We welcome Matthew Mawtus to The Premier Cru. Matthew is the Head of Food & Beverage at ⁠Hide⁠ restaurant, following an amazing career including stints at Claridge's and Pollen Street Social. When you imagine a Michelin Star restaurant, Hide is exactly what you see: Tasteful decor - the UK's most photographed staircase World class chef - Ollie Dabbous Unrivalled wine list - full access to range at ⁠Hedonism Wines ⁠Exceptional service - led by Matthew On the episode we introduce...

We welcome our first couple, Patrick Williams and Amy Corbin, to The Premier Cru! Patrick and Amy are the dynamic duo behind the Kudu Collective - a set of South African inspired restaurants in South London. Since opening in 2018, Patrick and Amy have been serving exceptional modern European food with a South African twist, influenced by Patrick's upbringing in South Africa. From establishing a loyal customer base as a neighbourhood restaurant to battling through COVID, they have since...

We welcome Anthony Gopal to The Premier Cru, who is the Head Sommelier at KOL. KOL is the brainchild of Santiago Lastra (Head Chef). The principle aim of the cuisine is to transport the flavours and soul of Mexican food using local British produce. Since opening in 2020, KOL has received a Michelin star and also been listed in The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Anthony has done an incredible job developing the wine offering, creating an unrivalled list of wines from top producers based...

We welcome Melania Battiston to The Premier Cru. Melania is one of the UK's top young sommeliers, having worked at The Medlar and Aman Hotel Group whilst running her own coaching business and judging at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Melania's latest adventure is joining David Liverpool and the team at Cornus, a new roof-top restaurant based in Belgravia. They serve delicious food grounded in the principles of French cuisine - think lobster pasta topped with caviar and Amalfi lemon....

We welcome Ed Templeton to The Premier Cru, who is the Co-Founder of Carousel. What differentiates Carousel from other restaurants? Well, they have a weekly chef in residency programme, inviting new chefs each week from across the world to showcase their cuisine to London customers. It is a culinary hub where you can explore different cuisines, cultures and real creativity. On top of that they also have a wine bar and a Mezcaleria acting as more casual spaces in which to enjoy Carousel if...

Hedonism Wines has to be one of the most luxurious retail experiences in the UK. Think of it as a wine Disneyland including chandeliers made of wine glasses, multiple large format bottles and some of the greatest wines you can get your hands on! Hugo and Ben welcome Julien Le Doaré, General Manager of Hedonism Wines, onto the podcast. In the episode we discuss: The vision behind Hedonism Wines The range of wines available Expansion into hospitality via a Michelin star...

We welcome Nick Gibson to The Premier Cru! Nick is the Founder of The Drapers Arms, a pub based in the heart of Islington. They have a ridiculously good (and good value!) wine list showcasing 300+ bottles many of which have some real bottle age. Nick set up The Drapers Arms in 2009, following a career in finance, and believes that treating staff well is the cornerstone of a good business, with fantastic food and a great wines the rest should take care of itself. The Drapers Arms also...

We welcome Carole Bryon to The Premier Cru! Carole is the Founder of The Lady of the Grapes, a restaurant and wine bar based in the heart of Covent Garden. On top of serving fantastic food, their wine list exclusively showcases wines produced by female winemakers. The 2023 Women in Wine survey revealed that 78% of respondents (women working in the trade) agreed that sexism, gender bias and harassment were serious issues in the industry. Initiatives, such as The Lady of the Grapes,...

We welcome Joe Haynes to The Premier Cru! Joe is the Founder of Penzer Wines, which he set up after studying wine at Geisenheim and completing a stint working for the legendary Klaus Peter Keller. All the wines as part of the Penzer portfolio are delicious as Joe seeks out wines from sustainable producers that represent great value. More recently Joe Co-Founded Cloth Restaurant in Farringdon. Cloth has already been receiving brilliant reviews from critics due to it's wonderful wine...

This week is all about Palestinian food, culture and wine, yes there is such a thing! Hugo and Ben welcome Fadi Kattan, Founder of Akub restaurant, and Anna Patrowicz, Consultant and Sommelier, onto the podcast. Akub is a Palestinian restaurant celebrating the rich diversity of ingredients and culinary traditions from the region, while working with locally sourced British ingredients. Fadi Kattan is a Franco-Palestinian chef living in Bethlehem and London. He has two restaurants: Fawda (in...

It's all about sake this week. Somewhere between a beer, a spirit and a wine, there is a mystique when it comes to sake as people rarely understand what it is, the range of styles and therefore the possibilities it offers. This week we change that! Hugo and Ben welcome Tom Wilson, Co-Founder of Kanpai, onto the podcast. Kanpai is the UK's first sake brewery based in Bermondsey beer mile. They produce a range of styles and are open to the public via tours and their amazing taproom. In...

