Latest news with #Bacchanalian
The Star
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Star
Malaysian F&B leader inducted into esteemed French wine fraternity
Soh (right) being inducted into the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin in France. FOR his efforts in promoting Burgundy wines, Datuk Kenneth Soh Chee Whye has been formally inducted into the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin as a chevalier (knight). The managing director of Luen Heng F&B Sdn Bhd (LHFB), importer and distributor of beers, wines and spirits based in Kuala Lumpur, was inducted during an elaborate ceremony at Chateau du Clos de Vougeot in the heart of Burgundy's vineyards in France. Chevaliers du Tastevin, which translates to 'Brotherhood of the Knights of the Wine-Tasting Cup', is a prestigious Bacchanalian fraternity of wine connoisseurs dedicated to promoting Burgundian wines, cuisine and culture. Soh was presented a tastevin – a small, shallow silver tasting cup – attached to a crimson and gold ribbon, as part of the ceremony. The ribbon's colours represent two main grape varieties of Burgundy: Pinot Noir (crimson) and Chardonnay (gold). The Confrerie's activities are generally scheduled around sumptuous chapter dinners and other culinary events, where Burgundy wines are served. At these events, members are expected to provide detailed appraisals of the wines served, contributing to a 'viticultural and gastronomic education'. LHFB said in a media statement: 'Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Soh is widely known as a trailblazer in the food and beverage fraternity for his foresight and investments in advancing the distributions of imported wines and spirits to support the country's F&B industry. 'Having taken over the helm of the company in 1993, Soh has transformed LHFB to an established F&B enterprise with a vision to be a great beverage company in Asia.' It said Soh's legacy in the realms of wine and whisky had earned him some of the industry's most prestigious honours. 'In recognition of his commitment to advancing Scotch whisky in Malaysia, he was appointed a Keeper of the Quaich in 2019. 'His tireless efforts in promoting French wines were further acknowledged by two of France's most respected wine fraternities, who conferred upon him the esteemed titles of Honorary Commandeur of the Commanderie du Bontemps and member of the Jurade de Saint-Emilion. 'In 2025, Soh marked another milestone with the conferment of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne from the Champagne region, and Burgundy's highest accolade, the Chevaliers du Tastevin,' it said.
The Herald Scotland
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
I'm not sure Edinburgh Council's big problem is too many Xmas parties
But in a 30-page report at the end of which Mr Dunion makes 15 recommendations, the last has attracted much attention, for the council to 'consider the appropriateness of social events and hospitality arrangements'. Before anyone gets the impression that Edinburgh's City Chambers is awash with Bacchanalian excess, in my five years I never witnessed anything remotely untoward. Read more Maybe I just wasn't invited to the hottest events, but my recollection, primarily of Conservative Group Christmas receptions, was of a few glasses of wine and supermarket nibbles ─ funded by us from our group subscriptions ─ and everyone mucking in to clear away in very good time to repair to a nearby boozer where it was someone else's turn to serve the drinks. The Labour Group bash did have disco music and lights, but I didn't stay long in case I cramped their style. I was either unaware or not bothered if the SNP, Lib Dems or Greens threw parties, swell or otherwise. But it seems the festive gatherings were too much for some who spoke to Mr Dunion, either that or he just didn't like the principle, but that wasn't the reason he was called in. Of the other 14 recommendations in this keenly anticipated report to next Thursday's full council meeting, 12 involve a review of existing whistleblowing and complaints procedures, to consider a tweak here or a twiddle there. Better record keeping, clear routes of complaint, better HR support for staff, and that kind of thing. There is a clear risk Mr Dunion will be accused of producing another whitewash, but although he did not have compelling authority, resources or time to dig deeper into the allegations, there is still plenty to make uncomfortable reading for some. First, reading between the lines, I believe there is a strong inference that if the harassment allegations against Cllr Day had been substantiated - which they were not - they would at the very least have represented inappropriate behaviour for someone holding a prominent public role. 