#FOURNews | Michel Roux Jr and The Balvenie explore craftsmanship

06 Mar 2016
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2 min read
Michelin star chef Michel Roux Jnr and master distillers of fine Scottish whisky, The Balvenie, create ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’: a new film series featuring leading experts in various fields ranging from pottery to salmon smoking unearths the true meaning of craftsmanship…
‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’

The Balvenie has a rich history of celebrating excellent craftsmanship; however the launch of ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’ – a six part short film series in which exceptionally skilled individuals in various fields are met and profiled by multi award winning chef Michel Roux Jr – will mark the brand’s foremost exploration of outstanding artistry to date.

The YouTube film series sees the two Michelin starred chef – naturally a master of his own trade – set out to unveil the true meaning of craftsmanship by meeting and discussing the talents and secret skills of six equally gifted people; including one of the only knife makers left in Britain, a music-loving salmon smoker, an organic farmer, a potter and a sparkling wine producer.

The series culminates with Michel creating the mouthwatering ‘Craftsmen’s Dinner’ for each of the individuals, using contributions from each artist; including salmon for the guests to enjoy, and beautiful hand crafted plates to serve it on. The first instalment of the series will launch aton the 15th March 2016, and will be released on a fortnightly basis thereafter.

Commenting on the film series, Michel Roux Jr said,“I have tremendous respect for people who dedicate the years required to mastering and perfecting their trade, so it was a fantastic experience to work with The Balvenie on this project, and to meet such talented individuals.”

Scores of captivating stories emerge from the films; including Ole Hansen:a salmon smoker who lovingly plays piano music to his produce every day in the belief that it adds a certain dimension to the taste. And Will Ferraby: a Sheffield-based knife maker whose chef’s knives are famously so precise that they perfectly slice a tomato in two, even when dropped from a height.

Jonny Cornthwaite, Senior Brand Manager, The Balvenie commented: “Celebrating exceptional craftsmanship is at the heart of everything we do for The Balvenie; so it is a privilege to work with Michel Roux Jr and these six individuals who really capture the heart of our brand ethos. ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’ is our largest and most ambitious project to date; and we’re very excited to introduce the series to the public.”

The films are set to be released on the following dates…

  • 15th March |Ferraby Knives
  • 29th March |Grierson Organic
  • 12th April |North Street Potters
  • 26th April |Ridgeview Wines
  • 10th May |Hansen & Lyderson
  • 24th May |Craftsman’s Dinner