The Hospitality Visionary: Pierre Hadrien

We're at the Fairmont, Monte Carlo, today, here to meet Mr. Pierre Hadrien, Food & Beverage Director at the hotel.

The hotel is on a cliff overlooking the Ligurian Sea. It is just an 11-minute walk from Monte Carlo Casino and 2 km from the Prince's Palace of Monaco. And what a sight it is. We simply cannot wait to try out the much renowned Asian cuisine at the NOBU Restaurant here!

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Let's Connect

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Voila! Here he is, the man of the hour,

So Pierre, tell us something about yourself.

Bonjour, I am really passionate about Food & Beverage, my job is my hobby! As Director of Food & Beverage of a hotel, my daily mission is to make my guests and patrons happy but also to motivate and lead my team according to a vision. The hospitality and service business is all about people! The golden rule of my business is the humandimension. However, in order to achieve guest satisfaction, it is important to work with great and fresh food & beverage products! Clearly, wine has an incredibly important role in my work, particularly the relationship between wine and different foods.

What do you see as the most important skills a Wine Buyer can have?

A Wine Buyer is a trained wine expert but also a passionate individual who understands the emotion and responsibility that comes with selecting wines for a hotel that caters for 600. This job requires a large range of skills: from the ability to negotiate to a sound technical knowledge of wine. The ability to attend industry and trade tasting events is also a great opportunity for me to source products and to connect with industry partners to create relationships. To put it in a nutshell, two words: tasting and travel.

How has the industry changed in the past 10 years and how have you responded?

Climate and technology are making transformational changes, keeping in mind that bio and natural wine trends are so important in the current market. The time has also come to stop doing what has been done before. No matter what steps a winery, a brand producer, a wine distributor or retailer have taken in the past, each player needs to do more nowadays. Particular attention needs to be given to sustainable transport, especially in bottling and packaging solutions. The wine industry, after all, covers a supply chain that includes an infrastructure of complex distribution, logistics, shipping, packaging, bottling, labelling services, right through to the retailers, merchants, restaurants and bars that end up selling the wine. That’s where the wine industry can have a vital role to play. Clientele expectations have changed, as they look more at discovering little and local producers respecting our environment. Thinking globally but acting locally is how I aim to act; I like to focus my researches by travelling around the region to try to find “hidden treasures”.

What do you look for when you plan to buy wine for your business?

First of all, a good value for money! Some wines are completely unknown but are “golden nuggets”. Should they create an emotional experience for their consumers, buying and sharing them is a must!

What is most challenging about what you do?

The biggest challenge is in selecting continuously wines that match current demand at an affordable price, creating a playground for emotion, satisfaction and memories.

Have you noticed any change in the preferences of wine consumers?

Most wine consumers are ready to look for a discovery and go off the beaten track. To taste a great glass of wine from a local producer is always welcomed and very much appreciated! A respect of nature and the environment has also become an important factor in purchasing trends.

Any other wines from around the world that we should be keeping our eyes on?

Every curious wine consumer should have a look at Asian wines, especially from Japan or even China… On a different note, with the current climate changes and global warming, it is also an interesting time to look at wine production in the northern regions, which benefit from climate warming.

If you could only buy one bottle to drink in December, what would it be?

In December, the Holiday Season is around the corner… For sure, I would choose a great vintage Champagne with a low dosage, a must for celebrating a special time of year with family and friends! Need a reference? Just contact me…

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Other Interviews By Paris Wine Cup:

Fabien Lainé, Wine Blogger

Julien Miquel, Wine Youtuber

Iain Munson, Master of Wine

Sue Eames, Wine Educator

Tanisha Townsend, Wine Influencer

Franck Vidal, Wine Development Manager at Cash n Carry

Nicolas Fouilleroux, Sommelier-caviste, Soif d'ailleurs

Yann Karache Prudent, Responsable en Sommelerie au Château de la Bégude

Rodrigo Orlando, Wine Buyer

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