The CorkscrewIn praise of Andre Simon, father of food and wine pairings
Nellie Ming Lee profiles the man who showed the modern world that wine and food complemented each other
As a sommelier, I'm often asked, "What comes first - the food or the wine?" This is a topic of heated discussion among wine lovers and foodies. Chefs will usually say it's the food while sommeliers feel the wine takes precedence.
But, in truth, both components are equally important and should be chosen to complement each other.
Simon was born in France but spent his adult life in London. He arrived in Southampton as a youth to learn English, and went on to write more than 100 books, including his early works, The History of the Champagne Trade in England and The History of the Wine Trade in England from Roman Times to the End of the 17th Century. His bestselling work, published in instalments during the 1940s, was A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, which sold more than 100,000 copies - a record for that time.
One of London's top importers of Pommery champagne and French wines, in 1908, Simon co-founded the Wine Trade Club, and his technical lectures and tastings were pioneering. This was 45 years before the establishment of the Institute of Masters of Wine.
In the 30s, Simon and a friend, A.J.A. Symons, founded the Wine and Food Society. Their first lunch, at the height of the Great Depression, caused much excitement as fine food and wines were scarce. Simon attended and, with his gift for talking, stressed the idea that food and wine were natural partners and could enhance each other.