'Councillors are personally responsible for their own behaviour and for ensuring they meet the expectations of those holding office,' he wrote. 'It is not just about obeying but reflecting on how their behaviour may be regarded.' Quite. Cammy Day outside the City Chambers (Image: free) Second, the 'neither confirm nor deny' response from Susanne Tanner KC, to the direct question of whether she had been made aware of previous allegations against Cllr Day during her 2021 examination of the council's whistleblowing culture, was rather undermined by former Education, Children and Families Vice-Convener Alison Dickie confirming she submitted a dossier of safeguarding allegations, including Cllr Day, to the Tanner Review team, and raised it with her in a subsequent meeting. Strangely, I recall Ms Tanner was not so reticent in answering direct questions from Councillor Day about councillors' alleged behaviour ─ mine, and I was subsequently cleared by the Ethical Standards Commission ─ when presenting her report, but that's another story. However, Mr Dunion's examination reveals that one senior Edinburgh councillor is a copper-bottomed, ocean-going liar who is unfit to hold public office. The councillor cannot be identified because there is no substantiating evidence. They were among those councillors emailed by Chief Executive Paul Lawrence in December last year to inform them about details of properties relating to Cllr Day, and the email contents appeared 'in its entirety' in the Daily Record shortly after. Mr Dunion spoke to them all and each denied being the source. One of them is not telling the truth. 'There are not any proportionate means within the limited capacity of this review to pursue this further,' he said. 'There is no doubt however that this is a deliberate breach of the Councillors Code of Conduct. The almost immediate passing of this to the press, is a betrayal of trust.' I know that if I was one of those who hadn't done the leaking, I'd be concerned someone might think it was me, and they have no way of showing they were not to blame. Read more There are more obvious criticisms, particularly how then council leader Adam Nols-McVey handled allegations by a man who claimed to have been groomed as a 15-year-old in 2010 by an unnamed councillor ─ who Mr Dunion confirms was Cllr Day ─ when he was in care after suffering sexual abuse. The man had emailed Cllr Nols-McVey in 2018, when Cllr Day was his deputy, but Nols-McVey did not inform then Chief Executive Andrew Kerr. He told Mr Dunion he spoke to a police chief superintendent who said nothing could be done without the name of either alleged victim or perpetrator. The email and subsequent messages from the alleged victim could not be traced because, Mr Dunion noted, the complaints were not shared and only retained in recipients' mailboxes. Mr Dunion's conclusion is clear. 'The seriousness of the claim of potentially criminal behaviour by a councillor, who might be the Deputy Leader, is such that the emails should have been shared by the Council Leader with the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer,' he said. 'They would then have been in a position to decide whether to contact the police.' After the 2022 elections, the SNP-Labour coalition ended, and Cllr Nols McVey was replaced by Cllr Day as leader of a minority Labour administration. Mr Dunion doesn't say if that had any bearing on events. But Christmas parties? Forget it. John McLellan is a former Edinburgh Evening News and Scotsman editor. He served as a City of Edinburgh councillor for five years. Brought up in Glasgow, McLellan has lived and worked in Edinburgh for 30 years
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Art reviews: Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Degree Show 2025
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Degree Show 2025, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design ★★★★ The Wonder Store, Methil Heritage Museum ★★★★ It must be nearly summer. The sun is shining and degree show season is upon us, beginning in Dundee, where more than 450 students are presenting their work to the world at the Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show, including more than 90 graduates in Fine Art disciplines. