There is always a hedonistic downside to recession and I don't mean people losing jobs; work is by no means a luxury and no one should ever stoop down so low to afford some. I mean the replacement of the French hand-churned unsalted butter with an industrial spread. I am talking about the Bresse Poulet and the Australian lamb being substituted with local birds and sheep that are too skinny to be kept alive. Recession hits all areas but it leaves the most foul of tastes in the one industry which matters the least to financial people, but where taste itself matters the most - the field of food and beverage.

Little surprise then that hotels have already put financial constraints on their dreams and every whim now must be approved by the financial controller. Pity. Would you ever expect to define the canvass on which a Dalí or a Picasso would have painted? You cannot limit genius, or creativity, but you can, it would seem, chop off its wings and leave it flightless.

Such seems to be the trend in the hospitality industry. Every hotel is trying to figure out the best balance between reduced costs and uncompromised luxury. To me that is like fitting the wheels of a tractor on a sports car. But then, that's how Monster Truck Madness started.

More pertinently, the wine industry is facing some serious cuts and nicks, the kind which won't heal so easily. The most shocking of them to me would be the departure of the only true sommelier from India.

No, don't worry. I am still here. I am talking about the only other partner in crime that I knew here, Stephane SORET, the man who was behind re-establishing Imperial's repute as a solid wine destination. He is the only true French sommelier India has seen; the rest of the chaps you see around are nothing but posers whose only qualifications include being French and holding a valid Indian visa. And don't even get me started about the ones who have come from other parts of the world to make India their commercial home.
The parting of Stephane is a sad story indeed. For one thing, he sure didn't want to leave, but the hotel deemed itself independent enough to be able to run a list as massive as its own without a trained professional. Cost cutting by not having a sommelier is as intelligent as having hand-carts for limousine pickups: sure, it saves you money, but boy will you lose face.

Sadly the hotel and its owners would seem oblivious to such; finance seems to have them convinced that hospitality is a tangible product.

I remember when Stephane introduced exceptionally old Armagnacs into the country. Few believed that Indians would drink a relatively unknown after-dinner tipple, especially when it was expensive and served at a point in the evening when most Indians have stuffed themselves to their necks with food and wine.

But work it did and this year when Macallan came talking of launching an old vintage Scotch, I couldn't help but not look impressed. Ironically the meeting with them was at the Imperial which could have taken the wind out of their sales.

Apart from this, he achieved many other firsts: serving grand cru wines by the glass at unheard of (low) prices, listing some very classic champagnes and pricing them the cheapest in the country, having entire verticals of the best wines in the world and building a special cellar to store, dispense and showcase wines. He managed single-handedly what many an entire chain can't do even today.

And sadly, now, he is gone. Well Imperial's loss is R@##%3^ gain. I can't name where he will be yet but I know for a fact he will surely soon make enough noise there as well for his tremendous work and passion.

This here then today is a salute to someone who loves India as much as he loves wines.

Just,

Magan.