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Written by Andrew Butterworth (admin) on . Posted in News.

Chaîne Battle of the Wine Merchants – And the Winner Is…

Battle of the Bermuda Wine Merchants!

We were delighted to host a sold-out evening for this year’s Battle of the Wine Merchants at Bolero Brasserie on April 9, 2026. Chef Jonny set the stage with a series of delicious and thoughtfully composed dishes that challenged our wine merchants and made for a truly engaging competition.

After Round 1, the three merchants were virtually tied. In Round 2, Discovery Wines pulled ahead — Stubby’s pairing stood out not only for how well it complemented the dish, but also as a significant value relative to the competition.

Heading into Round 3, the question was whether Ryliegh from The Tasting Room could mount a comeback. Her wine, the Justin Savant, outperformed the other two — both Zinfandels. But in the end, Stubby from Discovery Wines held the lead and took home the crystal decanter.

Congratulations to Stubby on a well-earned win!

All three merchants selected excellent wines, and the scoring remained close throughout. It made for lively discussion at the tables and exactly the kind of spirited, thoughtful exchange that defines this event.

A big thank you to Chef Jonny and the entire Bolero team for another fantastic evening — the food, service, and atmosphere were exceptional as always.

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Written by Andrew Butterworth (admin) on . Posted in News.

Chaîne Young Chefs – International & Bermuda Competition Update

We are proud to share that Leanna Estis represented the Bermuda Chapter at the Concours des Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs International in Istanbul on April 18.

Leanna earned her place on that stage by winning our Bermuda competition last year, and she approached the international competition with focus, discipline, and professionalism. Competing against top young chefs from around the world, she showed extremely well and was a strong ambassador for Bermuda. Just as importantly, she embraced the experience — connecting with peers globally and gaining invaluable exposure at the highest level of the craft.

You can view more photos from the international competition here:
https://newsonline.chainedesrotisseurs.com/story/3873/concours-des-jeunes-chefs-rotisseurs-photos.html

Congratulations to this year’s international Concours des Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs winners:
•⁠ ⁠1st Place – Canada
•⁠ ⁠2nd Place – Finland
•⁠ ⁠3rd Place – Hungary

A very special thank you and recognition to our committee member, Chris Malpas. Chris has been instrumental at every step — training and preparing Leanna for the international stage, accompanying her to Istanbul, and leading the organization of both the Bermuda competition and the fundraising dinner. His commitment to developing young culinary talent is exceptional, and his dedication behind the scenes makes all of this possible.

We also extend our sincere thanks to the members who supported the Young Chef fundraising dinner, and to our sponsors whose generosity made it possible for Leanna to travel and represent Bermuda on the international stage.

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Building on that momentum, we held the 2026 Bermuda Young Chef Competition on April 30 at Bermuda College to select our next representative for the 2027 international competition. The 2027 international competition location has not yet been confirmed, but it will take place in October and will mark the 50th anniversary of the Young Chef competition.

This year’s competitors, all from Hamilton Princess, were:
•⁠ ⁠Jalen Currin
•⁠ ⁠Xah-Niyah Williams
•⁠ ⁠Cristianna Warren

The standard was high, and the judging reflected the depth of emerging culinary talent in Bermuda. The winner will be announced live during our Induction Gala on May 9 at Grotto Bay — with all three competitors recognized on stage.

The Gala is currently at capacity. Members are welcome to join the waitlist in the event of cancellations. Final numbers must be confirmed with the chef by Tuesday.

We look forward to celebrating the next chapter of our Young Chef program with you.

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