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chevalier de tastevin

post #1 of 12
10/6/03 at 2:17am
Thread Starter 
Hi,
I've recently aquired a certificate to hang on the wall in my restaurant. The more I study it the more interested I become on finding out a bit about the recipient. Leonard Martin James. Any ideas where I can start looking......



I'm assuming this was presented when M. James was made a member. It is a Chromolithograph, measuring 16" x 13" plus border, with the name, date etc inscribed in calligraphy. It reads thus:
>
>M. Leonard Martin James
>a ete reconnu dinge de faire partie de la Confrerie des
>Chevaliers de Tastevin
>
>fait et donne au Chateau du Clos de Vougeot en Bourgogne, le 5 Mai 1956
>
>It is signed by Le Grand Chancelier ( poss. Roisier ? ) and
>Le Grand Maitre de l'Ordre ( poss Faivelly ? )
>
>It has the arms of Nuits and of Bourgogne and is richly decorated with gold (leaf?)
>It is not numbered.
>
>Being a chef and Restaurateur anything like this interests me. I was hoping there might be a register in Bourgogne with some background. I'm assuming the gentleman was English and there can't have been many Englishmen in the Confrerie in the 1950's.
>

All the best

David
"The kitchen is his **** and he the devil in it" -- A Book of Characters
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post #2 of 12
10/6/03 at 10:43am
What a wonderful find! I was at Clos-Vougeot a few years ago and though I missed the party, I saw where they hold their annual celebrations and induct their new chevaliers. It's a big affair and celebs such as the lovely Catherine Deneuve are always in attendance. I wish I could send you the pictures (sorry, no scanner). I remember there being some very old oak presses, 700 or so years old. If you do go to Nuit St-George, it's worth a look. I brought home some incredible bottles from that place. Let me see if I can't find anything about the confrerie and I'll get back to you....
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post #3 of 12
10/6/03 at 10:50am
About the other 2 names on the certificate you hold:

As to how an Englishman would become a member:

From the official web site: http://www.tastevin-bourgogne.com/An...?membrecours=0
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post #4 of 12
10/6/03 at 10:57am
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post #5 of 12
10/6/03 at 3:43pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks

At last, getting somewhere. I'd roamed about the Net but they seem pretty tight lipped over there. My best shot was to the head of the Rotary Wine Group in NYC, she is a Chevalier. Not a lot of help. I began to think it was a secret society. Still the man has probably been dead for a while ( can't see HIM chucking that out) so unless he murdered someone my chances of finding out who & what are pretty slim. Thanks again

Dave
"The kitchen is his **** and he the devil in it" -- A Book of Characters
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post #6 of 12
10/6/03 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
P.S.
My favourite Burgundy is Echezeaux, but alas the pocket is not as deep as it used to be.

Dave
"The kitchen is his **** and he the devil in it" -- A Book of Characters
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post #7 of 12
10/6/03 at 4:57pm
[QUOTE]Originally posted by davewarne
[B]P.S.
My favourite Burgundy is Echezeaux, but alas the pocket is not as deep as it used to be.

Dave, your not alone.

I've had the pleasure of drinking all the DRC wine from Echezeaux to Richeborg and Domaine Rominee Conti....but alas,there were not from my cellar,but I can say i've drank them.
Baruch ben Rueven / Chanaבראד, ילד של ריימונד והאלאן
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post #8 of 12
10/13/03 at 4:38am
Dave,
He was probably a shipper or agent for Burgundy in the Uk.
Try the WSET who are online,they could point you in the right direction.
I love Cambridge where is your place & what do you cook.
I managed the Tram depot for a short while on relief.
champagne for my bad friends
& bad pain for my cham friends
(Francis Bacon)
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post #9 of 12
10/16/03 at 12:32am
Thread Starter 
Hi Mike

What is the WSET. Wine+Spirit ??? Trade??.

A link to my restaurant can be found in my profile. I'm not too sure how self-promotion is viewed on the Cafe. My wife and I :-) run the place almost on our own and we have just been told we have made the Good Food Guide. We say the food is French with English names. Set menu at £30, four courses, and 5 or 6 choices. Changes about every 6 weeks. Nearly all cooked to order. There's a review on
http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/eati...blishment=145.

We too love Cambridge but it could do with a couple more really good restaurants. Until recently the hotels weren't up to much either. Never stopped at the Tram Depot though I get my hair cut round the corner at Peppys.

All the best

Dave
"The kitchen is his **** and he the devil in it" -- A Book of Characters
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post #10 of 12
10/16/03 at 10:53am
ps Dave my sister in law lives in Ely, she trains dressage horses.
champagne for my bad friends
& bad pain for my cham friends
(Francis Bacon)
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post #11 of 12
2/23/12 at 1:08pm

Hi, my dad was a National officer, and I have the induction certificate, the same thing you have, and also the tastevin ribbon denoting office and rank, with the actual silver tastevin on it...I'm thinking of selling all of his awards, including the Escoffier, and French gold medal..You may have heard of him, Franz K. Lemoine..He taught at Culinary Institute of America, until we moved to RI, and he opened Johnson & Wales Culinary School, and remained Executive Director until 1984, when he retired..He started the RI chapter of the ACF and was a lifetime member...he authored 3 cookbooks, and two others concerning hotel and restaurants..He won CHRIE's Howard B Meek award, and won Educator of the Year in '77. If you are at all interested, you can e-mail me at fklemo@gmail.com. I grew up calling most of the great chefs in this country uncle,  and remain in touch with all. So I can probably find the answer to any question you may have..

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Paul-Henri Lemoine

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post #12 of 12
3/17/12 at 7:05am

 

Like Spain, France has numerous Designation of Origin wine regions, however, each denomination of wine has a Regulatory Council, which if you contact:

 

the Ministry of Agriculture, I am sure they could assist you. They also have a Sommeliers´ Association. I would suggest that you contact these organizations.

 

There is also an org. in the USA, NYC I believe called: French Wines in North America or similar www.frenchwinesofnorthamerica.com

 

Another 2 possibilities are to contact the French Dining Association: The Chen  and the Organization called : The Michelin Guide Publishers ( this is a group of critics, publishers and reporters )  

 

Interesting post.

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