Hugo and Ben welcome Karl Sjöström onto the podcast, our final instalment from filming at Karakterre wine festival in Vienna, Austria. In the episode we discuss: Fruit wine as a category and what it actually is Fruktstereo, who they are and what they're getting up to in Sweden Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more! You can also...

Hugo and Ben welcome Henry Jeffreys onto the podcast. It's English wine week and we are delighted to be telling the story of how England became a wine producing country. Henry is the author of "Vines in a Cold Climate: The People Behind the English Wine Revolution", which was awarded Drink Book of the Year at the Fortnum & Mason food and drink awards 2024. Nobody knows the people and stories underpinning England's growing wine industry better than Henry. In the episode we...

The Premier Cru are on tour, visiting Austria for a wine festival called Karakterre. This time Hugo welcomes award winning wine writer, Simon Woolf, onto the podcast. Simon has been writing about wine since 2011, focusing on natural wine, and related themes such as organics, biodynamics, minimal intervention and orange wine. In this ep we discuss: Simon's book, Amber Revolution What orange wine actually is How to get stuck into more of them About Amber Revolution: New York Times...

The Premier Cru are on tour, visiting Austria for a wine festival called Karakterre! The festival lasts 2 days and showcases over 200 central and eastern European producers, who practice either organic or biodynamic viticulture. Throughout the week, producers open their doors to visitors, whilst bars and restaurants across Vienna provide tastings and parties alongside the main event. Community is at the heart of Karakterre and we welcome Marko Kovac, Co-Founder of of the event, to The...

This week is all about Gusbourne, one of England's leading wine producers! Hugo and Ben welcome Laura Rhys MS, Head of Wine at Gusbourne, to discuss their success and acclaim since launching their first wines in 2006. We discuss: What it takes to become a Master Sommelier Gusbourne's approach to viticulture and winemaking The development of English wine since the 80's And how English wine is perceived on the international market And we tucked into these three wonderful wines from...

Hugo and Ben welcome Honey Spencer to The Premier Cru. Honey is the lady of the hour in the UK wine scene. Alongside her husband, she recently launched a fantastic restaurant called Sune, which has already been nominated for the best opening of the year as part of The National Restaurant Awards. As if that was not enough excitement, Honey has also just released a new book called ⁠"Natural Wine, No Drama: An Unpretentious Guide"⁠. The book expertly does what it says on the tin. On this...

In contrast to last week's ep with Corney & Barrow, this week we continue on the theme of Bordeaux but this time looking at New Wave Bordeaux - what the &*%$ is that I hear you say! Hugo and Ben welcome Benedict Butterworth, founder of Benedict Butterworth Wines, onto the podcast to give us an overview of the modern state of play in Bordeaux. BBW is an independent wine importer and retailer with a focus on the innovative, wacky, and creative superstars you wouldn't usually associate...

It's May, which can only mean one thing. The Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Campaign has officially kicked off. Hugo and Ben welcome Ida Weatherall, Sales Executive at Corney & Barrow, onto the podcast to provide an introduction to Bordeaux as a wine region and buying wine En Primeur. Corney & Barrow are one of the UK's oldest wine merchants. There is no one better to provide an introduction to Bordeaux, one of the most historic and prestigious wine regions globally. We try 3...

Hugo and Ben welcome Margaux Aubry, Co-Founder of Naughty Piglets, onto the podcast. Naughty Piglets is a fantastic restaurant based in Brixton, serving seasonal modern European food alongside 200+ organic and natural wines. At the beginning of 2024 they started a chef residency programme which will keep the vibe of the restaurant changing throughout this year. On the ep we discuss: How they got started and what Jay Rayner had to do with it The time Andrew Lloyd Webber asked them...

Hugo and Ben welcome Tom Gearing, Co-Founder and CEO of ⁠Cult Wines⁠, onto the podcast. Cult Wines specialise in fine wine investment and combine a deep passion for wine with financial and technology expertise. Their latest innovation is ⁠Cult X⁠, an app helping users to easily trade and invest in fine wine. They can now cater to both complete novices and to experienced wine investors. Look them up now! Not only is Tom a wine investment guru, but he is also a media superstar having...

In 2019 Mark and Matt set up Levan, a restaurant in Peckham serving contemporary European dishes, inspired by the ‘bistronomy’ movement and their favourite eateries in Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Stockholm and Berlin. They have a huge wine list with a real focus on Jura. A year or so later Bar Levan opened right next door, which is a cosy wine bar, bistro and shop serving natural wine and food from Tuesday to Saturday. Think pickled mussels and crisps, comte, and Vin Jeaune by the...

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week: Good Value: Côtes du Rhône, Tanners, 2021 Wacky and wonderful: Ribolla Gialla, Vigna Traverso, 2021 Fine wine: Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco, 2019 Each of the wines is available from the merchants below: Good value: Tanners Wine Merchants Wacky and wonderful: Jeroboams⁠ Fine wine: The Wine Society Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru Instagram Apple Podcasts YouTube