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While the studios are peppered with posters protesting the proposed staff cuts at Dundee University, of which Duncan of Jordanstone is part, (it took me a while to work out that they weren't part of someone's degree show), even this doesn't dampen the general sense of celebration. The arrival of Jeremy Deller, working with students to create Bacchanalian festivities in the city as part of his National Gallery Meet the Gods project, could only add to the party. Work by Tom Speedy at the 2025 Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show | Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Dundee's art school has long had a reputation for skill, and this is a highly skilled degree show, including in painting, which is ubiquitous. This cohort of students, who began their courses in the late stages of the pandemic, wasted no time getting into the college's workshops, from ceramics to printmaking to 3D modelling, and learning skills to apply in their work. In a show with comparatively little lens-based work, Christopher Adam's 45-minute film An Guth/The Voice is both a satirical depiction of a small Scottish town and a deep-dive into language, belonging and traditional song. He also paints and makes prints. At least as ambitious is Robin Faye, who has made a partially devised 30-minute opera based on Kafka's Metamorphosis, making the costumes and sets, recruiting the singers from Dundee University's Opera Society and capturing the whole thing on film. Women now outnumber men significantly in art schools, and there is a strong strand in this degree show which addresses issues of gender equality, beginning with the history of art. Eilidh Pirie's outstanding pastel drawings on fabric reclaim the trope of the reclining woman, affirming that her 'room of her own' is a place for contemplation, solitude and fun. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rachel Herd experiments in her paintings with revealing the nude form and concealing it with draped fabric, while Emma Pirrie chooses to paint the nude figure and the fabric separately, letting each evoke the other. Her subjects are very much themselves, ambivalent about our gaze on them. Nicky Riding engages with the invisibility of menopausal and midlife women with verve and not a little anger. As well as overturning stereotypes like 'crone' and 'old bag', she has made a rather beautiful visual poem using the names of B&Q paint colours. Amy Lorimer paints thoughtful portraits of herself and her mother in a series called 'A Woman's Work is Never Done', while Clover Christopherson embraces 'hydrofeminism' with her cyanotype-on-silk portraits of women in water. Some students dive deep into ancient myths. Claire Black is inspired by the ancient Hindu texts, the Upanishads; her work makes particularly effective use of the imagery of the horse, and asks questions about ritual in today's world. Dee Atkinson draws on the myths attached to constellations, and on female figures in ancient Greece, making very accomplished white-on-black works using drawing and stitching. Others embrace popular culture. Hannah Maguire set out to explore the downside of fame using a fictional pop star called Roxie Burns, but Roxie soon took on a life of her own. The show ranges from publicity photos and record sleeves to tabloid front pages. Jodie Couper is looking at celebrity too, making vividly hyperreal paintings inspired by the stories of pop stars and influencers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kayley Mullen is a fine traditional painter. She has painted landscapes en plein air in Spain and Scotland, and studio portraits inspired by mythical figures like Pandora and Persephone. Jenna Donald's paintings are more informal, quietly illuminating everyday tasks. Poppy Gannon works with dried leaves, cutting and stitching them with what must be an incredible degree of patience and intricacy. Sometimes she places these tiny, delicate sculptures in her own bespoke ceramic vessels, accompanied by haiku-like phrases and, in one case, the sound of water in the trunk of a eucalyptus (surely a kind of haiku in itself). Work by Joy Jennings at the 2025 Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show | Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Joy Jennings encourages visitors to play with her multitude of tiny figures, The Formables: little human beings made in a range of materials, heavy and light, textured and smooth. Her work is highly sensory, as is that of Leah Macmillan who has made a range of 'touchable' pictures inspired by watching her grandmother lose her sight. The result is a series of three-dimensional landscapes which are interesting, whether one is sight-impaired or not. There is some accomplished printmaking: Stephanie Livingstone's etchings of poisonous flowers, which, depending on context are a threat or a source of life-saving medicine; Lisa Speirs Fleming's linocuts which mix the real and the surreal to tell a story of the strangeness of early motherhood; Yerin Kim's etchings from Scotland and China, which are a vehicle for her superb draftsmanship; Cameron Tucker, who relishes pattern, and prints prolifically on paper and textiles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Speedy's paintings are about drifting and displacement. His