill of understanding the customer.

4. In your experience, does a woman bring different qualities to the role?

Table setting at Le Prince Maurice

Table setting at Le Prince Maurice

Women are stepping up and creating a new breed of sommelier with a feminine touch.

Of course, there are still some people who are reluctant to accept the advice of a female sommelier but others find the presence of a female sommelier refreshing, less forceful and more accommodating. Women truly want to delight their guest.

5. Are there more opportunities for female sommeliers these days – how are things changing?

Yes there are definitely more opportunities for female sommeliers these days. Barriers seem to be coming down as women step up into a more prominent position in the wine world. Nowadays, female sommeliers are involved in choosing a fun and creative wine list to suit the restaurant.

Things are changing, and most men are accepting of this - encouraging women to learn more about wine. Women are now becoming certified as master sommeliers, bringing something new and much appreciated.

6. What do you most love about your job?

What I love most about my job is the good atmosphere and team spirit at Le Prince Maurice – people are always there to help and advise when I need it. We have a very interesting wine list.

As we are on a small tropical island, Mauritius, we get the chance to travel all around the world through our wine list. At Constance, we have a diverse choice of wines from different countries.

7. Can you give us your top tip for a great wine to try in 2012?

  • Cru – Beaucaillou 2nd Classified
  • Growth in 1855
  • Owner – Borie Family
  • Vintage – 2001

This wine embodies the elegant, subtle mineral aromas of raspberry.

Pre-selections for Bernard Loiseau Culinary Festival 2012

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Island chefs in the kitchen at Bernard Loiseau Culinary Festival 2011

Island chefs in the kitchen at Bernard Loiseau Culinary Festival 2011

With just 4 months to go until the Bernard Loiseau Culinary Festival gets underway next March, chefs across our Constance resorts have been taking part in the final pre-selection event.

We can already tell that next year’s will be an exceptional festival, with one candidate taking part from each of our resorts.

In November, all candidates were tasked with preparing a starter and a main course, all using the same ingredients.

For the appetiser

  • Shrimps 21/25
  • Tomato
  • Olive oil
  • Bell pepper
  • Lemongrass

For the main course

  • Fillet of fresh red snapper
  • Sweet potato
  • Coconut milk
  • Ginger
  • Lemon

How the judging works

Members of the jury at Bernard Loiseau Culinary Festival 2011

Members of the jury at Bernard Loiseau Culinary Festival 2011

We created a panel of 4 jury members for the tasting and one ‘technical’ jury member in the kitchen for each of our resorts. The rules and regulations, the timing, and the ingredients were the same.

The task was for each candidate to express his technique and creativity, and aim to impress the jury members.

Judging criteria

Jerôme Manifacier & Ashley Ramasawmy

Jerôme Manifacier & Ashley Ramasawmy at 2011 festival

Criteria for the kitchen jury:

  • Hygiene (Grooming, work flow, cleanliness, respect of hygiene standards) – out of 20 points
  • Respect of culinary techniques – out of 20 points
  • Organisation – out of 20 points
  • Fair-play attitude – out of 20 points
  • Timing – out of 20 points

 Criteria for the tasting panel:

  • Presentation, smell, colour, attractiveness of the dish - out of 5 points
  • Best use of produce - out of 5 points
  • Texture, right degree of cooking, temperature – out of 10 points
  • Creativity, originality - out of 10 points
  • Taste - out of 20 points

As the day got underway, there was much excitement and enthusiasm in our kitchens. The result was impressive, as you can see from the photos.

What happens next

All candidates are now anxiously awaiting the results.

Once each hotel knows who will be representing them at the festival, intensive training will start in order to be ready for the big day in March.

Watch this space for more information. And don’t miss our previous articles on:

Offer: Honeymoon special – 40% discount for spouse at Constance Belle Mare Plage

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Deluxe suite at Belle Mare Plage

Luxurious deluxe suite

Honeymooners can enjoy a rare taste of paradise at Constance Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius with a fabulous 40% discount for the spouse.

Offer valid from 16 April – 20 October 2012, with a minimum 5 night stay in Prestige Room, Junior Suite or Deluxe Suite.

Package includes:

  • daily breakfast and dinner
  • bottle of wine and canapés in room
  • flower petals and candles in room and bathroom
  • seafood candlelit dinner and photo souvenir
  • departure gift in room.

Your stay should not be more than 9 months after the day of your wedding.

See the Constance Hotels Experience website for full details, and terms and conditions.