figures in landscapes are a kind of symbolism, worked in thick paint, then washed with spirits and materials like sand to create textures. Each canvas is square, measured from the width of his armspan. Finlay Warner has foraged across the buildings sites of Dundee for cast-off materials, and builds sculptures which lean, tilt or hang, not disguising his materials but making us see them in new ways. Pippa Carter's immersive three-screen film, Return to the Land, is a kind of contemporary sublime, while a second film, Dream of the Raven, explores her own journey to being at ease in the mountains. Nina Price paints small expressive landscapes of Shetland, where she grew up, experimenting with a bright palette of yellows and reds. Molly Smart takes over part of the canteen for a clever, ambitious show taking in Freudian psychology, consumerism, fish fingers and death by a ham sandwich. Afton Dick uses a mix of sculpture and 3D modelling to celebrate overlooked creatures, among them the dog tick and the bed bug (arachnophobes should steer clear of this space). Maeve Callister-Wafer's film Yn Sheenan (The Sound) explores the renaissance in Manx Gaelic, both spoken and sung. It's possible to give only a taste here of the different ways this newest generation of artists are finding their voice. Work by Ailsa Magnus at The Wonder Store | Contributed Meanwhile, in Methil, some local artists have put together an exhibition called The Wonder Store to help raise the profile of the local Heritage Centre. Fife being something of a mecca for artists these days, the line-up includes David Mach and his brother Robert, Kate Downie and Phil Jupitus, as well as others who grew up in the area, including the late Jack Vettriano, and the abstractionist William Gear. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The result is a show which really does live up its name, encompassing a wonderful variety of styles: David Mach's large photo-collage portrait of Eduardo Paolozzi, and coat hanger sculpture of his father; Robert Mach's Tunnocks wrapper Buddha (The Buddha of Methil?), Koons-esque balloon dogs and a hen wrapped in cream egg foils; Downie's charcoal drawings of a freight train on the Forth Bridge and a radio mast in Rosyth; sculptures by Ailsa Magnus; graphics and ceramics by Susan McGill; pieces made from objects found on Buckhaven beach by Gillian McFarland. My visit coincided with workshops for local P7s delivered by two of the artists. How good is it that these young people, some of whom have never encountered contemporary art before, are seeing it explode with possibilities, made by people who grew up, or have chosen to work, within a few miles of their homes? I hope seeds of inspiration were sown, and I might see some of their work at a degree show in the future.
Eater
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
All the New Restaurants Opening in the Hamptons This Summer
Part of the joy of heading East in the summer is discovering new dining spots that have popped up since last year. Some old favorites may be gone or relocated, but it's exciting to see what incoming chefs are creating with the produce from nearby farms and fresh catch from local fishermen. Here's what's new or changing this summer in the Hamptons for 2025. Montauk Bagatelle 500 West Lake Drive at Town Road One of the most legendary East End dining wharves, Gosman's, which first opened as a stand on the Montauk docks in 1943, and grew in to a large waterfront location in the 1970s, has been taken over by French Mediterranean restaurant, Bagatelle. Perhaps spurred on by the overwhelming success of the Saint-Tropez vibe at Le Bilboquet's waterfront outpost in Sag Harbor, the international brand known for its Bacchanalian brunches no longer had a New York location until this renaissance, which will debut in June. Mary Lou's 474 West Lake Drive at Town Road Mary Lou's, another clubbish spot that opened in Palm Beach this year, focusing on small bites, cocktails, and dancing, has also found a home in Montauk. The theme is '70s and '80s extravagance, so wagyu burgers and caviar towers join seafood on the menu. Gigi's at Gurney's 290 Old Montauk Highway at Maple Street Much of the new action in Montauk is centered around the hotel scene. After years of Scarpetta occupying the main dining space at Gurney's, the famed resort will unveil a new restaurant, Gigi's, in mid-June. The room with oversized windows providing an expansive ocean view will now focus on steak and seafood. Ruschmeyers Beach Grill 161 Second House Road at Midland Road Ruschmeyers's Puertos Rican-inspired Placebo is no more, and in its place is Ruschmeyers Beach Grill, the hotel's coastal restaurant, with such items as monkfish tail au poivre and spaghetti with lobster. Sea Salt at Sole East 90 Second House Road at S. Elroy Drive Melissa O'Donnell, former executive chef at Duryea's, is taking the helm of Sea Salt, a new Mediterranean restaurant in Montauk's Sole East, where she will offer bouillabaisse, crab spaghetti, and monkfish in red wine reduction to visitors as well as hotel guests. East Hampton Swifty's at Hedges Inn 74 James Lane at Hook Pond Lane An East Hampton hotel is also making waves. Swifty's is back in the Northeast. After shuttering on the Upper East Side and having a rebirth in Palm Beach, it is taking over the indoor and outdoor dining space at the Hedges Inn, just across from the town's idyllic pond. Expect old classics like crab cakes and meatloaf, along with specials created from local ingredients. Wayan and Ma-De at EHP Resort and Marina 313 Three Mile Harbor Hog Creek Road, near Woodbine Drive Cedric and Ochi Vongerichten are getting a water view and dazzling sunsets, relocating their summer stint of Wayan and Ma-De to EHP Resort and Marina, where diners can even pull up in their boats. Vibrant French-Indonesian flavors enhance dishes like pork ribs with soy-tamarind glaze and sesame seeds; whole black sea bass with sambal tomat; and crab fried rice with kerupuk and cilantro. A sunset menu will offer oysters and other light bites. Camp Rubirosa 31 Race Lane, at Railroad Avenue Meanwhile, the Rubirosa team is co-opting the East Hampton space that Wayan and Ma-de had occupied last year, bringing Camp Rubirosa there for a summer stint. In addition to a range of pizzas and handmade pastas, entrees like chicken Parmigiano and local bass will be served. Crazy Pizza 47 Montauk Highway at Buckskill Road Those aren't the only artisanal pies debuting out east this summer. Crazy Pizza, with branches in Europe and the Middle East, and opened in Soho last fall, will come to East Hampton. Staff will parade through the dining room, spinning super-thin yeast-free crusts topped with everything from caviar to truffles. Southampton Fresh Direct 70 Main Street at Nugent Street Now you can go to Fresh Direct's door rather than it coming to yours. The mega-delivery service will have its first physical store right in the middle of Southampton's town center. Starting this week, it will sell everything from vegetables to wine. El Farm Market 101 Jobs Lane at Hill Street For more specific Mexican specialties, chef Julian Medina is opening up a gourmet shop next to his Southampton restaurant, El Verano. El Farm Market will sell guacamole and homemade chips, as well as serve caviar with a glass of bubbly on weekends from 6 to 7 p.m. Fenik's 75 Jobs Lane at Hill Street Chef Douglas Gulija, who ran Plaza Cafe for 30 years, will preside over Fenik's in Southampton, along with his cousin, Skip Norsic, beginning in June. The name is a nod to their Croatian ancestry. The spot will have a chef's counter starting at $250 with dishes such as corn panna cotta and escargot with herb risotto, as well as an a la carte menu on the ground floor, and smaller bites like surf-and-turf sliders in the upstairs lounge. Namiro 76C Jobs Lane at Hill Street Sushi aficionado and sake master Jesse Matsuoka (who is an owner of Sen and his Tip Top Hospitality Group, are behind Namiro, the new Asian-influenced spot that will have raw fish, as well as vegan rolls, and favorites like Korean fried chicken, and miso cod. Claude's at the Southampton Inn 91 Hill Street at First Neck Lane Matsuoka is also involved with the redo of Claude's at the Southampton Inn, which underwent a renovation and will now go from basic to more sophisticated international plates, such as tuna with dukkah and purple radish; risotto with peas, asparagus, poached egg, mint, and Parmesan; and halibut with Thai yellow curry and jasmine rice. There will still be burgers, but they will be wagyu with caramelized onions and Gruyere. Elsewhere Zoe 755 Montauk Highway at Locust Ave Membership dining has become so big in the city that it was inevitable it would spill over to the Hamptons. In June, chef Ralph Pagano, who appeared on the first season of Hell's Kitchen and hosted the series Pressure Cook on the Travel Channel, will take over a hundred-year-old farmhouse in Water Mill. He will convert it to a global spot, Zoe, where potential members pay a $2,500 fee for access to reservations and the family-friendly landscaped outdoor area with tents, and bocce. Donohue's 144 Main Street at Mill Road After 75 years, classic Upper East Side steakhouse Donohue's is expanding East. In late June, it will inhabit the space that housed the Post Stop Cafe, which was originally an old post office and still has the original tin ceilings. Look for the familiar steaks, chops, burgers, turkey dinners, salad, and seafood, along with weekly specials like shepherd's pie and meatloaf. Sign up for our newsletter.
